The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-01
The AGE OF CONSENT.
MOVEMENT BY THE WOMEN OF
TENNESSEE
To Raise 1t to Eighteen-Faeis in
Relation to the Question to Make
the Heather Blush.
To the Editors of the Appeal:

To the Editors Of the Appeal:
You refer in your paper OF Wednss
day last to the fact that Massaehu-
sets is pressing the question upou hel
Legislature of rating "the age Of con.
S nj" from ten 10 eighteen J ears, and
add: "rhe women Of this State should
follow this example, and take stems to
secure the passage Of an act nrxt Jsnu.
airy, raising the age OF consent for
young girls to at least-we should say
eighteen years." l am glad to say
that our ever alert and active State
President OF the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union OF Tenn essee, Mrs.
Lide Mtriwether, and myself have
Ia en- this matter in hand, and it will
be placed before our Legislature next
year with thousands OF names ap-
pended. Mrs. Meri wether's long
study OF this question renders her
peculiarly fitted for the work, and we
have both sought every means Of gain.
ing the ears Of our women. Will this
not startle our mo- hers when they
read that "TAe age Of consent IS ten
years in twenty-four States and Te.li-
tories, twelve years in four or FIVE, and
Delaware fixes the age a. seUen yedrsf'
YEARS ~
Did the lawmakers not know that
this was giving power to the vilesl OF
the vile, and l ask with an indign ant
paug: Where were the fathers and
Christians when that law was framed
Surely base instinct could 90 no farther
than this. Infants in age, and infant
in fact, thCss helpless little ones have
been thrown TO the vile passions OF
men as ignorant as birds OF what was
to follow that consent.
well might many a mother cry in
the Language OF the psalmist, "They
have given my soul TO the lions, MY
darlir & to the power OF dogs" l write
this To enlighten the minds Of our
people on this awful fact, and, Messrs.
Eiitois, just here letme Say the women
of America have began steady end
persistent exploration of every law
bearing upon the condition OF women,
and it behooves those who are Oh list
ians to place themselves in the 20 j.
ii of investigators Of such facts az
this above given, and see that God
will deu aud of them, "Where is thy
brother, his blood crieth to me from
he ground" la face Of this, and
other facts OF q social nature, upon
which we have informed onrselvts
and in the hope of helping all who
hear us, Mrs. hide NERVE ther and
myself are arranging for weekly talk.
with our women and men. / was
specially requested to give an address
to men alone when l was in Ntsh-
vile, The men who made
it were leading Christian
men, they recognizing the
fact that if Sam Jones and Dixie
Williamson were free to speak TO
women alone, 1, from the experiences
of half century and thir'y-seven
years Of marriage and Maturity, had
the mother divine right of giving in
to the sons of women, fer
my life has been a desperate &c arch for
the power 10 be able "T0 help ht al the
hurts of the daughters of my people"
You will fad that everything that
can promote human good HIS been
carried out by the WOman's Christian
Temperance Union. following in the
path cleared by the brave Lucretia
Mott, Elizabeth Stanton and others
for forty years.
They propose 10 destroy the traffic in
liquor by developing public intelli-
gence to point where public opinion
will cryslaliEe into public action-law.
In doing this they have broadene d
the attack on everything that is hid
den away and in darkness, corrodinR
our social life, as is the law 1 have
been discussing concerning girl child
rem. Abandoning attacks on the ga
oOD, they have pressed the b. tile 10
the line of evangelistic work, scientific
instruction, in SCHOOL,,
iuveuile work, prison work
pc ice work, work among
the Incorporate circulation of tenn.
pelaBce literature, work among
ailors and soldiers, cooking schools
aud other lines, all tending to the de-
-truction of alcoholic drinking and
Ir ffic. In this S ate our bill is Circu-
Ibting fer SIGNATURES for temperance
instruction in schools, as t. the effects
On the human system. Some time
since, when the Inman party visited
the South, they were entertained at
many places. In the city Of Nash
vii g, l was told, the wife of Judge
Baxter entertained them. No " ne
was on her table, no drinks offered.
Before leaving several gentlemen
thanked the charming hostess for her
breaking away from an established
custom and setting 80 noble an exam
Die. She is secretary OF our Woman's
christian Temperance Union in that
,ity. When our society women rem
Ter the making of their private enter
ailments bar.roOm almost, in its
rink privileges, they invite imits-
on from others. So 4 the true
rave, loyal mothers will turn short
ound and become absolutely temper
J g, as did Mrs. BsKter, in their social
life and habits, they do more than any
an do by example. Last year in
lew York and Boston the most ex-
lied and refined society eschewed all
vine at New Year. Alb, my sis-
er women, what a glorious priyi-
fge is yours, who have money
} Jwer, Influence. | have none OF
1ese, but with the same courage that
made David walk forward with only
lis shepherd sling and the pc bles
rom the brook, l come Witd ali l
ave, the two pebbles, God given, nv
e n to write against these evils, nv
ngue to epeak and oh, thank God,
he crest heart Of the people is srous-
ng everywhere, aud even the bitter
st opponents have met congratulate
a. on my courage and my faith in
rod. We Will announces our meet
lgs when ready TO begin them, /
lean our informal talks 10 women
My, which we propose to begin soon.
me OF the ablest women know in
lew York speaks every week at q
sll, where che is met by hundreds Of |
omen. She charges 10 cents for adj |
lission for rent paying, Rndtne good |
one by the Information given il mar
7lous in its educational Influence. |
ye have been requested to speak a.
/ early day on the leading quest ons
sft re the people, aud Mr.. Long has
ndly offered the Church Of the
To- epohf ,snaaf;nn ,rba.o I