Evening star., 1868-05-11

Of Women's Rieats- Women Defended by One of
Them@Tke Sezes should Mr. Together, at tte
PotIs-W0pssn Don't Want tte Praise Of such an
IRpUrc OBJECT Nan.
A meeting of the Universal Franchise Asso-
citation, at which any one disposed to take
ground against women voting were invited 10
do so, was held Saturday night at Harmon ial
Hall. There were present on the occasion
about twenty five persons, inc cluding white and
black men and women Professor Wilcox
occupied the chair, eut took part in the discus
| sion '.early and often"
Capt. Aaron Flnney, of Connecticut, being
| invited TO do so, spoke at some length, taking
strong ground in opposition to females med
ding with politics or in any way connecting
themselves with public AFFAIRS. He thought
the sphere Of woman was home, where she
should study how best TO have things orderly
and comfortable, and make those around her
happy. 1t was mans place to provide for his
household and attend to outside matters
Women wo uld do well to use their influence
in preventing their husbands, brothers, and
mankind generally, from falling prey to the
snaI as set To entrap them in gambling hells and
other disreputabls places, where they were
often made drunk and poisoned and then ffeeced
of their means. Men, ne thought, were gener-
ally impure and wicked, while with the oppo.
site sex he had always oeen taught to believe
that the reverse was the case. Let woman n strive
10 prove and purify man instead of desiring
TO adopt his practices. Females he thought,
were TOO much disposed to overlook the faults
OF the men. In some cases this leniency pro-
ceeded from love and a fancy for good looks
and In this connection the speaker illustrated
MS position by relatnE clrcumstance which
came TO his knowledge. He stated that some time
since one OF the handsomest men he ever saw
fell by degrees into crime, until he finally ruin
ed and then killed another mans wife, for
which he was tried and sentenced to be hung
While in jall in Chicago he was visited by a
female Sam aritan, who was struck with the
"beautlful face and fine proportions of the
criminal, that she told all her female aca uain.
tances, and many Of them went to see him. and
hnally became so interested In him that they
got up petition and obtained three thousand
signatures for his pardon. This was because
he was good looking man, when at the same
time he had been guilty of the vilest crime,
and no punishment could have been too severe
for him. The speaker was very bitter upon the
male sex generally and thought there were but
few men to be trusted. Gamblers and rum
sellers We're spoken of in unmeasured terms,
and he exhorted the females to labor earnestly
IN reforming the men, instead of seeking after
the right TO vote. In ninety -nine cases out of
hundred, If they had votes they would cast
them the way their husbands beaux or bro.
theirs voted, and would thereby corrupt
the ballot-box instead of purifying 1t.
as the advocates of womans rights con-
tended would follow. He had too ex-
alted an opinion of the female sex to wish to see
them mixed up on election days with bad men
and impure women, as would inevitably be the
case If the right of suffrage was given them. 1t
was n source OF congratulatiOn to him TO know
that the masses OF refined and educated ladies
gave no countenance TO the doctrine of woman's
nights. He did not think that any great num-
day would never come when they could be seen
doing He believed il would be contrary to
the interests of morality for women to vote.
Professor Wilcox took serious exceptions to
the grounds assumed by Coptain Finney, and
briefly reviewed his speech, contradicting fiat.
ly, and with some warmth. almost every point
he had made. 1t was outrageous he thought
In any one to intimate that virtuous women
could not vote. He believed they would, every
time, and always vote properly. too.
Mrs. Annie Denton Cridge, who had been in
= lV a m rRta a
remarks, took the floor in opposition to what
be had said She prefaced her speech by ask
ing that gentleman if he meant to say that no
yirtuous women We're engaged in the
work of women;s rights CAM. Finney de-
MED that any such construction could be placed
upon his language, and remarked that he said
no such thing. Mrs. Cridge then proceeded in
advocacy of woman's rights, and drew glow
ing picture OF a family-the husband, wife,
sons, and daughters-alI marching to the polls
toge her on election day, and casting their votes
Tor the same candidates or for their respective
favorites. 1t was eminently proper that wo-
man should fl her place In govern entail
AFFAIRS. She was taxed. and therefore had the
same moral right to a voice through the ball
box man. Let her have this privilege and
then there would be less rioting. drunkenness,
and obscenlty practiced on election days. 1t
was no vain boast TO say that h.r infiunce
would operate for good, and that corruption
would be curtailed. Rottenness would Gisap-
pear IN a meas ure, and the 1orrupt passions of
men be curbed if brought in sontacI with wo-
man. She thought il much better that the
sexes should mix together, and could see no
reason why man should be permitted to legis-
late for woman. Mrs. Crdge expressed sor-
row that Capt. Finney had such poor opinion
of the morality of the male sex. Woman had
been kept so much AT home that it was no won-
der she had such sickly notions Of mems
virtue. In conclusion, she asserted that wo-
men did want TO vote, and they had as much
right 10 take the time to do so as men had As
for the gamblers and gambling heIls, Mrs.
Crdge SAID, II II was left to the ladies, she was
there would
Mr.. W. p. Freeman spoke in opposition to
the doctrines advanced by Capt. Finney, aud
pronounced many Of the points dwelt upon
by him fallacious and untenable In fact, he
had never yet heard an argument advance ed in
opposition 10 the principle of womanis rights
He had been married man for number of
wears, and was an earnest advocate Of the ex-
tension OF women's privileges VIII lie his wife
was anti-woman's rights. Women had rights
the same as men, and among tn EN- he was in
fayor OF giving her access to the ballot box.
which she could use or not as she felt disposed
The civil rights bill made females citizens, and
he thought all citizens Were entitled to vote
Times had changed within the past few years
and women could now do what they could rot
do before.
Mrs. Mary 7. Corner endorsed the sentiments
of Mr.. Freeman, but Indignantly objected to the
remarks Of Captain Finney. She contended
that where there was one impure woman there
We're hundred impure men. She would not
associate with any man whom she thought i'm
pure. and did not want any man to associate
with her who thought she was impure Can't
FInney had said that all men were impure
She was glad that he had taken the ground he
had for she did not suppose that any woman
wanted ne praise OF an impure object. As 10
the power Of women TO govern for themselves,
history would sustain the assertion that in
olden times they acted for themselves, and their
influence was salutary. The speaker then
cited Isabella, q ueen of Spain, Esther, the
Empress Josephine, Queen Elizabeth, and
Queen Victoria TO show what women can do
in the way of governing. Captain Finney's
remarks were severely ridiculed by Mrs. Cor
ner. who said his assertion that n one but igno-
rant and unrefned females espoused woman's
rights, was false. For her part, she could tes-
tify that, with scarcely exception. all the ad-
yocates Of women's rights of her acquaintance
Were dignified, educated, and refined; and she
had never known any Of those slow and im.
pure wemen with whom the gentleman seems
10 be so familiar" [Laughter.l In general
terms she claimed for her sex the same preroga-
tives as men exercised, and broadly demanded
for them the privilege OF voting.
Capt Finney replied 10 the structures which
had been passed upon his speech. Words, he
said, had been put in his mouth which he had
not uttered, as had been the case in what Mrs
Corner and Mr.. Freeman had said. 1t was un-
gentlemanly in a. man to do so, and contemp-
tibie in a woman. He then recapitulated the
points of his address, stating what he did say
Mr.. Freeman retorted with some severity, but
would ask the pardCH If Capt Finney il he had
s.tribured to him remarks which he had not ut.
cred.
DIR. Purvis (colored) being called ON, made a
few remarks in opposition to women's voting.
Prof. wilcox took strong grounds against