The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-07-15
Synopsis Of Address Delivered Be
fore tho Sumter Institute, Juuc
~, 1885, by w. &. Bcnet,
with an Extract Ia full.

world. Referring to the declaration Of
American Independence and the effects
Of subsequent struggle OF the develop
ment Of American character, the speak
er found in the demands made upon
the American Woman by the cxigencics
Of that period, the rationale of the
fresh, original, unique type Of woman
hool she produced. This, though modi-
fed by subsequent influences, still sur
wives rs the American type of woman
attractive, ever if not harnonizing in
Mi respects with old-world ideas of
pr"priety.
mans higher education, the speaker con-
trastcd the rich provision now made for
that end, with the meagrencss. and pow
erty IF that which until few generations
AZ" was regarded rs all that n woma
could or ought to know. A trucr appre-
citation Of female worth and mentality
had thrown open the temple Of learning
to woman, who could aspire to heights,
however giddy, if she had the will TO
essay the climb. But this new tangled
notion Of educating the sexes together in
the same school and class-room-hc be-
licved to be injurious to morals and de-
structive Of modesty. The equality Of
the sexes is not identical with their
sameness, and the confusion of ideas
existing on this subject, had given rise
to all tina. movement Of which We have
heard so much in late years, the falsely
so-called "Woman's Rights" agitation,
which taking its rise in this country.
had taken root also in the staid old
mother country.
The speaker poured a broadside of
Eood-humored satire into some of the
aspects of this question. such as sitting
on juries, going to the ballot-b box cleo
pioneering, and the like portraying the
grievious results in case husband and
wife should happen to differ on these
points and expressing the belief that
the possibility of the realization Of the
~"advanced" women's hope was very
shadowy and remote-too much so for
serious discussion. The typical Ameri-
can woman takes no stock in this sort Of
folly, and the advocates Of woman suf-
fringe and the like have but few follow
ers, even among the members Of their
v sex. The typical American woman
love and clings to that sweet dcpen-
dency, that superiority and submission
that makes her so attractive in the ewes
of the world.
The privileges of the ballot-box, the
jury box, the pulpit, the lecture plat
form, the forum, and all such kindred
matters, the typical American woman
does not desire to exercise. She is con-
tent to reign supreme rs the queen of
her home.
But there are rights said the speaker.
which women should claim, and re-
ceiVe. Among them is the right to rulc
society and its customs. Not that the
young girl is to rule, but the stcadier
more sober-minded God-fcaring matron
and wife. In France it was the
custom to scclude girls until they mar.
red then they had ca: te blanche in
society. In this country the reverse is
the ynle-the married woman gives ND
society leaving everything quite too
much ito the hoydeniSh maiden. 1t il
Pine for the Young Girl" to cease. On
this subject or AZ gcrmane to it, Mr..
Benet expressed himself AS follows:
"When ask that the reign Of the
young girl should terminate and that
the q%ueendom Of the mxtron aud the
shaperon should be restored, | know
TINT ] am pleading for tho highest and
best interests both Of matrons md
msidsns +; for the purity and subihty Of
society. No social gathering of both
sexes can be complete or perfect. unless
It be graced with the presence of our
mothers and our wives, whose dignity
II reserve Of manner tend 10 hold IN
CHECK the fevcrish vivacity and hi,aritv
pt 'mpetuous and thoughtlcss youth,
and they, by restraining and modcrating.
"dd u pure zcst 10 those dear delights
Of SOCIAL intercourse which, when in.
d"lged in without stint or limit. pail upon
the taste from very safety. 1t has 81
ways seemed to me that nearly al! the
evils charged against our social life by
lhc pulpit the press and current con.
vcrsation. would be remedied and r..
moved by a restoration Of the whole.
s'aae system of chaporonage and mn.
troniy supervision.
sF'fhis suggests to me the propriety OF
alsocatipg at this time and in this
presence, one Of the rights of
women. Of which some men in
the pulpit, and press seem xcslous to
deprive, her: Q her i~nalicnable
right to be soeiety's solo Jaw -givcr. i
halds fhn Tn nu,-A 49, oaI ..,,