ON THE CONDITION OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
CHAPTER VIII.
Brookline, 1837.
'The whip on WOMAN'S shrinking flesh!
Our soil yet reddening with the stains
Caught from her scourging warm and fresh.'
Can any American woman look at these scenes of shocking licentiousness and
cruelty, and fold her hands in apathy, and say, 'I have nothing to do with slavery'?
She cannot and be guiltless.
I cannot close this letter, without saying a few words on the benefits to be derived
by men, as well as women, from the opinions I advocate relative to the equality
of the sexes. Many women are now supported, in idleness, and extravagance, by
the industry of their husbands, fathers, or brothers, who are compelled to toil
on their existence, at the counting house, or in the printing office, or some
other laborious occupation, while the wife and daughters and sisters take no
part in the support of the family, and appear to think that their sole business
is to spend the hard bought earnings of their male friends. I deeply regret
such a state of things, because I believe that if women felt their responsibility,
for the support of themselves, or their families it would add strength and dignity
to their characters, and teach them more true sympathy for their husbands, than
is now generally manifested,- a sympathy which would be exhibited by actions
as well as words. Our brethren may reject my doctrine, because it runs counter
to common opinions, and because it wounds their pride; but I believe they would
be 'partakers of the benefit' resulting from the Equality of the Sexes, and
would find that woman, as their equal, was unspeakably more valuable than woman
as their inferior, both as a moral and intellectual being.
Thine in bonds of womanhood.
SARAH M. GRIMKE.
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