No! on Human Rights and Freedom, on a subject that is as self-evident as that two and two make four, there is no need of any written authority.
If they are unsuccessful in married life, who suffers more the bitter consequences of poverty than the wife? But if successful, she has not a dollar to call her own.
I know that some endeavor to throw the mantle of romance over the subject and treat woman like some ideal existence, not liable to the ills of life. Let those deal in fancy who have nothing better to deal in; we have to do with sober, sad realities, with stubborn facts.
Books and opinions, no matter from whom they came, if they are in opposition to human rights, are nothing but dead letters.
From the cradle to the grave she is subject to the power and control of man. Father, guardian, or husband, one conveys her like some piece of merchandise over to the other.
Slavery and freedom cannot exist together.
It is an interesting and demonstrable fact that all children are atheists and were not religion inculcated in their minds, they would remain so.
I asked God if it was a sin and He didn’t say anything.
All that I can tell you is, that I used my humble powers to the uttermost, and raised my voice in behalf of Human Rights in general, and the elevation and Rights of Woman in particular, nearly all my life.
Agitate! Agitate! Ought to be the motto of every reformer. Agitation is the opposite of stagnation – the one is life, the other death.
Blind submission in women is considered a virtue, while submission to wrong is itself wrong, and resistance to wrong is virtue alike in women as in man.
We have hardly an adequate idea how all-powerful law is in forming public opinion, in giving tone and character to the mass of society.
There is no reason against woman’s elevation, but prejudices.
Whatever good you would do out of fear of punishment, or hope of reward hereafter, the Atheist would do simply because it is good; and being so, he would receive the far surer and more certain reward, springing from well-doing, which would constitute his pleasure, and promote his happiness.
What is life without liberty; and what is liberty without equality of rights?
It is high time to compel man by the might of right to give woman her political, legal and social rights. She will find her own sphere in accordance with her capacities, powers and tastes; and yet she will be woman still.
The main cause is a pernicious falsehood propagated against her being, namely that she is inferior by her nature. Inferior in what? What has man ever done that woman, under the same advantages could not do?
Much is said about the burdens and responsibilities of married men. Responsibilities indeed there are, if they but felt them: but as to burdens what are they?
Away with that folly that her rights would be detrimental to her character – that if she were recognized as the equal to a man she would cease to be a woman!
In case of separation, why should the children be taken from the protecting care of the mother? Who has a better right to them than she? How much do fathers generally do toward bringing them up?
Emancipation from every kind of bondage is my principle.