White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1867-08-22

4. {; v u. S5SSST0s' 5SSSR! Committee.
DosIrHAs. KANSAS. August 10. 1867.
e...- (For the Chief)
Female Suffrage.
TRor, KANSAS, August l3, 1867.
EDITOR OF THE CHIsr:-As the press in this
County are all on one side of the question
which is now being discussed Throughout the
State, viz: " Female Suffrage" would take
il as privilege to say a few words, through
your paper. on the other side; and,
lst. From whence does the right of suffrage
come? And to ascertain this, it will be neces.
sary to inquire into the necessity or cause Of
establishing Governments. "All men are ere
ated equal, and endowed with certain inalien.
able rights. among which are life, liberty, and
the pursuit Of happiness" This, then, must
be considered the great end to which man as
pires; and in order to bring about this grea,
and laudable end, and. as man is SO formed by
nature that he cannot supply all his own wants
but necessarily stands in need of the inter.
course and assistance of his fellow creatures
whether for his immediate preservation, or fol
the sake Of perfecting his nature. and enjoying
such life as rs is suitable TO rational being
| il became necessary to establish society, and
to prescribe certain rules of civil conduct to
protect, and compel every person to respect
the rights Of its members, and society itself
Society, thus formed, is called Nation, or d
State, which is defined in law to be a body
polite, or a society Of men united together foI
the purpose of promoting their mutual safety
and advantage by their combined strength
, After men have thus associated themselves
| together into society, which has its common
interests, and which is To act in concert, it be.
comes necessary to establish a Public Author
| ity, to order and direct what is to be done by
each in relation to the end Of the association
| shall not enter into an argument as to
which would be the bes, manner of constitut.
ing this Public Authority. for We are living in
a country whore this is established-my argu-
ment only being TO reason against a change of
the established fundamental rule In the es-
tablishment of this fundamental rule, we must
presume that those who were the means of
making it, took into consideration the extent
to which it should run, with a view to bring
about the greatest good to the community.
In this State, the Public Authority is con-
stituted BY the votes Of her citizens, or SO
many Of them as have the required quali6ca-
tions. A ci tizen is defined to be. one of the
members of the civil society, bound to this So
ciety by certain duties, and subject to its au-
thority. 1t has been thought necessary that
there should be restrictions, for the good of
the whole community, when declaring who
should be electors.
The qualification of electors in this State is
as follows: Every white male person of
twenty one years and upwards" But to this
rule they make the following restrictions: he
must reside in the State six months next pre-.
cedng any election, and in the Township or
Ward at least thirty days next preceding such
election; no person under guardianship, NON
eempss mentis, or insane, nor any person con.
victed of treason or felony, unless restored to
civil rights; and if foreigner, he must have
declared his intention to become q citizen,
conformably to the laws Of the United States |
on the subject of naturalization.
Thus We see that the right Of suffrage is
conferred upon thoee who comply with certain |
duties and obligations required by the Gov
ernment; and a. long as we remain true to
our allegiance, 90 long We retain the privilege;
bat when We violate any Of our duties. We for
felt this privilege. From this we observe, that
the right Of suffrage is not (as is claimed BY
the advocates Of suffrage exteusion) astuYsl
right-it is q creature Of Government; right
conferred by Government; and, as We have
seen. q conditional right. But, it is objected,
Why leave out the women7 answer thus,
(and especially If it is claimed as q natural
right): Why leave out the young man Of Is,
ls and 90 years Of agei Why except the for
eigneri Why except any ooe, 3, -
As We have seen, nations were established
for the protection and CON fort of their mem
bers; and in their establishment. care should
be taken TO establish them on basis that will
most readily tend towards concentrating the
great object. Now. -ill extending and multi
,lying the number Of electors, Be conducive 10
he better protection Of life, liberty, and all
lhs objects for which Governments are estab-
ished2 Certainty not; for II We take the a.
yument Of Lucy Sspne. notwithstanding the
Increase Of the elective fanehise, women are (.
10 better Of than they we're in the old feudal
lines. But, they say. givs tho women the
ight to vote, aud they will rectify thess
wrongs. Howi--by slecting Sam. Wosd1 By
leetins tae present set Of politicians and den.
goguesi Ofcourse. We viii; for fley are eli Y
anpant on the question. and they viii be pre-. )
erred. We win reform the laws, BY sendi,s
'am- Wood ssd other political denaeosues .
rho are nov standing up for our rights, 70 the
legislature; and then ve viii make Judges ]
ut Of some Of them. - enforce cur rights, and &
ben you viii see thss ths Governnent win o
ecome pure, and the sacred rights Of al, q
without distinction cs sex or color" viii be I
rotected. Yes. and 4 6pe reform Il viii be. r