The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-01-27

| LII some countries the DarTlerS lnaJ
were raised up against woman Sc
curing honorable employment in
the business relations of life have
been destroyed, and the fact that
they have not been universally con-
demned and demolished is foul blot
upon both the intelligence and
the generosity of man. Step
by step, men have been
induced, slowly and grudging-
ly, to concede to mothers, sisters
and wives share of the rights and
immunities which men had exercis-
ed exclusively for ages. 1t was in
conformity with this progressive
elevation of the sex and in promo
ton of woman's advancement and
security, and in preventation of her
degradation, as necessary conse-
quence of that Of the husband, that
the homestead law, of Texas be-
came the immutable basis of our So
cial and property systems. For
merly. if the husband became a de-
praved and beggared sot the noble
wife was necessarily and surely even
more degraded and debased. She
had, under a barbarous code, no
rights or privileges and no life or
social existence distinct from that Of
the babbling brute to whose power
ty, or infamy, relentless lawlconsign-
ed her. The pitiable subordination
of woman or mans caprices had its
origin i'll the absolutism of brute
force. 1t was interviewer, in bar
barous age, with the very oldest
systems that were crystaliZed into
laws and handed down, invested
with reverence for countless ages,
to law givers and people of this age.
Such was the code that annihilated
woman as a human being, merging
her personal and legal existence into
that of her lord and master. The
common law gently phrased it the
"unIty of man and wife"-the
"naerger of the wife's existence into
that of the husband" The latter
owEed absolutely all that was the
wife's, and the wife, since she some
times breathed after the husband
was entombed, was generously suf-
fered to use, while she lived. part
of the husbands reality. Lawgivers
of Texas have been more just than
those of the past ages, and while
they have SO far only repud1--
ated old English theories, it
remains for them to advance
a step further and to disenthral, in
this land of freedom, these beings
who have too long been humbled.
The world of thought moves slowly;
it has moved far too slowly for
woman. In this country she is yet
hedged about with unjust restric-
tions Of opinion and prejudice. She
has hardly been conceded the poor
privilege of being respectable, and
vet of making honest bread by hon
est toll. She has been excluded
from many pursuits for which she is
peculiarly well fitted ,and we are only
pleased that Texas has been fore
most in guarding women and moth
ers against the greed and follies and
crimes of husbands, and that it is
second to no State in all gener-
Gus legislation affecting the sex.
There are other champions than
Senator Houston for the rights of
woman, IN the Senate We could |
name the generous and noble
fathers and husbands and brothers
of that body, who will aid him in
giving legal license to the honora-
BILE employment of woman; and
when this emancipation bill has
passed this honorable body we
know, too, that there are men in the
House who will nurse it as they
would lend aid and comfort to a
mother or sister distressed for bread
1t is a cause in behalf of life and in
dependence against degradation and
death. Let us give women honora-
BILE employment, that lounging and
idleness, and, too often, shame, may
not alone command gold.