New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-18
distinction accidental as that - color and fully

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makes an irresistible appeal. mt also 10 those
radicals and ohsrtiS,s IN the British islands, and
democrats on the Continent. who clam what Is
called universal suffrage As an Inherent; right, un-
Justly and opprcSsiyely withheld from them
. For with what truth or nationality could the >at-
. fragc be termed universal. while half the human
( species remain excluded from II = To declare
that voice IL the government = the right OF all
and demand II only TO- paT,-thc part, namely
10 which the clalua.; himself beloGgS-lS to re-
nouDce even tho appearance OK principle. Tae
I Chafiisi who denies TIE suffrage TO women, l. 4
/ ChaTiiSt only because he : not lord he i one
OF those Jewelers. who would level only down 10
themselves.
ARGUMENT FROM ANALOGY.
Even those who DO not LOOK upon voice IA
tie government As = matter Of personal right, nor
profess principles which require that II should BE-
extended 10 all have usually traditional maXInS OF
political justice with which It Is impossible
10 reconcile tic exclusion OF AL women from the
common rights OF citizenship Il IS al axiom OF
English freedom that taxation and representa-
ton should be cooXiensive. Even under tn
! laws which gives the wiie'S property to the hus
I band there are many unmarried women who
pay taxes II Is one OF the fundamental doctrines
of the British constitution, that all persons
should be tired by their peers YET women when
ever tried, are tried by male Judges and 4 male
'ury. To foreigners the law accorlS the prlvl-
loge OF claiming tina, half the iary should be
composed Of themselves 2Ot 50 to women -
Apart from maNlnS OF detail, which represent
local and national rather than universal IDEAS
It il all Acknowledged dictate OF justice Ia make
no degrading distinctions without necessity. In
all things the presumption ought to be on the
side Of equality. \ reason must be given Why
ANYTHING should be permitted 10 one person and
lnterdicted 70 another But when that which Is
!n,erdictcd includes nearly everything which
those to whom It Is permitted most prize. and to
be deprived Of which they feel 10 be most IN
>ultng, when not only political liberty hut per
sOnal freedom of action Is the prcrOga'lNe OF
caste; when even III the exercise ri industry,
almost all emplOyments which task the higher
faculties IN an important field. which lead 10 dis
tmctIon. riches, or even pccunlary independence,
are fenced round as the exclusive domain ot the
predominant section, scarcely any doors beng
LEFT open to the dependent class, except such rs
all who can enter enter elsewhere dlSdanully
pass by the miserable expcdiencieS which are
advanced as excuses for so grossly partial dis
pensalOn would not be hc sufficient, even II
they were real, 10 render II other than fragrant
Injustice. While. far from beng espodlent, We
are firmly convinced that the division o. man
kind into Two castles one born to rule over the
other i in this case rs IS all cases, an unquali-
fed mischief; source OF perScrslon ana &C.
morazaiion. both to the favored class ana TO
those at whose expense they are favored pro-
ducing none Of he good which It is the custom
10 aScribe to It, and forming bar, almost IN
superablc while 1t lasts, 20 any really vital I'M
provement either in the character or IN The social
coalition of the human race.
OBJECTION FROM CUSTOM
These propositions It Is now our purpose To
maintain But before entering on them, We
would endeavor to dispel the preliminary obec-
tionS which, IN the minds OF persons To whom
the subject Is new are apt TO prevent real and
| M II.
these obstacles IS that most formidable one, Gus
TOM Women never have had equal rights with
men The claim in their behalf, of the common
rights of mankind, is looked upon rs barred by
universal practice This strongest OF preludlces,
the prejudice against what is new and unknown,
has indeed IN an age of changes like the present,
lost much of its force If It had not there would
bc little hope OF prevailing against II. over
three .lourthS of the hababe world, even Al
this daV. the answer. :" VI has always "r"h So
closes all discussion. bat II is the boast Oh
modern Europeans, and OF their American KIND
red. that they know and do many things which
their ioretathers neither knew nor did and It Is
/ perhaps the most unquestionablc point OF Supe-
! rorlty IN the present above former ages, that
! habit Is not now the tyrant 1t formerly was over
/ opinions and modes OF action, and that the
! worship Of custom Is declining ldolairy. An UNI
, customary thought on a subject which touches
the greater interests OF life, still startlcs when
first presented but II It can be kept before the
mind until the impression OF StrangenesS wears
Oft it obtains hearing, and rational con
sderaton rs the intellect OF the hearer * accuS.
toned 10 hestOw on any other subject
in the present case the prejudice OF custom
is doubtless on the unjust side. Great thinkers.
indeed, at different times, from Plato 10 Con
dorcet beside, some of the most eminent names
of the present age, have made emphatic protests
in favor OF the equality OF women. Ana there
have been voluntary societies, religious or secu-
lar, of which the Society of Friends Is the most
known, by whom that principle was recognised
But there has been no political community or
nation IN which, by law. and usuage, women
have not been IN a state Of political and civil IN
feriority In the ancient world the same fact
was alleged with equal truth, IN behalf OF slavery
II might have been alleged IN favor OF The mn
gated form Of slavery, serdOm, all through the
middle ages. II was urged against freedom {"
industry, freedom OF conscience, freedom oil 'hc
press none of these Liberties were thooght CON
patlbie with "A wCll-ordered State, until they had
proved their possibility byactually existing asacts
That an institution practice Is customary Is
no presumption OF It's goodness, when any Other
sufficient cause cen be assigned for ITS existence.
! There IS no difficulty IN understanding why the
SublectlOn OF women has been custom NO
! other exclamation is needed than physical force.
That those who were physically weaker should
/ have been made legally inferior, Is quise con
| forrnable 10 the mode IN which the world has
been governed Ur.il very lately, the rule %
phy steal strength was the general law oi human
affair Throughout history. the nations, races
classes, which found themselves the strongest
| either in muscles, in riches, or IN military as
ciplire, have conquered and held IN SnoJectloh
| the rest If, even In the most improved nations;
! the ia,y Of the sword is at last dlsconntenanced
! as unworthy, it is only since the illuminated
I eighteenth century. Wars oil conquest have Only
! ceased since democratic revolutions began. Inc
! world IS very Young, and has but Just begun to
! cast oil Injustice II is only now getting Iid of
negro slavery. 1t IS only now getting RIA 81 no
! raTcbicaI desootism. 1t Is only now getting rid
Of hereditary feuda nobility Ii Is only no" get
TING nd Of disabilities on the ground OF religion
!. ~. hcn1rnina 10 treat anV rs cItlheh.,