Year: 1870

.sThey take the bread out of men 8 mouths" and sthey are sure to get married and leave their business as soon as they earn it. If both of these statements be true, then the latter is set-off against the former, for if they soon leave their business, they consequently soon give back the bread. But, to consider the bread question, have men prior right to the bread, that they should have whole loaf and the women none, and do women suffer any less pangs in starving? If so, then the argument po- sesses certain weight. If not, it is worth nothing. Some men have families depend ant on them; some have not. The same. neither more or less. may be said of wo- men. And the family of one is as much in need of food and clothing as that of the other If women who have no dependents are to be excluded from renumerative labor, then let the same rule apply to men. And it follows, in justice to all, in order that the one sex should not injnre the other, that in the adjustment of wages, the amount and quality of work should be con- sidered. and not the sex or the worker.

 l am not one who wishes to see women driving the plough. felling wood, and engaging in laborious, out-of-door work. There is nothing that the women of America should dread more than to be reduced to the state of women in the peas- ant class of Europe, where the heaviest and most menial labor falls to woman s share as matter of course. It is hard enough that the heavy duties of washing, ironing, and scrubbing devolved upon them in the conventional adjustment of things. Even these are of 8 nature that make them totally united for woman's physical struc- 1~1 l>I I, 4< the most distressing of complaints. I of- ten vaguely wonder, when hear the talk about women's physical weakness and del icacy, and her unfitness to perform the the rude and wearisome tasks that are as. who are so exercised in her behalf do not come forward and offer to relieve her of the drudgery of the laundry, while they vacate their own lighter and pleasanter oc- equations for her benefit.

 The battle has been fought and won in the medical profession; aud, paying mo more heed to the action of the medical con vention recently held in Philadelphia, than it deserves. there is abstractedly nothing to prevent women entering here. As cler- gymen tor clergywomen) they are sue. cess. if we may judge by their popularity J prejudice is strong against them. A lady has been refused admission to the bar in Illinois, not because she was incompetent, for she is acknowledged to be fully qual. flied, and her paper, the Legal NeaOs, is re- ceived as authority in legal matters, but simply because she is married In Iowa the bars have been let down, and the legal profession is left free to women as to men and in St. Louis there is@a lady. actually practicing, having passed most credita- ble examination. So the three leading professions are open, and it only requires little courage and perseverance for wo- men to try their capability in these great fields. A single woman-Miss Anna Dick inson-has made triumphant entry into the featuring field, and left broad and clear way for all who choose to follow her. Prejudice has yielded here sooner and more easily than in any other case.

 Women have for long time dabbied in the arts, and we have been told that we should never expect them to do more than dabble. Still there have been and are mo- table exceptions to the general rule, and the number is increasing every day. do not need to repeat the names of well-known lady sculptors and painters who are pro- wing to the world that women can handle chisel or brush.

 But the reason that women have not been more uniformly successful is, not that the talents have been really lacking, or the inclination, but they have only dabbled, and circumstances seemed to restrain them from doing more. Society presents it's claims to them. Dress must occupy DOT. tion of their time. Their friends must not be neglected. Their families have right to their first attention, and when they are ready to turn to art 1t is only to give it the remnant of their time and thoughts. They dare not make their profession the first thing in their lives. Propriety and expe- diency seem to forbid them tramping out in all seasons and all weathers in all locali. ties, and, might say, in all sorts of com pany, to see and study from nature in all her guises. There are a few who have done this, and these few are the successful ones.

 Another reason why women are not more uniformly successful in art, is their false aud superficial education. Before femi- nine talent is entirely condemned or pass ed by with sheer, give the women equal opportunities for learning, and equal chance for practicing their art. As I be- lieve that masculine and feminine natures are different, but each perfect in its way; so believe that women will yet prove themselves capable of as great excellencies as men, though different from them. But the question of greatness, and of excel- lence in this or any other domain of labor, is not now under discussion. Whether the works of women always will or will not prove inferior to those of men, makes lit tie matter practically. The question is this, whether women, being obliged to eat their daily bread, have or have not right to earn it, especially when necessity seems to compel them. If they are to be exc1u- ded solely on the ground of mendicity, the same objection would apply against vast majority of men. Let the labor be con- sidered and paid for according to the la- bor's worth, and thus perfect justice will be done.

 "But," have been asked before now, "why all this agitation of the subject? What is to hinder women from taking all these rights, and entering any trade or profession, if they choose, without any ado about it?" Nothing absolutely. if women were all brave, and men all wise. As it is, there is much to hinder. You and I be- lieve in all that I have said. You agree with me that it is an excellent thing if a woman is competent to take care of her. self and her family when it becomes neces. sary. But are you, individually, educa- ting your daughters with view to all pos