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Staunton Vindicator: August 16, 1867 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

The Model Wife
(Column 4)

Summary: The article contains an abstract of a preacher's sermon that lists the characteristics of a woman worth making a wife. His model,of coursef is based upon a biblical portrait of femininity, which he suggests is more suited to the rugged reality of post bellum life.

Origin of Article: Cultivator and Country Gentleman

Full Text of Article:

The Rev. Dr. Willets delivered one of the series of lecturers before the Young Men's Association of this city, the past winter.--His subject -- the Model Wife -- was treated in such a way as to excite teh applause of all the large audience present. One of our daily papers furnishes the following abstract of the lecture:

The modesty of woman's nature causes us to overlook her influence on mankind, because they are silent, like the moisture which nourishes the flower and the tree. And how the world fails to see this. Mankind only looks at that which makes a noise and fuss in the world; and too few recognize the worth of a good woman. That sweet spirit presiding over the home, is an object of reverence. It is a significant fact that the most complete picture in the Bible, is the portraiture of a model wife, which is beautifully portrayed in the Book of Proverbs. In that picture, there is no mention of idleness; she is industriousness; she not only attends to her duties, but she sets the example of industry. A foolish and pernicious idea has crept into society that work should be done only by the common people. Now-a-days young ladies try to look like the lily; and like the lily, "they toil no, neither do they spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." In ancient times, the wives of Emperors brought to their husbands, the productions wrought by their own hands. If our fair sisters would have their checks glowing with health, let them be industrious like the Empresses of classic times. I would say "Buy a broom;" make yourself useful; make the bread, and be ready for the day of need. Taste and neatness should be practiced. A neat wife will refine the roughest specimen of a man. All these shiney-faced fellows have model wives who did not come from the Lord, like the one mentioned in the Bible, but probably they came from the other place; such women arouse all of the asperities of a man's nature. Some persons may think that little matters of cleanliness and neatness, are trivial; but a neglect of them is like a canker sore upon the life. By this, I do mean an extreme fastidinous in household matters, and a superfluity of dress, so that one is compelled to agree with the Yankee, who, on meeting one of our fashionable dressed belles in the street, exclaimed: "Wal, there may be some humanity in that ar bundle of dry goods; but its mighty leetle! If men are gay deceivers, I'd like to know what the women are?"

There is such a thing as industry without good management. There are those who ar busy from morning to night, and yet fal in the essential elements of a well regulated household. A learned Judge comprehended the idea of proper management in the kitchen, when he had inscribed on his wife's tombstone, "She was an excellent woman and a good cook" And the old deacon who attnded a religious convention, caught teh spirit of the same idea, for on being questioned as to what kind ot ime he had, he said, "Very good; and such puddings." I like to hear a man brag about the manner in which his wife can get up things for the table. It shows that she has the faculty of gumption, by which she can accomplish wonders. A woman may have all the [unclear] and music, and French, and if she have no gumption, she is not worth much. A good wife sees that her household are producers and her husband does not have to do a dishonorable thing to meet expenses which accrue from her carelessness. A despondent man finds, in her cheerful co-operations, just the sympathy which he needs, and he is not wise who does not counsel with her in matters of importance. If he is threatened with reverses, why should he not confide inher who can more fully understand him than any one else? She is but his other half. Women have an instinctive judgement. God has given them an inactive perception. Yet some men say, "what do women know about business? Let them attend to the babies."

A good wife stretches out her hand to the afflicted poor. This diamond of mercy is the central jewel in the coronet of goodness.--The most unnatural thing in the world is a very woman who, having the means, does not relieve the poor. In this sphere of charity she can escape compare with man. It was not woman who slept in the garden of Gethseman; it was not woman who refused to follow Christ to the cross; but it was woman who poured out her tears and Him who washed His feet with the hair of her head.

