The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-03-02
Women Right. in England.

The question OF extending the eIec-
tive franchise to women in England has
been agitated for some time past. Its
latest champion is the Westminster Re
rie,r, which pleads for the cause in the
following style: 1t seems to us that no
abstract ideas Of woman's mission can
reasonably be brought forward as proof
Of an urgent necessity for the exclusion
of women from the franchise under our
existing system; and that if the ques-
tion is asked-What good would be
gained by their admission! the answer
is very plain-Whateyer good is to be
gained by the British Constitution. If
that be good, it is evident that the
carrying ii out must be good. The per-
petuation of an omission which origina-
ted in circumstances that have long
since passed away, must do as much
harm to those who are omitted as would
have been done to their countrymen if
the British Constitution had not exist
ed. If it be an advantage to be able to
protect ones property by the power of
voting for members of Parliament, the
possession of this advantage must be
good for all those who live and own
property under Parliamentary Govern
ment. The good that would be done to
women themselves, is in fact, not open
to dispute, unless we dispute the advan-
tage of Parliamentary Government and
representation of property; and in that
case We must dispute the advantage of
the English system of Government alto
gether.
If, continuing to confine ourselves to
strictly constitutional point of view,
we ask what would be the advantage
to the country in general of the polite
al representation of female holders of
property, on the same conditions as
men, We think, as we have already in
dictated, that the reply is equally clear.
If the representation in Parliament of
those who are interested in property is
q national good, tending to the preser-
walton and fostering of all property in
terests, to the increase of our national
wealth, and to the handing down to our
descendants of the national property
under favorable conditions, then the
Acknowledgement of any class of hold
ers Of property must be an evil proper
toned to their numbers, and their EN-
franchisement an advantage in the same
proportion. Whatever may be the cause,
there can be no doubt that the class of
independent women is continually in
creasing one in this country, and their
admission to the franchise is, therefore,
continually becoming, by the natural
course of events, q question of greater
practical Importance. ,G ~s".rrH
Turning now to the question, what
harm could be done by their atlmissioni
we are embarrassed by the difficulty
Of finding any answer whatever, unless
we 90 out of the bounds we have pre-
scribed to ourselves, and get beyond the
limits Of the constitutional point Of
view. Revolutionary violence is ont of
the question from them, and their num-
= bers are not such as to give rise to any
Of the apprehensions of disturbance
Of the balance of power which have
been excited in some minds by the
claims of the working classssa There
would probably be found some duly
qualified female voters in every
rank OF society, and among them some
members of almost every religious sys-
tenn or political party, so that the ex-
listing interests of no single class or
party or religious body could have any
thing to fear from them. 1t seems diff
cult 70 imagine q case where the prin-
. ciples of the Constitution could be ap-
piled With mere absolute freedom from
the slightest shadow of danger. :,
The Best Geld Pen i..,f,-...
- Iniths world 10 the w B Richards
Star Pen. Can on J. Creassy at the
Business College and get sasa Every