Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-03-14
wOMEN'S RIGETs.


Petitions. bearing thousands of signatures,
from the women of Minnesota, asking for
the right of suffrage, are being presented to
the Legislature of that State.-Erchange.
The women seem bent upon creating q
sensation, nowadays, in some way or other.
They have managed to keep the masculine
portion of humanity in q constant futter of
excitement and on tip-toe with expectation,
lately, by the "showy," unique style o:
costume they have adopted, until at last any
new monstrosity with which they may adorn
themselves has ceased to excite wonde.ment,
or even provoke smile of derision. Water
falls, filters, and other similar institutions
with which the sex have managed to make
themselves sufficiently ridiculous to attract
attention, have had their day, and like other
follies which the freaks of foolish feminines
are constantly leading them to commit, will
soon be forgotten. The female mind, in its
pristine condition, before it has been sobered
by the cares, SORROWS, joys and responsible
| ties incident to matrimonial life, is feverishly
restless and unstable. From the days of
Mother Eve down to the present time, the
sex has manifested morbid, Unsuitable ap-
petite for excitement, and shown the same
uncomfortable desire to usurp the preroga-
tives and privileges which God expressly
designed should be exclusively enjoyed by
the lords of creation, that they are exhibiting
at present. The last expedient which they
have adopted for raising breeze, and one
| which proves to be so eminently successful
as to totally eclipse all their former efforts,
is woman's rights. Yes, incredible as it may
appear, the softer want, and absolutely
demand the right of suffrage. The desire to
exercise the functions which have heretofore
devolved upon masculinity, is no longer con-
fined to a few vinegar-yisaged, sour tempered,
disappointed old maids and trong-minded
wives of henpecked husbands, but has taken
possession of and pervadcs all classes and
conditions of the female sex. From one end
of the country to the other, from the Kenne-
bee to the Rio Grande, from the Atlantic to
Wiz L oSAAAS1 tAiC u VI bIt lOI
suffrage" is heard, and the determination
and earnestness with which they are pushing
their demands plainly indicate that they
mean business. The columns of the press
are filled with articles in which their suffer-
ings, wrongs and grievances are pathetically
set FORTH their claims are advocated and
supported by lecturers and essayists, and
In many of the States, petitions formidable
at least in length, have been presented to the
Legislatures, praying that they might be en-
franchised. Now, that women should have
their rights, no one will deny; the question
is, what are theys Is the right to vote, one
of them , The reasons given and arguments
advanced by the ladies and their advocates,
in favor of the proposition, certainly possess
merit sufficient to entitle them to considera-
ton. They say-and statistics prove the
truth of their assertions-that matrimony is
on the wane; in fact, that it is an old fogy
institution which is becoming unfashions-
BILE, and that in consequence the number
resources for support. is rapidly increasing
that in number of the States the females
outnumber the males, and as the laws of the
United States do not allow polygamy, and
as the men are evincing reprehensible dis
inclination to undertake the support of even
one wife, their chances for procuring hus-
bands are desperate in the extreme that
custom excludes them from many kinds of
employment for which they are qualified,
and establishes a rate of wages for them far
below that given to males for the same labor;
that they are taxed without representation,
and amenable to laws in which they have no
hand in framing. That this is formidable
bill of grievances, and one which demands
immediate action, the most bitter opponent
of female suffrage cannot deny. That the
use of the ballot would have beneficial
effect, matrimonially, we are inclined to
doubt. We are of the opinion that the de-
crease of marriages is owing more to social
than political evils. What the women de-
mand is simply this that the men shall
either support them, or give them an equal
chance to maintain themselves. They pre-
sent two alternatives matrimony or suffrage
and leave it to the men which horn of the
dilemma they will take. AS compromise
measure, actuated solely by desire to heal
| the differences between the contending ele-
ments, we propose the following amendment
! to our franchise laws: That all males shall
| be allowed to vote from and after the time
they assume the responsibility of supporting
wife, and not before that all females over
the age of twenty-one years may exercise the
elective franchise as long as they remain sim
gle; but when married they shall transfer
the breeches to their husbands and submit to
his authority like dutiful wives. If the ladies
will accept this proposition as basis for
compromise, our sympathies will 60 with
them in their struggle to ameliorate their
present condition.
The IMPEAcHMENr QuEsTIoN-The Sen
ate has resolved itself into Court of I'M
peachment, and adopted rules for its gov
ernment during the trial. The President
was summoned to appear before the Court,
to answer the charges preferred by the
House, yesterday. Jerry Black, Attorney
General Stanberry and Dudley Field, it is
said will be his counsel. There is rumor
in circulation that johnson will resign and
"appeal to the people" at the next election.
He had haftor efand his trial