It is important to take care of the tongue and temper. We should see twice as much as we say. Some wives' tongues, however, are like race horses, the lighter the load the faster they run. And by this continual fretting, they make men's lives burdens to them; and when death puts the seal of silence upon them, husbands can say with the bereaved clergyman who preached his better-half's funeral sermon; pointing to the coffin, said he:

"There the wicked cease from troubling;" and then placing his hands on his heart, "here the weary are at rest." Others may not be veritable scolds, and there is the real throne of her power. In the retired realms of the domestic life, character is formed, and heaven has given to her the mission of taking the whole world, in its infancy, and shaping it. God has created her to the highest sphere in the world; and infinite goodness pillows the infant's head upon its mother's breast. The fruit of this is the honor of the household; and from high places come back praises her.

There are some who think that they should leave home and take teh stump. But, oh, what a mistake. All great and good men have had domestic mothers, whose presence has been the controlling power fo their after lives. When John Adams was Minister to Hague, he took his son, John Quincy Adams, then a lad of great promise, with him. At a dinner party, some one toasted John Quincy for his wonderful talents. The father arouse to his feet, and, in response, with eyes filled with tears, replied; "Gentlemen, I thank you for the respect shown my son. John Quincy has a mother! has a mother!" And that mother, in a letter to her boy, actually shaped and developed his great life; and no man knew that so well as he.

The last words of Henry Clay, as death was stealing over him, were, "Mother--mother--mother." She had died fifty years before, but her name was the first on his lips in childhood, and the last in death. And so woman is the morning and evening star of life.

By What Name
(Column 5)

Summary: The article discusses the various terms used to describe people of African descent in America. Because members of this group have widely divergent characteristics, relates the piece, it is extremely difficult to come up with an appropriate name for them

Origin of Article: Exchange

Full Text of Article:

The colored people general ar vbery sensitive upon teh matter of the terms commonly employed to descrive or to distinguish them from the white race. The subject should not trouble them at all, seeing that no particular same whatever can be applied to them which will in all respects meet the ease. The word "freedmen" will not answer because all are not freedmen.--The word "colored" will not apply to them any more than it would to teh so-called white race; neither black nor white being "colors," but decided negatives.

Taking the comprehensiveness of teh term in view, the white people have more colore than the black, and if either should be called "colored" it ought to be the former. It is a distinction, however, of which the white people are not disposed to rob the latter.

The term "negro" cannot apply to all, while it does apply to some, as we find it defined as "one of the black, woolly-headed, flat-nosed, and thick-lipped race of men inhabiting Africa." We showed the other day teh word "Sambo" to mean teh "offspring the mulatto and the negro;" and "mulatto means the offspring of parents one of whom is white and the other black. "Cuffee," another common term is doubtless derived from the word Caffree, an inhabitant of one of countries of Southern Africa. And inasmuch as the mixture which pervades them as a people, is in the way, they cannot legitimately be styled Africans. to be nice and particular in designating them, therefore we must call each after the name which histroy and the dictionary have given him.--None of their names have any other than a serious and actual significance, however unpleasant they may sound on account of their associations. If however there must be one particular appellation, what shall it be? --Exchange.

[No Title]
(Column 1)

Summary: The article reports that Sanford Conover, a man implicated in the assassination of Lincoln, has issued a number of shocking allegations that purportedly link several members of Congress to a conspiracy to "connect" President Johnson to the cabal that carried out his predecessor's killing.

[No Title]
(Column 2)

Summary: Relates the President Johnson has "suspended" Edward Stanton, and has appointed Gen. Grant as interim Secretary of War in his place. The article suggests that Stanton refused to step down of his own accord and waited until Johnson forced him out. Gen. Grant is thought to be more sympathetic to the president's agenda.

Registration in Virginia
(Column 2)

Summary: The article contains the final registration tallies for 45 cities and counties in Virginia, broken into two lists: those with white majorities and those with black majorities.

Origin of Article: Enquirer

Full Text of Article:

The following statement of the respective whie and negro majorities in forty-five cities and counties in Virginia will be found interesting. Included in the list are the cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Lynchburg, Alexandria, &c.,--all but th first being returned witht ecounties in which they are situated. The large number of counties in which the whites have majorities, will indicdate to some extent the complexion of the convention, should one be called, while the large aggregate white majority in these cities and towns -- 18,358 -- will serve to re-assure those timid people who are trembling under the apprehension of negro domination.

