The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-13
A CRADLE OR THE LAW.
Will Men Rock the One and Women
Practice the Other.
From the New York World.

lulIlSu W pihCllSS iAh' AAie NotAi''N
reported adversely on the bill, but 1t
had many warm supporters IN the
Senate and the speeches were interest
ing and frequently elected loud ap-
plause from the Senators and specta-
tors.
Senator Heaton, Of Loudon, the
patron of the bill and president OF the
bachelors of the Senate, warmly ad-
vocated the measure, and said that if
the bill passed he proposed to get a
partner at once. He cited the case of
Belva Lockwood as an illustration OF
what a woman could do in the profess
sion of law, and expressed it lis his
deliberate judgment that she vas much
more graceful before the Supreme
Court of the United States than in a
Virginia reel.
Judge Yarrell, the handsome Senator
from Greensville, said that he would
not dare tc vote against the bill.
The petition of Mrs. Smith. being an
address in rhyme, to the Legislature
was read by the clerk as follows:
Sirs, tits with timid steps come
TO beg your kind attention,
While speaking on a few small points
| much desire to mention.
Fen Sheba's Queen felt no more awed
BY Solomon's famed glory
Than l, impressed by wisdom great,
AS thus stand before ye.
But since the reason I am here
Is that Pm justice seeking,
And knowing here are noble minds
/ am made bold in speaking.
Twas l who lately at your door
Raped gently, and in wonder
Stood listening as yonr halls sent back
Reverberating thunder.
For I had only sought to gain,
Both for myself and others,
The privilege to practice law
If minded with our brothers.
And as paused such echoes came
AS these back to my hearing,
To which make brief reply
AS to close Pm nearing.
'"There are too many lawyers now"
Well, then, who will prohibit
More of that ranting, numerous sort
Who save men from the gibbet?
And if the field is over-gleaned
TO not appear inhuman,
Why not debar in future time
All men as we'll as women?
Or since, as Daniel Webster said,
"There's still room at the top" sirs,
Let woman find that vacant room,
And no man bid her stop, sirs.
And as for woman's proper sphere,
No man, as opine it,
Has right to choose it for her, or
Should seek e'en to define it.
Last let me beg, most honored sirs,
That you receive conviction.
Think how unjust tits to impose
On woman this restriction!
Remove it, pray, tits in your pow'r,
Let God with gifts of Nature
Decide whatsphere she'll occupy
And not the Legislature.
With great respect. ANNIE SMITH.
The reading .of the petition evoked
much laughter from the married Sena-
tors, but some of the single men wore
such a serious physiognomy as showed
that they considered the matter no
joke.
Senator Wood. of Charlotte County,
said that he considered it was mans
duty to support woman, and he de-
livered scathing rebuke to the bach
elor supporters Of the bill who, as he
charged, were trying to frame laws
HiASlCSS SOiI4O p'oA "OiAieAi4 hOu4N w
called upon to support a lazy man. He
called attention to the fact that Adam
proffered the apple to Eve and did not
require her to climb the tree to get it.
He said that women made the laws and
executed them now, and any further
practice Of law on their part might
causea wall to ascend from the So
called lords of creation and fill the land
with bald-headed men. His greatest
fear, however, was that as the right to
practice law involved the right to Sc
lect partner, his partner for life
might select some other man in the
practice of law and leave him to rock
the cradle. The bill was ordered to its
engrossment and third reading.
The attendance of ladies was unusu-
ally large and they manifested much
interest in the debate.