The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-02
shan We Knve Female sunlags.

Shall We Have Female Suniage.
Mr.. LANE, the gallant Senator from Kan
sas on Wednesday last introduced into
the body of VIII hch he is a member a
rose-colored and lavender-scentei me-
mortal from the ladies Of Lawrence, Kan
sas, requesting the privilege of depositing
their ballots at future elections. The
delicate missive was referred to the Commit
tee on Reconstruction.
Slxty-nlne members of CONGRESS have al
ready offered their services to dilate upon The
subject OF reconstruction Are there not
seventy who are willing to immortalze them
selves by venti'atng the great question of
crinoIine in connection with the next Presi-
dental election? We fear this question will
involve trouble. To push it through there
must be lobby committees, and when the rats,
mice, waterfalls. and balmorals of Kansas are
gathered into the ante-chambeTs of the capi-
tai, the representatives will hardly be able
to attend to their public duties, and
at the same time pay polite attention to
their fair constituency. We greatly deprecate
the agitation of this ques ion at the present
time. Let us first locate The Ethiopian, and
then come gradually to the female. Late
elections show that we have rather too many
voters already, and if we add the whole female
persuasion, we will be OBLIGED to keep the
polls open two days. But, Notwithstanding,
we should like to have the privilege of taking
pretty girl to the polls, and seeing that she
exercised the rights of an American ci .izen
without molestatiOn or insult.
If the Congress see fit to make the ladies
voters, it would be a delightful ia. k for candi-
dates to electioneer among the parlors and
upon the promenade. Every otfice-seeller
would be obliged to establish fund for ice
creams and soda-water in addition to the pre-
sent one of whisky and oysters. 1t would
add very materially to the excitement of Il
canvass if any sErewd politician should secure
the service of some graceful houri with ruby
lips to stump the district for him. At frs
sight we were rather opposed to the measure,
but upon reflection we must say that it has
its merits, il properly understood.
Imagine the long queue of anxious Replb-
licans, vote in band, standing for weary hours
in order to deposit their vote in the palladium
of our liberties. Heretofore the crowd has
been picturesque, but scarcely poetical. Tle
addition of a few Jockey hats and feathers
would vary the monotony Of the scene, and
give it more attractive appearance. There
IS certainly something pleasant in the idea.
Some old fogies may suggest that it would
not be exactly consistent with female delicacy
to be found in Ward conventions and in
caucus meetings at the "Pewter Mug" or
Shades" but there are always carping
cri les to throw cold water upon "the
Woman's movement" and the manifest des-
tiny OF tie race. The female sex, as every one
knows, has long been held in bondage
by man, for the particulars Of which
we refer to the public addresses of
Lucy STONE and Rev. ANToINErTE
BROWN. 1t is hard, indeed that woman
must stay at home, and stitch, and darn, and
crochet things for the baby, while the hus-
band has nothing to do but to shin 1t along
Third or Market streets, to raise the funds
wheTewith to purchase the Berlin wool and
zephyr. Something must be done to elevate
the darlings of the fireside from their present
position OF inieriority to the delectable enjoy
ments of the bar room and the hustings. The
sphere OF woman needs exteEding-perhaps
in return for such exalted privileges they
would be willing to curtail their skirts and
reduce the diameter of their duplex elliptics.
| Give them something to do-Some great mis-
sion to devote their lives to, and we will dis
cover our mothers and sisters are competent
to higher employments than the fabrication
of ruflle or the construction of aiwaterfall.
There are those who believe that the Anna
zonian is the highest type OF womanhooC. The
BOADICEAs, SEMIRAMIsEs, and JoANs
D'ARC of history, are pointed to as the eXep-
plGrs of model temininity. The unobtrusve
virtues of Miss DIX, the grand philanthropy
of FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE, the tender
solicitude with which oar American women
watched over the battle-ields and hospitals
and mutilated fragments OF humanity during
our late struggle, are accounted namby -pamby
sentimentality and romantic sensibllity Tc
be sure, frC m unnumbered glazing eyes there
has beamed upon the angels OF mercy the
thanks that palsied tongues could not utter
many a fevered lip and aching head has beer
lulled to rest by the kindly ministrotons o
woman. She has Piled the nimblC
needle day and night, so that the
lonely picket tramping his weary
round might lack none OF the comforts tina
rendered his position endurable. All this sht