Year: 1865




A subject which Just now is elicitng good
deal of discussion is the present and prospect
i've condition OF American women Statistics
show that in the older states there isa pre-.
poUderance OF women In the sexes which un-
fortunate state of things Tor the women will
be largely increased by the war. It will not
only increase the disparity in the number, but
il creates another evil which reaches a long
way into the future Those who 90 to battle
and who get killed are our heathiest speei-
mems the physically weak stay at home, aud
TO them is given the task OF reproduction. The
result of all this is that not only will there be
large additions to the already large number OF
women who can never marry, but succeeding
generations promise to be punv weaklings-
effete descendants Of diseased and decrepit
sires. Frenchmen who succeeded the long
wars of the last century were stunted in body
and dwarfed in mind in their condition we
can, as in mirror, see the men of the next
few generations in this country.


1t is not pleasant TO contemplate future
whose salient social characteristics are hus-
bandless women and sick children Lucky
the elders who, ripened by the suns and frosts
Of time, will be gathered to the quietness of
the graveyard ere the era OF celbate women
and Of infants squalliug and fretting under in
herited aches; the scrofnlons, handy legged,
thin-voiced progeny to whom, in time, will be
committed the interests of this great republic.
The philanthrophist gazes into the future,
and mourntully contemplates its revelations;
and he can not tell whether he grieves more
over the sufferings of coming childhood or OF
those of the women who are compelled to
tread lfes weary, devious path alone. M


Foreseeing these events, it is the part OF
wisdom to prepare for them and to endeavor,
as far as possible, to ameliorate the condition
Of the women and the children of the sue
ceeding generations. To be sure posterity
has never done anything for us; but it will be
only the more magnanimous for us to do
something for posterty. Moreover, it is in
some sort duty, a reparation that We owe to
our successors, to attempt to smooth their
lives, for it is we who ar killing off the 9th
erwise parents of the husbands of the old
maids of the next century, and it is also we
who are entailing sickly constitutions upon
future children by sacrificing TO the moloch
Of war the best young men Of the present
age


The case is extremely difficult and so is
the task Of devising its remedy. There is no
way in which we can prevent superabundant
old mRidsm in the future unless we reverse
practice followed by the Amszons. They
drowned all the male children at birth; il
would therefore be no more than equitable re-
taliation on the part Of the men to drown all
the female children Besides being a repris.
al for an injury practiced by women against
men, it would be qualification to the old
maids of future years--for doubtless there is
not woman, judging by the sex as we know
il, Who will livein the future bat had much
ha in ipfa
lonely, sympathetic, vinegary spnsterhood.
But, while it might be considered only fair
revenge, and while it would doubtless be
qualification TO the old maids Of the coming
generation to drown all or nearly all females
now, such a consummation would be prevent
ed by the inconvenient character Of the moral
institutions, and, we may add, the absurd
prejudces of the people Of the present age.
We must therefore, however reluctantly, aban.
don the idea suggested by the Amazonian
practice, and confne our Inquiries to limit
which an oVerscrupulous state OF society will
allow We cannot prevent old maidism, but
we can perhaps soften in advance, the Aspsri-
ties of it's unloved and lone condition.


Most parents of daughters educate them with
single object in yiew--to gain husband--a
somebody who will take upon himself the task
Of liquidating their board and millinery bills
This must be stopped. Young ladies should
not be taught that the chief end of man is to
support woman, or the chief end of young
women to catch husband This may be in
the catechism of matrimony, but it is not in
the catechetics Of actual life Let every faith
er begin to educate his daughter precisely as
if her future support depended upon her own
sxertions. Thus educated, she will be none
the less prepared for a husband, in case one
offers, bat in case she be doomed TO the list Of
celibates, she will find her condition much
more durable. Such a course will save many
daugh from starvation and many anoth-
er from walks that lead straight TO the infer
nal regions


Let our next generation Of girls be some
thing beside husband traps; let them leath
somsthing that will be Of use to themselves.
Let them be dress-makers milhners, clerks,
printers, shoe-makers, tailors, musicians,
painters-snything rather than follow the
aimless, useless existence to which is devoted
q majority of the present generation, - Chiea-
go Times