Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-07-03
Female Suffrage.

81 The questions of extending the right o.
b suffrage to females as well as males, and Of
q making them eligible to all public offices art
= becoming more and more agitated each year
@However unwise or ridiculous it may seem te
s. be to invest them with these civil powers, il
q may happen in this age of progress that wo
g men will 90 to the polls and occupy importan
81 positions in the government. We opine tina
Hour Locofoco friends will be in favor of this
Aprinciple, as they proved themselves in the
blast election to be such great friends ~of"unicer
Isal suffrage" Stranger things than womer
Avoting and holding office have happened. The
Xfact is, when the opponents of these measures
Aamong whom we place ourselves, are brought
Ato the discussion Of the distract points involved
Ain them, it is no easy task, if a successful one
ITO show that the claims of women in these
Prospects are not just and ought not to be con,
1t is, for example, not so very evident
Swhy a widow with children and a valuable es-
atate should not be allowed to have a share in
1.-THE election Of the persons who are to make
Nthe laws by which she and her children are tC
u be governed and who are to impose the taxes
4 which she, in common with others, must pay.
THE right of representation, as the just conse-
yquence of the right of taxation, was one OF the
\ great rights contended for by the American
3Colonies, and the denial of it on the part of
SGreat Britain was one Of the causes which led
ito the assertion of American Independence.
4 We have a right to have Z voice in making the
Flaws which are to affect our property and the
4 refusal of this right is tyranny. tits not so
aclear that difference in sex makes any difference
Hin the business of this claim to a vote when
l women are taxed for the support of govern
ment as well as men. There are many other
points involved in these and other questions of
swoman's rights which can be much more easily
ssneered at or laughed at than met in serious
a~earnest argument, and proved to be wrong.
aStill, we do not desire to see the practical
assertion of rights which may be all true and
fright enough in themselves. We should be
ssorry to see the time come when the ladies' will
leave the retirement of their homes and fami-
'Iies, and all its sweet and genial influences, to
'engage in political warfare! Let them stay at
home, and by the e~xertion of those mild inf1u-
lences so peculiarly their own, seek to soften'
THE bitterness of politics and allay the evil
passions engendered by party strifes. Lett
them afford a hallowed sanctuary where the
heat and dust, and din of partizanship shall bel
all unknown, and from which their fathers, /
husbands and brothers may daily go forth betters
of their country, with kindlier feeIingss
towards their brethren of an opposite party, )
and with less of selfishness and ambition ru-
ling their conduct. We are pleased to notice 1
hat Mr.. RoEBUCK a member Of the English i
Parliament, though a radical reformer, appears
% be decidedly opposed to "~rooting up the vir- \
:ues, affections, add soothing influences of dol
nestle life, by extending the franchise to fe-
From a late English paper, we quote /
he following, on this subject. &
At a meeting of the electors of Sheffield, on
Thursday se'nnight, the following question was
put to Mr.. Roebuck:--"In case of the extension 4
If the franchise to those occupying E5 tenc.
nents, "would Mr.. Roebuck favor the extension i
If the same to females who pay an equal rent?hE
Loud laughter, in which Mr.. Roebuck Joined
l~eartily.) B
To this the honorable gentleman replied
Will you allow me to answer this! There is
10 man who owes more than | do to woman. 4
My education was formed by one whose very 4
ecollection at this moment makes me tremble. Il
is nothing which for the honor of the 3
sex | would not do. The happiness of my life \
s bound up with it. Mother, wife, daughter, h
to me have been the oasis of the desert Il
Of life. And I have to ask myself, would it con-
luce to the happiness Of society to bring wo-
men more distinctly than they are now brought 4
nto the arena of politics! Honestly, | confess d
% you | believe not. will tell why. All their Il
Influences, if | may so term it, are gentle infu- b
ences. In the rude battle and business of life 3
We come home to find a nook and shelter of
luiet comfort. When | betake me, after the II
lard and severe, and | may say the sharp ire Il
nd the disputes of the House of Commons, n
lie me home, knowing that | there shall find
solicitude and anxiety. My head rests u
lpon a bosom %throbbing with feeling for me
md our child. And | feel a more hearty man n
n the cause of my country the next day, be- b
of the perfect, soothing, gentle peace
a mind sullied by politics is unable to "A
eel. (Applause.) Oh! Sir, l cannot rob N.Y. a
elf of that inexpressible benefit, and there b
ore | say-No!" (Cheers.)
DAs the Indian Queen the other day was n
urning a difficult but well known bend in the &