The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-06-29
ALLEaony ON wIMmEx,s RIGHTS.

"Wimmen haint no business with the
laws of the country"
'If they haint no business with the law.
the law haint no business With them" saws
| warmly. "Of the three classes that
haint no business with the law-lunaties,
idiots and wimmen-th the ~lunatics and idiots
have the best time of it" says /, with
great rush of ideas into my brain that al
most lifted up the border of my head
dress. Let a IDIOT kill a man; What OF
it?' says the law. Let a luny steal a
sheep; again the law murmnrs in a calm
and gentle tone. What of it? They haint
no business with the law and the law haini
no business with Them But let one ol
the third class. LET 4 woman steal a sheep.
does the law soothe her in comfortin'
tones No, it thunders to her, in awful
accents, You haint no business with the
law, but the law has a good bit of bust
ness with you, vile female, start for States
prison. You haint nofhin' at all to do
with the law, only to pay all the taxes II
tells You to-enbrace a license bill that is
ruinin' to your husband-giye mp your in
necent little children to a wicked father il
it tells you to-and a few other little
things, such as bein' dragged off to prison
by it, chained up for life, and hung, and Ell
cetery."
"'Methought | once heard the words,
signs the female, True government con
sists in the consent OF the governed Did
| dream them, or did the voice of a Inny
pour them into my ear p
'Iiaint | told you, frowns the law on
her, that that don't mean wimmin ? Have
| got to explain to your weakened female
comprehension again the great fundymen-
tai truth that wimmen hainf inclnded and
mingled in the law books and statutes OF
the country only in condemnin' and pun
ishin' sense, as it were > Though | feel il
to be bendin' down my powerful manly
dignity TO elucidate the subject further, ]
will consent to remind yon Of the c~onsolin'
fact that, though You wimmin are, from
the tender softness of your natures and the
Illogical weakness of yonr minds, unfit
from havin' any voice in maxim the laws
that govern You, Won have the right, and
nobody can ever deprive you of it, to bc
punished in a future world jest as hard as
a man OF the strongest intellect, and to be
hung in this world jest as dead as a dead
man; and what more can you ask for, you
unreasonable female woman you? p
Then groans the woman as the great
fundamental truth rnshes upon her: 4
can be knng by the political rope, but
can't help twist it,
@tJest 50, says the law.
"'Alas, sithes the woman to herself
would that | had the sweet rights of my
wild and foolish companions, the idiot,
and lunys, But, says she, venturing, Will
a beating heart, the timid aud pashful in
quiry, are the laws always inst, that
should obey them TINS implicitly
idiots. lunatiesl and wimminl Arr
they goin' to speak?' thunders the Law
Can | believe my noble right ear: Can l.
bein' ~blindGolded. trust my seventeen sen
ses? I'll have you understand that it hahn
no woman's business whether the laws arr
just OF unjust, all yon have got to do i
jest To obey 'em, so start of for prison
my young woman
"'Bnt my Homework, pleads the we
man. 'Woman's place is home; it is hei
duty to remain at all hazards within its
holy and protectin' precincts. How can
leave its sacred retirement to monlder il
States prison?'
"'Housework,' and the laW fairly yell,
the word, he is so filed with contempt a
the idee. 'Houseworkl jest as If house.
| work is goin' To stand in the way of the
noble administration of the law | admit
the reeklessness and immortality of hel
leavin' that holy haven long enough t.
vote; but | guess she can leave her house
work long enough to be condemned, and
hung and so forth
"'But l have got a infant home, says
the woman, of tender days. How can |
go?'
"'That is nothin' to the case, says the
Law in stern tones. The peculiar condi-
lions of motherhood only unfts a female
woman from ridin' to town with her hus-
band, in a covered carriage, once a year,
and layin' her vote ON a pole. I'll have
you understand it's no hindranee to her at
all in a cold and naked cell, o. in a public
court room crowded with men.
GAS the young woman totters along to
prison, is it any wonder that she sithes
To herself:
"'Wonld that | were 4 idiot! Alas is il
not possible that | may become even O
a lnny? Then | should he respected. -