Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-07
LETTER BAG.
A View OF the Fleming Case.

EDITORS HERALD l never read
more unreasonable communication than
the letter published in your paper
Thursday morning, signed "Justice." 1t
could not have been written by woman
and the ideas OF right and wrong pos
sessed by the man who penned it would
be destructive to the morals of this
country if they were generally adopted.
Passing over the d-blooded injustice
shown the servant girl, and the sneer-
ing reference to "their ladyships," SER
wants in general, the climax is reached
when Justice"-heaven save the mark
declares that sensible woman would
have blamed herself for the sit
uation, would see that her alb
sence had exposed her husband to
temptation, and "would not even refer to
the matter when talking with her
spouse, granting that she believed it."
Such statements are an outrageous
libel on men and an insult to women.
What cannot we leave our homes for
night without being charged with neg
lecting our duty and exposing our hus-
bands to temptation? Are men such
feeble, immoral creatures that they
cannot be trusted alone in the house
with woman? / have better opinion
of them than that. l do not believe
that the average man is SO prone to evil
that his wife must be forever at his side
upholding him. A minister of the gos-
pei should be strengthened against car
nalities by the spiritual life he leads
or should lead. Ministers are mortal,
and may be overcome by an overwhelm-
ing temptation, such as passionate love
sometimes creates, but the Fleming in
cident seems mere exhibition of gross
ness. 1t would be creating premium
on martial infidelity if wives should
withot comment condone such offenses.
Marriage relations on such basis would
be akin to prostitution and would de-
stroy the self-respect of any woman
with refined feelings. The Bible certain
ly does not require us to submit to such
violation of welded vows. The good of
society does not authorize it. One need
not be a prophet to foresee that if
women should pattern after Justices
sentimental selection and say,
81 know not ask not,
Ii guilt be in that heart,
i but know that Hove thee
Whatever thou art"
there would be a large increase of
infidehty. The very foundation of
welded happiness would be under
mined. Men might not take advantage
of their wives abeence for night by
attacking the servant girl, who suppos-
ing. her employer was christian gen
tleman, never thought of locking her
door against him, but they might--the
weakest of them-succumb to more pow
erful temptation if they felt assured
that their wives, even if cognizant of it,
"would not refer to the matter" Out
upon such code of morals Would
men adopt it, think you, "Justice ?"
Suppose wife, left alone night land
there is ''great neglecting of duty" in
that regard by husbands), should visit
the room of her hired man, or he should
visit hers. What wonld be the out
come?
A minister's wife does not leave her
husband without cause, Or tell him that
she had long despised him. Such re-
mark meant that she had seen beneath
the mask of piety and discovered the
hideous reality there.
1t is true that have never met any of
the parties in the case, and am actuated
in writing this simply by desire to see
justice done to both men and women,
but the 'ear-marks" seem very plain in
what is called IA Review of the Flem-
ing case" G. S. BRowN.Sa
Los Angeles, June 5, 1891.