The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-30
Woman suffrage.

Woman suffrage.
FIVE PLAUSIBLE OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
Ohi women do not ask for suffrage.
Ans. Very true but little time asd-but
how is it now, when petitions by the score, and
natitioners by the thousand, are pouring into
Congress?
But if they did not ask for it, what then?
The slaves did not ask for freedom till they
had it. They did nothing to secure it for
themselves-they never struck blow, till we
had opened way for them; else the whole
Southern country would have been given up to
torch and cleaver, to pillage and massacre.
The Hirdoo women did not ask, nor do they
now, to be set free from the funeral pyres OF
their dead husbands, or from the sacrifices OF
Juggernaut, or the GaDges. but have always
claimed for a privilege the right OF nelns purn-
ed alive, of drowning their babies, and OF be-
ing crushed under the wheels OF Juggernaut.
The Chinese, whose virtual representatives
crionle their feet to stop their gadding, only
ask to be let alone-nor will they permit any
interference with what they consider distinc-
ton.
Left to themselves, our children would new
er ask to be bothered with education of any
kind.
But are these good reasons why we, who
know better what they need-and what their
rights are, than they themselves do, should re-
fuse to interfere in their behalf when we see
them wronged, and wholly ignorant of their
rights?
We have interfered. without waiting to be
L. Al. 1o1o
we have interfered with the sacrifices of Jug
gernaut, and with woman-burning and baby
| drowning, wherever we, of the Saxon type,
| have had power without so much as saying,
| "By your leave" And who is there to con-
| denim us?
| With the Chinese womanpfiviege5 we can
not interfere Just now, being hardly on speak
| ing terms with the magnates of the land. They
would resent, as national insult, anything
| in the shape of remonstrance against the
| Gripping of their women by law, or otherwise
| Just as the Mohammedans would flare up, il
we should suggest little mole freedom Of
choice and service in their harems and Sc
raglios; and just as Brigham Young would
"breathe out threatenngs and slaughter" if We
| should undertake TO show his wives and con
cubines that they were slaves and FOOLS
But would this show that these practices
wers right, because they were not felt to be
wrong by the sufferers themselves, the parties
chiefly interested? Would our duty be any
the less if we found a great crowd on their way
to death, tumbling headlong over o precipice
or into great gulf without complaint or out.
cry, because they were drugged or blindfolded
Is not our duty cear-we know ing, and they
not knowing, the onsequences-whatevel
they may believe, or think, or risk?
Ought We not 20 enlighten them, as we dc
our children, without regard to their prejudi
ces or their wishes? And therefore, if it were
true. as it no longer is, that women do not ask
for the right Of suffrage, would it not be oul
duty to procure it for them, by going before
with torches and trumpats, as we did with the
blacks?
Obi. 2. But, IL they do not insist on the
privilege, how can they be expected to value
1t, if obtained for them by others?
Ans. Men do not insist on the privilege Of
voting. On most occasions they have to be
driven to the polls and, except on great occa-
sions, not three-fifrbs of the voting population
are ever heard from. Instead of regarding the
right as duty and a privilege, they prove by
their Indifference, or neglect, that they regard
| it as tax-and often as a heavy tax But
would that be reason for disqualifying them?
Obi. s. But women could not vote with out
unsexing themselves.
Ans. And why not7 Could not a commit
tee of the other se1 be trusted with the ballot
boxes, either by going round to their houses,
or having the polls opened at certain places
for womeR only?
| ohi4. But they would have TO bear arms
and they wholly untitled for such work
/ Ans deny both propositions Only the
| able-bodied young men are required to bear
| arms, and of these a large proportion are ex
| empted even in times OF war-all under eigh.
teen and over iorty-hve-all ministers, judges
public officers, schoolmasters lin some States
&c, &c, &c.
Bnt instead of being untitled for the bust
| ness OF WARRIOR the battlefield and the camp
| without referring to the Amazons, or to the
body guard of the King OF Dahomey,-have
not our women lately proved themselves tc
be pre- emnently fitted for the severest duties
/ of both. Look at the hospitals-at the wan
dering nurses-the Uiuandieres-at the spies
and messengers-nay, at the disguised women
who were found lying by their husbands, ia
theirs and beloved ones on the field of battle
their sex never even suspected till after death
Obi 5. But what is the worth of privilege
that is neither valued, nor used?
Ans. What is the worth of suffrage to thu
men who do not vote?
Men are allowed to keep arms in thei
houses. 1t was privilege bought with blood
in the revolutionary war. But who values the
privilege enough to use it? Not one house
holder in thousand, perhaps, ever thinks O
keeping arms-a pistol, loaded musket, or .
sharpened sabre-in his house, any more tina,
he would Of garrisoning his "castle." Blu
enough for the present. JOHN NEAL.