Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-03-27

II
the less is the affec,ation of knowledge ,anC
the appearance of superiority. The purel
the air, and the brighter the SUP, the more
acute the sight and better the feelings.
Woman has right to education. i is ex.
pedeDt for all parties that as much care bt
bestowed on the daughters as on the sons
Of a family. 1t is thought that because she
| does not exercise the learned professions,
| does not address assem- blies Though now
this is frequent) that it is of minor impor-
/ lance whether or not her mind be stored
with knowledge, whether her intellectual
powers are developed by culture, or wheth-
err she can creditably converse on the most
| ordinary topics of conversation. A part OF
| mankind seem to think woman a mere
piece of furniture necessary to complete the
| domestic establishment. Others regard her
as the connecting link between themselves
and society, and others no more than mere
drudge to manage the household All these
consider her education a matter OF little
Importance Woman has right to be ed
pcated for her own sake. Besides adding
to the stores of positive knowledge, educa-
ton disciplines and perfects all the faeul-
ties, gives accuracy to the power of obser-
walton, solidity to the Judgment, and to wo-
man the weight, influence, and re-
spect rightly due her.
There is prejudice against learned
women; but not against educated
women. The woman who makes a
disgusting display of her learning is
not well educated. Good education
shows itself in no manner better
than in the most perfect simplicity
If "home is the great school of hui
manity," then woman is the uniyer-
sal teacher. From her the children
derive their ideas; her every motion
is something taught them. Wash
ington and many others attribute all
their success to their mothers. 1t is,
then, education which gives woman
her true rank and influence. 1t has
been said that while armies are nee
essary to conquer world, woman s
moral influence alone can civilize and
save it. If this be so, it may be
asked, why do we hear the cry of
injustice and oppression on the part
of the other sex; of rights withheld;
privileges demanded; hardships en-
dured; justice refused2 With these
weighty charges comes a long list of
grievances, civil, political, domestic.
Such injuries spring from false
notion of the appropriate sphere of
woman, and justly give rise to COM
plant. When once the true position
of woman is established the cry for
"woman's rights will have died
away; there will be no complaint for
a comparison of the past with their
present condition, which cannot but
inspire us with pride and satisfaction
that the institutions of our land have
been exalted instead of degraded by
her.
In the age of chivalry it was the
beauty of woman that wrestled sue
cessfully against barbarism. She
softened the rude manners of the
warrior, and inspired the knight with
courage and honor, and thus civil
lied those whose hearts could be
touched by no other human power.
Woman taught the combatants to
defend the helpless, to succor the
oppressed, respect the aged, protect
the young, spare the vanquished,
console the wretched, and extend to
all the generous rights of hospitality
Chivalry thus sprang from her infu-
ence, laying the way for the wonder
working laws of civilization. "Wo-
man had then civilized man; but man
had not exalted her." As light began
to dawn the rights of women were
mixed with the theories of the day
and it became question among doc
tors of divinity whether, indeed, she
possessed rational soul. 1t was
not until the reign of Louis XIV, in
France, that juster views prevailed;
and since that period, she has grad
ually risen until she occupies pc
sition loftier than that to which hei
Hottest ambition need scarcely aspire
The conduct of woman has been
noble, and deserving of rank with
men. In our days of peace and lux
urv we can scarcely imagine the Sc
verify of the trials endured by the
women during the Revolutionary
War, and it is still more difficult to
estimate the hardships they all bore
with cheerful forgetfulness of suff
ering in view of the desired object
The alarms of war-the roar of strife
itself could not silence the voice o.
woman lifted in prayer or encourage
ment. The horrors of massacre could
not drive her from her post of duty
Again, as to her right to rule; il
| Snnnns indiSnntah le that ex nari ments