CORRESPONDENCE. [We do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] WOMAN'S RIGHTS.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 22 April 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE. [We do not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by our correspondents.] WOMAN'S RIGHTS.

(To the Editor of the Waik vto Times.) Siii, — I wish to make a few remarks on your articlo on 11 Woman's Rights." Your summary of my opinion is very correct. In consideting the first part in detail, you write — "As regards legal equality for the married woman, we must remind the strong-mimlcd of the sex that the moment they obtain their demanda they will be no longer entitled to the consideration that they now receive at the bands of most men, principally on account of their natural weakness and legal thialdom." I beg to say that lam sure th.it if it is true that men can only feel coubideiatum for weakness when held in thraldom or bondage, thuir consideration is a poor mean tiling not worth having, and certainly too selfish and overbearing a sentiment to bo much prized or considered by strongminded women ; but fdo not believe this. I believe the consideration, while it exists (and it is far from universally shown by all men to all women), is the result of sentiment and the attraction women have for men. Tin's is proved by the fact that the women who mostly receive all this consideration, are either the young and beautiful of the se\, or women who are otherwise attractive for wealth, position, talent-, amiability, kc. ; and so lom> as there are men and women 111 the woild. so long will women be com ted -no matter how fiee they may bo — for the simple ruauon that when tlieie aro no loniser "thralls" to c>urr, ]ii(.ii vii's/ couit " f ree women" or quit courting altogether, which does not seem probable or natural, and is, 111 fact, impossible. And ni no man can pleoho a uom.ui without showing xomr consideration Take l'o.nl, girl', )ou won't be consigned to "limbo,' o\ en when >ou are free, for the men would find earth anything but n piviuliso without \ou I'uleed, Hint is but an old bugbiMr --eft up to frighten women with, nnd easily disposed of. Men's "consideration" for women is indispensable it tliej me to enter into sentimental fi leiuKhip with the sex ; il e.ipnot bo transferred to tiny oilier order of beings, because none othor can supersede us. and, though we should become em iucipiitrv.l, we have nothing to i'etir on that scoro at any rate. At present their consideration is not a secured advantage, since few display it, and tlmt i» tho very few ; more show it when interest, alleetion, or admiration prompts, anil innny men never shon it at nil, but trent women with the contempt they consider quito good enough for such inlericr beings. I ennnot see tho necessity of constant bickering between equals. My experience of the marriage relation is that where the truest equality exists, mutual respect, esteem, and trint, as well tn love, there we find tho happiest, the most united maiTuges ; — where the husband can say to 1113 wife, " What was but passion's ugh before, lias Bincc been turned to reason's \o\v ; And though T then might love tliee more, Trust me, \ love thee better now." Their married uffoeHon is lasting. Tlie idea of the pitying protecting iilfection for a so-called legal slave seems to 1110 ii much lower sentiment. 1 beg to refute jour argument rel.itive to the unfUness of women to govern their children by this fact. Widows left with children, in spile of the difficulties that a "elf-helpful woman must encounter, aro usually more successful in rearing n family than a widower in the same ciivumstnncos and .■eiluinly women eve.ll hnll-edueated as they now are, nre far more lit for le charge of children than men have proved .iiouicfiVtM Jor Hie chirije of women. I could gne you n.iny in-.t.inecji unions our very be-.l men of nobility of •'i r.i lera nl .ui'hn-h ng p rat-veniiice It irnt from a mother. iay it is it proverb, "Show me tho mail* and I will tell joj

what his mother was." Soino great man said, " Let me educate the mothors of the nation." Truly, if what you say about the unfitness of women to govern their offspring is oven in a degree true, there exists a grave necessity for a new order of things to fit wonuu for the weightiest of all work-*, to be •' Mother* of the nation." Out of your own words the present order of tilings is condemned. With respect to women who have young children making \ home their chief cure, nature settles that question, and law has but littlo to do w it!i it. All m irried women, at such a period of life, are only too glad to leave outside care-* to their huv b.uuU If iisbwwß' unless quite brutes, admit ilie i»m;siity, an I do the outside work. Where they nre brutes, idl&, drunken, or other wine incapacitated, they tlon'tom the living now, though the\ are supposci by law (o do it, and their unfortunate wives and children ould not be worse circutnstanced whatever tlie law might be, but would, indeed, be infinitely better oil' if all employments were open to women. I admit 1 li.it t iken a-> a sok, men are on the average stronger mentally and bodily than women, but I can see in this no argument fur the leg il Biib|eetion of women, as I do not hold that " might nukes right." .But I think such a doctrine should be an exploded barbarism in this age of a Ivaneed civiliz ition. A-) to cjut.ict with the world hardening a woman, and " the *oft elingin<* creature," it"., &•., it looks all very pretty on piper, but I feitr it is merely sentimental. Ignorance of e\ il is n t iiinojanc, bat simol.v reduco* women to a cruelly defenceless when they need all the ar.nour they can get for the p )ssible vicissitudes of life. Nor can I '"cc that contact with the world 1 for purposes of usefulness is more hardening than u like contact, for purposes of pie isure ; r.ithcr lc*s s>, for to benefit others, enlarges the heart and to nmut>o ou.'iehes contracts it. Tho one ftjstera endurance, patience, and sympathy, the other more *eHNh gratification. And, a< women must and will have contact with the world, I prefer to see aue'i contact soring from high purposes, and behove it will tend to purify and ennoble woman's character, and thus work a great social reform — Yours truly, M\HY A. CoLCUH'ail.

To the Editor of the "Waik vto Tiuks. Slit, — In jour issue of tin* 17th iint. you pubhshccl as facts certain statements relative to the punts and ferry service at Hamilton, which (had they been bawd upon truth) we should have allowed to pass uncba'l. n-jcd for what, they were worth. As however the facts, as pin>io!iecl by 3011, wore in the major p.irt either false or one-si Jed and distort eel statements of truth, which can only tend to prejudice or niNlead (he parties whom we Lofievo inn desiro t<> cnlifjlitcn on I lie subject, wo, a< iv public bod_\, beg to suggest to jtoii the propriety of olicidn^ jour information from a reliable source before puhli*!i!ii£ mi facts sintenuMilftconinrin!; the lloiird that bus the mana»;eincnt of the ferry •jrvieo. — Tours, Jle., TIIOMVS FVIUJI'LT,, (Jhairman. On behalf of I ho Hamilton We*t Town Board. Unuiilton, April 21, 187-/. If our eonvspoudonf had pumlcl nul errors m our statement in place of wrilmir w diet.itor.,d li tter, it would ha\e been moro becoming on liH |iirt Kn If T