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Modern Persecution, or Married Woman's Liabilities

From: Modern Persecution
Creator: Elizabeth P. W. Packard (author)
Date: 1873
Source: Available at selected libraries
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 1  Figure 2  Figure 3  Figure 4  Figure 5  Figure 6  Figure 7  Figure 8  Figure 9  Figure 10  Figure 11  Figure 12  Figure 13  Figure 14  Figure 15  Figure 16

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577  

But upon examining them I found them so very defective and in such bad taste and in short brevier type instead of long primer, as the agreement stipulated, that I sent a message back at once to stop their work, as I should not accept such work at all, as it was not according to agreement. As soon as possible I returned to Chicago and found the business entirely suspended. Upon inquiry, I found I had engaged an incompetent firm; they did not understand book-making, as their specialty was job and paper printing. Neither could I instruct them, as this was not my trade, although they volunteered to follow my directions.

578  

I accordingly sought and found a publisher at the Tribune office, who engaged to do the work in three weeks, which was the time the tickets were to be redeemed. I engaged my stereotyper, engraver, and binder, and set them all at work and left the city to sell tickets. But imperfect proofs and delays would bring me often back to the city to find my work-men were waiting for some money as an assurance I should succeed, as they seemed to feel it unsafe to trust to my selling tickets for their pay. So in order to keep all these wheels running, I was often compelled to oil them with greenbacks or they would stop running altogether.

579  

These journeys greatly increased my expenses of travel as well as of board, as my day board at Hotels in Chicago amounted to seventeen dollars and a half a week. Yet my book would not be done unless I thus urged it on, and as I had no partner I had every department of business to attend to myself, besides earning the money the business required.

580  

But solicitude from another source and cause outweighed all others; for energy, courage and perseverance combined could not remove this obstruction out of my onward path; for I was constantly liable to have all my business plans thwarted by Mr. Packard's interference. As this danger is clearly elucidated by my interview with Mayor Sherman about this time, I will here narrate it, since it not only discloses one of the dangers and difficulties I had to encounter in prosecuting my enterprise, but it also serves as another exemplification of that marital power which is legally guaranteed to the husband, leaving the wife utterly helpless and legally defenseless.

581  

I called upon him at his office in the court house, and was received with respectful, manly courtesy. After introducing myself as the Mrs. Packard whose case had recently acquired so much notoriety through the Chicago press, and after briefly recapitulating the main facts of the persecution, I said to him:

582  

"Now, Mr. Sherman, as the Mayor of this city, I appeal to you for protection, while printing my book in your city. Will you protect me here?"

583  

"Why, Mrs. Packard, what protection do you need? What dangers do you apprehend?

584  

"Sir, I am a married woman, and my husband is my persecutor, therefore I have no legal protection. The husband is, you probably know, the wife's only protector in the law, therefore what I want now, Sir, is protection against my protector! "

585  

"Is he in this city?"

586  

"No, Sir; but his agents are, and he can delegate his power to them, and authorize them what to do."

587  

"What do you fear he will do?"

588  

"I fear he may intercept the publication of my book; for you probably know, Sir, he can come either himself, or by proxy, and with his Sheriff, can demand my manuscript of my printer, and neither the printer, nor you, Sir, have any legal power to defend it. He can demand it, and burn it, and I am helpless in legal self-defense. For, Sir, my identity was legally lost in his, when I married him, leaving me nothing and nobody in law; and besides, all I have is his in law, and, of course, no one can prosecute him for taking his own things. My manuscript is his, and entirely at his disposal. I have no right in law even to my own thoughts, either spoken or written -- he has even claimed the right to superintend my written thoughts, as well as post-office rights. I can not claim these rights -- they are mine only as he grants them as his gifts to me!"

589  

"What does your printer say about it? "

590  

"He says if the Sheriff comes to him for the book he shall tell him he must get the book where he can find it, I shall not find it for him." I then said to my printer, "supposing he should come with money, and offer to buy the manuscript, what then?" "I say, it will take more money than there is in Chicago to buy that manuscript of us," replied my printer.

591  

'"I think that sounds like protection, Mrs. Packard. I think you have nothing to fear."

592  

"No, Mr. Sherman, I have nothing to fear from the manliness of my printer, for this is my sole and only protection -- but as one man to whom I trusted even myself, has proved a traitor to his manliness, is there not a possibility another may? I should not object to a double guard, since the single guard of manliness has not even protected me from imprisonment!"

593  

"Well, Mrs. Packard, you shall have my protection; and I can also assure you the protection of my counsel, also. If you get into trouble, apply to us, and we will give you all the help the laws will allow."

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