We have carefully compiled this list, which comprises about one-half of the STate, and we think the full returns of the entire State will exhibit something like a similar proportion of the two races:--Enquirer.

The War Office Trouble
(Column 3)

Summary: The article includes exchanges between President Johnson, Gen. Grant, and Sec. Staunton; the correspondence concerns Grant's appointment in place of Stanton.

Origin of Article: Baltimore Sun

What Mr. Lincoln Thought
(Column 3)

Summary: In the letter, Lincoln writes that a proposal to send northern men to Louisiana to stand for office would be "disgraceful and outrageous." Moreover, such steps would be unnecessary since there are sufficiently qualified men from the state.

Editorial Comment: "The following letter has been brought to light: and is interesting as showing where the martyr would have stood in the estimation of his party had he lived:"

Trailer: A. Lincoln

Local Items--Police Items
(Column 1)

Summary: "Lindsey Jackson (colored) was arrested for being drunk and disorderly on the Streets and was bound over by the Mayor to keep the peace and be of good behavior. Failing to give security, he was lodged with our friend Harlan. Ben Brock, Jr. (colored) was arrested on Saturday night last for assaulting Castile Keelan (colored) and brought before Justice Evans. He was fined $2 for being drunk and using profane language on the Street and bound over to keep the peace. He was also committed to jail for failing to give security. Sidney Williams and Lewis Henderson (colored) were arrested Saturday night last for throwing the Gates of the C. H. yard in the Street and brought before Justice Peck. Henderson was discharged and Williams bound over for his good behavior. Failing to give security he was committed to jail. The above named parties were released on Monday morning by giving the required security."
(Names in announcement: Lindsey Jackson, Ben BrockJr., Castile Keelan, Justice Evans, Justice Peck, Sidney Williams, William Henderson)

Local Items--The Robinson Show
(Column 1)

Summary: Announces that John Robinson's "great Circus and Menagerie" will perform in Staunton on August 17.

Local Items
(Column 1)

Summary: In its second and final revision, the Board of Registration removed the names of 8 whites from the first district (Staunton) who were not eligible to vote and added 8 others; the board struck 6 whites from the voting list in the second district (Staunton) and added 13 others. The tally for the third district (Middlebrook) has yet to be reported, but it is not believed to be much different than the previous count.

Local Items
(Column 1)

Summary: Notes that Maj. S. M. Yost sold his farm to Mr. Hepler, of Rockingham, for $45 an acre.
(Names in announcement: Maj. S. M. Yost)

Local Items
(Column 1)

Summary: Notes that Benjamin Crawford sold his farm on the Middle River to Capt. E. M. Bailey.
(Names in announcement: Benjamin Crawford, Capt. E. M. Bailey)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Aug. 1 John N. Hanna and Angeline Carson were married by Rev. J. Pinkerton.
(Names in announcement: John N. Hanna, Angeline Carson, Rev. J. Pinkerton)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On July 20 T. H. Lambert and Martha C. Austin were married by Rev. W. R. Stringer.
(Names in announcement: T. H. Lambert, Martha C. Austin, Rev. W. R. Stringer)

Married
(Column 2)

Summary: On Aug. 14 Christian S. Baker and Fannie Baylor, daughter of Col. George Baylor, were married by Rev. J. I. Miller.
(Names in announcement: Christian S. Baker, Fannie Baylor, Col. George Baylor, Rev. J. I. Miller)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On Aug. 8 John O' Hare died in Staunton. He 60 years old.
(Names in announcement: John O'Hare)

Died
(Column 2)

Summary: On July 29 Mary C. Yates, daughter of James H. Yates and Julia Yates, died of Typhoid Fever at Edgemont, Albemarle County. She was 21 years old.
(Names in announcement: Mary C. Yates, James H. Yates, Julia Yates)