Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-04-12

ever may be SAID theoretically abOu
the elective franchise as a natura
right, in practice at least, it has al
ways been denied in the most ffbera
States to more than half the popnla
ton. 1t is withheld from those who's,
crimes prove them devoid of respec
for social order, and generally from
those whose ignorance or imbecility
units them for an intelligent apprecia
ton Of the duties Of citizens and the
blessings of good government. To wo
men the suffrage has been denied in al
most all Governments, not for the rea
sons just stated, but because it j,
wholly unnecessary as means of thei
protection. In the government of ma
ture the weaker animals and insects
dependent on themselves for safety
and life, are provided with means o.
defence. The bee has its sting anC
the despised serpent its deadly poison
So, in the Governments of men, the
weak must be provided with power t.
inspire fear at least into the strong, il
not to command their respect
Political power was claimed origi
nally by the people as a means of pro
tecting themselves against the usurpa
tions of those in power, whose inter
ests or caprices might lead to theil
oppression. Hence came the republi
can system. But it was never thought
the interests or caprices of men could
lead to denial of the civil rights ol
social supremacy of woman. People
of one race have always been unjust
to those of another The ignorant and
sordid jew despised the Samaritan and
scoffed at the idea of his equality. Tc
him the learned and accomplished
Greek was barbarian, and all rights
were denied him except those simple
rights accorded to the most degraded
Gentle. Cinnamon, to-day, believe al
firmly in the superiority of the celes
tial race as Americans do in the sup
eriority of the Anglo-Saxon. All races
of men are unjust to other raaes. They
are unjust because of pride That very
pride makes them just to the women
OF their own race. There may be mer
who have prejudice against race they
are less than men who have prejudice
against sex. The social position O
woman in the United States is sucl
that no civil right can be denied her
The women here have entire charge o.
the social and moral world Hence she
must be educated. First impressions
are those which bend the mind to noble
or ignobIe action, and these impres.
sions are made by mothers.
To have intelligent voters we must
have intelligent mothers. To have free
men we must have free women. The
voter from this source receives his NOR.
al and intellectual training. Woman
makes the voter, and should not de.
scend from her lofty sphere to engage
in the angry contests of her creatures
She makes statesmen, and her gentle
influence, like the finger of the ange
pointing the path of duty, would bt
lost in the controversies of politica
strife. She makes the soldier, infuses
courage and patriotism in his youth
full heart, and hovers like an invisible
spirit over the field of battle, urging
him on to victory or death in defence
OF the right. Hence woman takes M
musket to the battlefield. Here, as il
politics, her personal presence woult
detract from her power Calico, New
ton, and La Place could not fitly dis
cuss the laws of planetary motion witt
ignorant rustics at country inn. tn,
learned divine who descends from Tia,
theological seminary to wrangle upol
doctrinal points with the illiterate
stubborn teacher of a small countr,
flock must lose half his influence fol
good. The strong and brawny arm
of men, like granite blocks, supper
its arches but woman, lovely woman
the true goddess of Liberty, crowns
its dome.
Mn. YATES. l wish to ask the Sena
tor from Missouri question. under
stand that he has introduced a resolu
tion to amend the Constitution of th'
United States SO that there shall be m
distinction on account of color. Will
the gentleman accept an amendmen
to that resolution that there shall b
no distinction with regard to sex?
] Mn. HESDERsoN. have given m,
views. think, very distinctly, as tn
Senator would have found if he had lis
, tened, in the latter part of what
have just stated in reference to tn
, question Of voting. In reply to wha
he has said, | will say that / do nc
think that on mere presentation of
petition it is in order to discuss til
t merits of the petition. hope, ther,
fore, that the Senator will not insis
' upon entering into a question OF ths
y sort now.
t Mr.. YArEs. shall not do so. ] OIL
!, ly wish to say that am not proposin
to amend the Constitution. | simpl
I desire to give rights to those WI
d have rights under the Constitution &
!, it has been amended. When propos
+ to amend the Constitution then ii
o question will come up whether ! wi
a allow women to vote or not.
T Nh. SUMNER. Before this petitio
y passes out of sight | wish to make OF
$ observation, and only one. The Sen
). tor from Missouri began by an allusit
e to myself and to a remark which Il
IA from me when | presented the 9th
+ day petition from women of the Vi
e ted States praying for the ballot.
W took occasion then to say that in n
1t opinion the petition at that time W
IS not judicious. That was all that sai
Z did not undertake to express any op
i, ion on the great question whether "
ID men should vote or should not vo
| did venture to say that in my opini
of it was not judicious for them at Il
moment to bring forward their clai
as so as to compromise in any way
"a ,,roaf nnaSfian af nuual RIGHTS for