The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-03-08
FEMALE SUFFRAGE.

n
the ''irrepressibls'' question. of Female
Suffrage for "a time ipto your paper,
take my pen to call sttebtion to an article
under theltiae OF "WOmensand Politics"
lately published 10 the Leaveuworth
Times. or rather to an extract from that
article copied into the Conservative OF
that city. Here it is: -
1.-THE education OF The female in home
labOEs and amHssments- is samucb gTestes
necessity of the present age than the
power or privilege of voting can ever be;
and II is either because she does DOT ap
preciate it, or does not really understand
the sweet mission heaven has blessed her
with, that.shs is willing. even would de-
sire to cast away the jewel of her purity
and peacetO bask in the sickly sunlight
of al'urements that glitter and are not
gold" 80
To me, this extract sounds much more
like the twaddle of political dsmagogus,
than like the writing Of a''lady." 1 hope
every. woman in Kansas will discounte-
nance every article which claims to be
written by 'sOme lady" on this sub
iect. In nine cases out of ten could they
be traced home, their authors would be
found to wear boots. and smoke cigars;
''men who steal the livery of Heaven to
serve the devil in.''
Let every woman who writes on this
subject sign her name to her productions,
if she has name she is not ashamed Of.
If she is ashamed Of it let her refrain from
expressing her opinions.
Women of Kansas! If there are any
among you who feel yourselves So NOR
ally weak, so prone to evil, that the bal
lot will sully your jewel of purity" re
frain from voting, stay at home, don't
content yourselves with staying at home,
keep a guard lest some of those terrible
creatures known as msn should enter
your presence unawares, and your jewel
| should become tarnish
But ask you in the name of the thous-
ands of poor. oppressed, degraded VIC
men 10 our large cities, who have sold
their Jewel of purity" to buy bread. to
keep soul aud body together. in the name
OF. those women whose homes are the
abode of intemperance, RIGHTEOUSNESS and
poverty; in the name Of the widows and
orphans all over our land, not to throw
yourselves in the way of those who feel
themselves strong enough and pure
enough to grapple with these great evils,
and not become contaminated thereby.
believein no such cheap jswelry, 1t
is ouIy paste that becomes dimmed in a
bad atmosphere. The true diamond
glfstens as brightly in a heap of rubbish
as in setting of gold. Oh, Immaculate
editor of lhe Conservative! Did you
''cast away yOar Jewel of purity at
the ballot box? Or what became of it,
that you dare stigma!ize as the "black
sheep" of the flock, many of the noblest
women of this country, or of any eoun-
Try! Where will you find a more wo-
manly woman than Mrs.z Lydia Maria
Child?-one of the sweetest, and purest
of American authors woman of whom
every true American feels justly prond
And yet she is urging on this great rs
form with her gifted pen.
Let those men who have wives and
daughters of such easy virtue that they
cannot trust them in voting precinc
with ballot in their hands, guard thei
! dsllings well. Above all things, KEEP
political newspapers out of their reach
4 In some idle, tboughtless moment, th'
sweet creatures might happen to read al
article on some great moral question o
the day. One in a hurdred of them
might have energy enough to Mink.-
! Thinking might produce an itching of the
fingers to deposit ballot against some
great public evil. Alas. for their ''jewe
of purityl"
1 am we'll aware that female suffrage
win be opposed to the bitter end by three
classes of society. Tue 6rst aud Iarges
class consists of silly women. Not th,
"black sheep but the dear, innoceu:
unAedged goslins of the flock. The elias.
next 10 strength is composed ofigboranr
uucultured men, men OF one idea. and
men iOittout an idea. S5ms of them hon
est, well meaning men who. truly believe
that were women allowed to vote th,
world would Immediately commenc,
whirling the OF her way and day and night
summer and winter, seed time and bar
vest would become mixed in inextrieabl,
confusion.
The last class consists wholly of polit-
ical demagogues, who see in the enfran.
chisement-of women 'Ihs hand writine
on the WALL" This class will be the mos
easily eonciliate1, for their unerriug IN
stincts will surely tell them when che
time arrives, when POLICY aud Justice
demand" that Women shall be allowed to
vote. By combining their strength, these
three classes may clog for while tie
wheels of reform. But this cause, which
has progressed slowly for many years, is
gathering velocity at every step, and will