The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-14
The RIGHTS OF WOMEN.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF HER
ADVANCEMENT.
he Injustice OF Mems Laws-The
Position Of Notary Public
A Case in Point.
To Tho Editors Of the Appeal

A Case in Point.
To the Editors Of the Appeal:
Theodore Parker once sold. "H,
who will not reason is a bigot, ht
VINO cannot reason is a fool, aud h,
who dare not reason is coward"
] address myself TO that number
who dare to sweep the cobwebs o.
prejudice from their mind aad look
facts 10 the face, with the calm unim-
passioned gaze Of true common sense
Then, in face OF the fact that women
are holding the Office of notary public
ia many places, why will men act as
they 10 10 regard to Mrs. NJ. T.. Coma
way? 1t is largely due to man and
| the results OF their own laws that
| women have been forced into new
/ fields Of labor. If there had been any
/ question OF law that could have been
brought to bear on her re iuming the
position of real estate agent, the same
fight agsintt her would have been
made. lam morally certain she has
fitted herself thoroughly for an Office
of notary, or else she would not have
applied for it; and il comes with i'll
grace from men TO refer TO the fact
concerning large moreyed interests be-
ing involved as was done on her first
application, seeing how much mall
ieasaDce in flee has BEEN shown in
Shelby Colnty, where the Office.
holde's are of the masculine gender,
and it needs only a brief review OF
woman's work TO see that in this very
respect she has been held in high es.
TEEN as public worker.
II the proverb be true that "the
pen is mightier than the sword"
woman's skill and force in using this
miRhtier weapon must eventually
change the doctrines Of the world.
The progress made in thirty.eght
years. since the frat law passed in
New York lifting women in one thing
from under the old common law, has
been simply woldeIful.
In that first convention they de-
manded equal rights in the UNIVERSE
ties, in all trades and professions, TO
complete equality in marriage, to per-
sonal freedom, property, wages. chill
dren, to make contracts, to sue and be
sued, and TO testify in courts of JUS
tlce. In every State in the Union the
common law prevailed, and the con-
dition of married women was in n
sense az degraded as it could well |
be, only that men, in the
mass, are always better than
their laws But in my humble
opinion, where wrong is to be
righled, one line Of law is worth more
han any Chivalry this side the middle
ages. "Why do you women NEEDLE
a pOlitics?" asked Napoleon OF Nine.
Do Stael. "Sire," was her reply, eff
you will hang us by law we want to
Know the reason why" So these adj
,anced thinkers among women made
he demands / have cited, with the
additional one of holding the law.
making power, the ballot, in their own
lands.
Money, or financial interest, at
east, has done much to change the
aw; for this fret bill that was
aised in New York, giving property
lights to married women, grew out Of
he fact that great dissi patton prevailed
n ong the aris'OCrdiic Dutch fam.
ea, and the thrifty old farmers found
heir haId-earned dolia's flying like
nj IS in the hands of mBchievous
ons-in-law, and this caused influsn-
ial people to second the reformers,
nd Judge Fine OF St. Lawrence drew
Up the bill, aud was very active in Sc
uring lis passage from strong per .
onal motives" a
The New England States, under the N,
rights agitation, was prompt Z
n era9iug some of her laws against /
1omen and the new Territories came
lto the confederation OF States with
lw5 FIR ahead Of the older States. 1t
GEMS that the ever.chsnging West
effects itself upon the silent, unChang. ]
X East, and induces the throwing Off
its old customs. Witness the re- 7
llts Of the Legislature in Washington
eriit)ry, where the full ballo is in
no hands OF women, and highly IA
ored by the men too. The Legisla
We campaign sums up results thus:
THE scientific temperance bill
1opted unanimously in both houses.
he local option bill passed despite
emendous pressure brought t. bea
yainst it. High license clause de.
ated so too was the attempt to de-
vat the Sunday law and the attempt
relieve women of jury duty. The
,e of consent WAS raised from ten to .
xteen Yeas"
Again and again am told or asked,
hat can few women do2 ask,
hat cannot women do, guided ny the
brit that animated Elizabeth Black
ell in her invasion of the medical
'hool forty years ago
| copy you letter written by her
my dear old friend Emily T. Collins
New Haven. The following extract
lows the noble spirit, az nothing else
IN.
"Mv whole life is devoted unre.
lrvedly to my sex, The study and
ractiCe of medicine is, in my thought,
ut one means to great end, for
mich my soul yeaIns with intense
sSionate emotion, Of which / have
reamed by day and night from my
lrliest childhood, for which | would
Ter I'M my life with triumphant
lanksgiving, il mar'yrdom could
cure that glorious end-tbe true en-
oblement Of womau-the iull har-
onious development Of her unknown
ature, and the consequent redemp-
on of the whole human race. Earth
ats her queen" The whole of
pr letter is so beautiful,
! true, 80 Just would gladly give it
l. Circumstances fAvoring, | desire
} follow this paper with series Of
'tiI'e5 giving some facts concerning
he changes in he human constitu-
on that will interest many, from the
vt that they ave not generally re-
FRED to in split Of just criticism,
ut Of flippsnt scorn. Evolution is ?,
le law of all things and nothing can :
ay its p ogress. wish our lawyers =