Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-12-13
PUBLIC LEDGER.
FEMALE SUFFRAGE. Z

The great topic of the day is suffrage
insgro suffrage, white suffrage, female
suffrage, universal suffrage, q The advo.
Gates of negro suffrage are not very much
y in favor of white suffrage, as there is no
novelty in it. Rebels, having sinned,
are not invited to the polls; but negroes,
who have been washed clean and sweet
in the tears of abolitionism, are deemed
eminentIy ct for the ballot Many who
demand this policy, demand also female
suffrage. Our mothers, wives, sisters
and daughters must be armed with the
ballot and led into the vortex of politics,
where boil and foam and fret the meaner
passions of our nature. 1t will be a
grand thing-the commingliDg of all
,scolors, sexes, ages and conditions at the
polls There would be crushing of
crinoline and a wounding of slippered
feet; bad breath, steaming hot from
the region where mingle bad whis-
key and the inevitable onion
There would be oaths and the slob.
Der of drunken men, and the delicate
ear of woman would become accustomed
to phrases not to be found in our lexicons,
but very boisterously on lips incarna-
dined with drink and reeking with the
foul odor of tobacco. If the modesty
of woman could survive test like this,
she would prove herself more than
miracle If she should claim and exer
else the privilege, might she not forfeit
much of the glory of her character, and
relieve men of the obligation which
society imposes upon them of treating
her as delicately as she treats her own
sister roses and yiolets !?
Well, abstractly, why should women
not vote? Why should the delicate
thing you love SO much and desire to
lower to the position of your lifelong com
panion, not gowith you to the polls, and
with her delicate 6ngers.deposit her ballot
Has she not the intellect to comprehend
questions of State, or has she not cult
yation-cultivation in advance of the
great brute Of fellow who chews to-
baceo, smokes cigars, gets drunk at night,
yells in the streets, and wishes to marry
her? What does he know about State
affairs Has he ever read the Constitu-
ton ? If so, does he understand word
of its meaning? The only qualification
he has for suffrage consists in an ability
to drink whiskey, masticate the weed, and
apair Of pantaloons. But it would be
very nice TO electioneer with pretty |
girl, and be electioneered with by her.
II would be delicious to be elbowed aside
and begged to vote her way. The young |
fellow Of sense would Of course |
prove stubborn and consume a great |
deal of time in being converted. So long |
as the eloquence of her sweet breath
blew upon his face, he would be fool to
give up But would it not be picture,
an animated discussion between Miss
and Miss, madam and madam What a
tempest of words, what streaks Of anger
on lovely brows Dragged N the mud
and mire, how crinoline would usurp the
polls and carry the day If it must
come, let it.. Let the baby be laid aside
for the Constitution; the economy of the
household for the economy Of the State.
Let us have thorough revolution.
Away with the obsolete ideas of our
fathers and mothers. We live in the ad-
ysnced age of the world. Wih-'t