The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-07-24
"Women's Rights"

relatively to feminine virtue. It is at q
loss of delicacy to claim what 1t has
always been considered manly, in culti-
yated communities, to surrender to wo"
man. The whole circle OF honors are
hers by spontaneous overture, to Whlch
is added the guaranty that she shall be
protected in the possession OF them.
Being overtured, they are hers to accept,
but not to claim. BY asserting her rights
she virtually disclaims protection In the
exercise of them. In this campaign, she
quietly assumes that tho gallants.y of
men will concede to her those rights
which she could not exercise without
their generosity. She utiliZes his gallan-
try, but ignores his devotion. To demand
what is generously offered is childish
ness. To claim right which it was con-
sidered honorable to decline, is bad taste
-an improperly. It Is to treat disre-
spectfully the honorable devotion OF men.
It is an offense to virile sensibilities,
which it is considered dlshonorable to
resent. The effect is to lower the esti-
mate of female character and thus silently
to consign bold and claimant women to
lower uses than the high and honorable
regard in which they were wont to be
held. 1t is, therefore, both regret and
surprise that she now proposes to assert
rights which were originally hers, but
which it is womanly delicacy and good
sense to decline.
lam very sure, that the truly modest
women of the South do not covet the
voting franchise. It is only few ambi-
tious women, who, forgetful OF that native
modesty which is the highest ornament
of woman, seek to engross both feminine
and masculine powers. But they will
lose both. Ambitious women have never
been loved. They have lost that meek
ness and grace which both attracts and
rules civilized men.
I have noticed this loss Of grace in some
speeches made in advocating woman
suffrage. Thus it is said: Zone woman
is worth three men in all uplifting re-
FORMS" All the beauty Of that coronet
faded before it was worn. "Let another
praise thee" &c. Even lift was compli-
ment from man, 1t was bestowed upon
virile qualities assumed, at fearful loss
Of. nobler virtues. Speaking of public
abuses, it is said, "woman suffrage would
correct all. this" Grace and meekness,
have Ye 1ed3 Is it because ye are DESERT
ing us, that the gallantry and respect of
men have sunk q degree or two; that
petty neglects and insults in public con-
veyances are far more common than
formerly in some parts Of the country;
that more loudness, freedom and license
In the presence of ladies have come? Is
it for this reason that "Woman's Pro-
tective Association" must be formed
Did you ever hear of such thing before !?
Woman proposing to prosecute for insult
before Court? Why, INTELLIaENCER,
the '.sNew Woman" has doffed her mod
esty and put on boldness. Before women
became bold, petty insults were TGT1ties
and were quickly resented by men. But
when they began to decline the protec-
ton of men and assert their rights, men
became careless. "Woman's Protective
Association" indeed! And how would
the ladies bring ''rascals," as they style
them, to justice? Would not the sweet
modesty Of women suffer terribly in 9
case of litigation where the "rascap' could
easily bug counsel and retort very dam
aging inuendoes and manufactured pro-.
vocations, such as would ruin her charac-
ter? Woman is helpless in society with
out that modesty which is her most
powerful defence. Woman in Court!
Contending for character when only
breath of scandal taints her name. The
least publicity, the least scandal. She is
an air plant, but slightly attached to the
soil, yet most expansive, clinging, floral,
fragrant, fructiferous, the worlds orna-
ment. Touched in reputation the plant
dies at the root. And, yet, if she must 60
into the hustings to vote and make
speeches she may expect to have her pure,
white character sullied with spots and
insults, from which she can never re-
cover.
Ifyou wish to see public morality go
rapidly down, land it has already begun
to 20 DOWN, let women lose the profound
respect of men by taking positions OF
publicity and boldness. Ifyou wish to
see men dawdle and take liberties, take
away the incentives to noble virtue
which they draw from holy and immacu-
late women. IF you wish to see men
bidding for housekeepers, in despair of
the holy love that makes two one, draw
woman away from her secret throne of
power. II you wish to have your papers
filled yet more with divorce suits and
that whole progeny of miseries that
accompany them-family scandals di-
vulged and sins made public that ought
to be covered, waits forsaken or commit
ted to strange hands, take woman to the
front, in polical campaigns, on public
platforms, in the pulpit, in the legislature,
to waste all cher sweetness on the desert
air." and transform herself from nymph
to q Nymphas. Then the insult to the
divine order of things will begin speedily
to be avenged on the country.
D. e. F.