Senator A., General B., and Vice-President C. said and did so and
so. Mrs. A., Mrs. B., and Mrs. C. said nothing, did nothing; but
half the letter is devoted to gorgeous descriptions of their dress-
maker's spread. This silent contempt of the woman, and elaborate
detail of her dress-maker's style, must cut every proud, sensitive
woman to the very quick. It is another piece of what is called
"ladies' man," and "ladies' small talk." It is of a piece with this
taking off the hat, this excessive bowing and smirking to women,
while they are paid for equal services but one-third a man's salary.
We had a capital illustration of this gallantry and injustice, in a
speech made by a leading member of the American Homoeopathic
Institute, at its great meeting in this city.
A resolution was introduced inviting educated woman physicians of
the Homoeopathic school, to become members of the Institute. An old
and most respectable member of the Institute, from----, spoke very
warmly against the resolution.
He said: "I am a ladies' man; I never pass a woman with whom I am
acquainted without raising my hat. I do not keep my seat in the cars
while ladies are standing, as I see gentlemen do in Boston.
"Yes, I am the most obedient and devoted servant of the ladies,
gentlemen of the Convention, but when you would introduce them to
membership in the American Institute of Homoeopathy, I say no!
never!"
It is this making woman the occasion for a display of man's
gallantries, with this contemptuous disregard of her claims to
common justice; it is this spirit which passes the woman, and
devotes itself to a description of her dress, to outlining her "low
corsage," her "magnificent bust," etc., etc.
If I were a girl, and one of these besmeared, bescented, befaddled,
"ladies' man" puppies were to condescend to perform his whining and
barking for my special delectation, I should mildly suggest to him
the infinite wisdom of bestowing his precious slaver upon some
small, gentle poodle.