The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-11-01
WOMAN AND HER SPHERE /
Rev. J. D. Ljggett On Female
Sufrags.

tive, OF the oUtDs most excellent sermon
from Rev. J. D. Liggett. pastor of the
First Congregational Church, Of Leaveu. /
worth. on "Woman's Sphere" Il is i
Published at the request of several leading /
citizens. aud is most comprehensive
document against granting the frauch iss
to women. We are sorry that We have
not room for it entire. Had it come to
hand in lime We certainly should have
published it. We take the liberty OIL
making lew extracts:
But leave this point to consider. as
briefly as possible, the expectancy of con-
ferring tie elective franchise upon wo
men.
This ia urged as the certain cure of all
the ills of woman in life, aud also Of nsn.
All the wrongs and hsrdships OF woman,
real aud supposed, and even the drprayi.
ties OF portion of her sex, are array ed ia
argument to enforce this pretended right;
and then tie granting of this right is Gsld
up as the infalibls remedy for ali the
evils that sfiict society.
But FIRST, in order to sustain this pre-
tended right, it is assumed that it is The
natural and Cd given right of al! human
beings. This assumption is false ast
unteuab!e, for if it bs rot, then no gov
eminent could rightfuliy deprive any
class Of It's subjects, such as either minors
or Foreigners, Of lis exercise, even fer q
time. Lie is a natural right, and Liberty
IS natural right. and to deprive any one
Of these, except in punishment of crime,
would be utterly indsfsnsibs, and so,
too, would be any restriction upon the
elective franchise if it be an innate right.
The elective franchise is q privilege aud
| lot an absolute right, and lie exgent OF
its exercise is to rest upoO and be regu
lated By considerations of expediency.
| Il il, in fact, conventional, or political
| right. In order that the interests of all
GLASSES may be protected. the theory of
our government Is that they should 10
some just manner be represented in the
law making power. Minors are not
made voters for the reason that the father
who is their natural guardian, represents
! them. And go, inasmuch as all tie iu-
tersta that woman has are represented by
! the vote of a husband, father or brother.
| there IS not much dagger that they will
be disregarded. To say that there Is
such danger, is to attribute to man an an
tagonism to woman's interests and welfare
which has no existence in fact. Ii is to
say be will injure his owe, or disregard
that which is as dear to him as anything
that may be called his. 1t is not only
false assumption, but it is libel on man
hood. When, therefore. the will of the
father aud the 6 ID ordained head Of tie
family is felt in the law making power,
it may be truly said that government de
rives it's powers from tie consent of the
! governed.
Then, again, it is assumed that lhe
| privilege OF voting constitutes l;barty,
which is not true. Liberty is secured by
the protection of just and equal laws.
| Voting Is only the means of securing such
| laws. The man who never votes at all is
| just as free and as well protected in all
his rights and interests, as he who votes,
IN country where the laws. whatever
they are and By wbomsoeVer enacted,
bear equally upon all. But if il can be
said or thought that man cannot b. trust
| ed to do all for his family that can be done
| by mesus of the elective franchise, then
he is not in bis right place at the head Of
his family institution, where g )d has pl4-
ced him and, the A'l-wse made 6 sad b un-
der, andman must be set down as a mon
steT without reason and natural affec ton
The laws of nature are Just and mex
orable, and cannot in any case be violated
with impunity. The worst calamity that
could befali society. aud especially the fe-
| male sex, would be the triumph of the
principles Of those who have put tbem~
selves forward as the champions of Wo-
mans interests. Her true policy is not
to seek to be the rival aud competitor of
man, but TO take her place by bis side, and
aided by bis strength, Iun the race of life
with lin. The advice of the great Apos
tie 10 woman, contains more wisdom than
all the ideas that ever entered the heads
of pretended refoImes. He says ''Iet the
women be sober, love their husbands,
love their children; be discreet, chaste,
keepers at home, good, Obedisnt TO their
husbands, that the name Of God be rot
blasphemed." Now select out Of anv
community, the woman that comes near
est this standard. and the verdict of all
will be Her price is far above that OF
rubies.''
In concluslcD, permit me TO say there
is supreme egOtism in the audacious 81 aim
that some make of being reformers. II Is
a high sounding title TO be frequently |
self-sppropriated. Bat il occurs 10 me |
that since the words of tie Great Reform
er of Gaiiee. and his inspired followers
fell on the ears of men, there has been no |
room for reformers. The doctrines of
toe Bible, and nothing else, have Lifted |
human society as it has been elevated in |
liberty and ciyiiz stion. and especially |
have they been the means of elevating |
woman to her present honored position |
of culture and virtue
To discard these doctrines as old time,
and out of date, is 10 invite US 10 career |
which will land as where christianity |
found human society, aud v oman iu the
condition 20 which Psganism and barba-
rism has assigned her in all ages.
A SAD CATASTROPHE AT JUNCTION CRY. |
"A spscial dispach to the Leaverworth
Ill T. -