The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-03-22
Women Voting in Australia.

louOoh correspondence VI Iic houu'o""S"A'"'
Now let me turn to another chapter in
the question Of voting. In the Aus.
tralian colonies they have adopted the
system of permitting the women to.vote
in municipal elections. The other day,
the colony, of Victoria did, by bluudcr,
prescribe the laws of municipal voting
for the larger and more important cleo
tion Of Parliament. On election. day
they were surprised by finding the entire
female population voting. As may be
suspected of colorins the matter and its
results to suit my very strong faith in
female suffrage and equal participation
with men in public affairs, l will take
the opinion that the Times is forced to
give on the sirted facts which have been,
within the last two days only, reported
in England. After alludius to the fact
that this is the first time that women
have exercised the franchise in any com.
munity, the Times says:
"Thc women seemed to have availed
themselves in considerable numbers Of
the privilege thus obtained. =; = :;
1t is recorded that tho women voted at
least as wisely as the men; that they
generally voted for the best educated
candidate; that they showed contempt
for the secrosy Of the ballot; and that
cspousiug the cause which they took up
with heartincss and devotion iueidcn-
tai to the female character, they gcncr.
ally gave plumpcrs for the candidates Of
their choice. In franchise so low as
that enjoyed by the Australian colonies
we eau easily believe that this new clo'
mcnt, especially as the female votes were
given in respect of property, would be
a marked improvement. 1t will be worry
curious to sec whether this innovation,
thus accidentally introduced, is allowed
to continue, or whether tho colonists
will perseyere in the course upon which
they have stumbled. In the latter case
it would seem hardly to be possible to
leave matters as they arc, or to prevent
the infusion Of much larger female
element into the constituency"
So fur the Times. Ny own belief is,
that if America had been true to all the
ideals Of the best men, and when max :
ing a uation Of sovereigus, where the
Old World had held up one as symbol,
had also made nation ef queens, she
would to; day be afflicted by neither slave
ry nor civil war. Why is it that the
world is in its'governmcnt one huudrcd
years behind what it is in its homes p
War has long since disappeared from
private 'fciviliscd2 society,": e., feadal
battles and duels. Because, while in
homes, and in oil other social organiza-
tions, woman is regarded ;':in govern.
ment she is. to use Stuart Mills phrase,
" non existent" AS long Us this is 50,
government will be the great refuge of
oil the barbarisms Of society. Even in
tho South, those, very women who hate
the Yankees 50 yeuomously, were never
considered Trustworthy on slavery mat
ters. The regular instructions of the
large slave. .deulers to their travelling
agents {I hapc read them are, 'that mo
bargain with a gentleman for slave, or
slaves, should evcrsbe attempted at his
residence. The agent must stay at the
barn, or elsewhere, and send for him.
This is, Of course, to avoid being seen by
the women of the& family. Every one
knows how odious the slave. dealer is in
the South :. the women have made him
so, in defiance, I admit, Of logic, for no
lis essential to the system. ~y+g