The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-12
Women as Politicians,

Whatever may be the result of the inquiry
now going on as to the professions for which
women are best fitted, there can be little
doubt that greater and greater numbers of
them will hereafter take part in political
discussion, and that once they get the fran
chse they will introduce into the political
arena greater or less number of questions
as peculiarly "women's questions" and de-
mand for them special legislation or special
treatment OF some kind at the hands of
the State or General Government. We have
little doubt, too, they will exercise a
much greater influence on male opinion than
most OF us imagine. No matter how freely
the professions may be open to women, a very
large proportion Of them will not follow any
profession, but will live at home at leisure, as
they do now, and if they have votes, will give
more attention to politics than they have ever
done more, probably, than the great body of
their male relatives; aud will form opinions
which, whether good or bad, they will preach
with considerable vigor, and we dare say with
considerable effect.
1t is, therefore, not a minute too soon for
women who want to influence legislation,
either through the press or the platform, to
begin their political education; that is, to
make themselves moderately acquainted with
the influences which regulate the conduct of
men in society, and with the extent to which
they can be suspended or directed by legisla-
tion, as far as has been ascertained by human
experiences in other words, to make them
selves moderately acquainted with history,
political economy, and jurisprudence. Unless
they do this, we fear, so far from exercising
the 'elevating and purifying influence on
politics of which we hear so much, they
will simply increase the force of the
very worst element in politics. that is,
the element of blind and ignorant
zeal, which we, for our part, consider just now
only less dangerous to good government than
simple rascality. About the character OF cor
ruption or treason there is no room for doubt,
and there is no difference of opinion. You
have only to reveal them clearly to rouse
popular opinion against them. But we make
bold to say that if anybody will go through
history carefully he will fud that what hui
manity has suffered from wicked and unscru-
pulous coDquerors or tyrants or knaves is a
mere triile compared to what 1t has suffered
from well-meaning ignoramuses and zealots.
If, therefore, female politicians as soon as
they appear in the political arena are simply
going to reinforce the ranks of those who
make mockery of reason and experience,
disdain to argue, and vote and make speeches
by the aid OF an inner light of their own, of
which the rest Of the world knows nothing,
and to treat the nature of man, as seen aud
known in the world, as if it did not form the
leading element in all the great social prob
lens, female politicians, instead of proving a
blessing to the country, will prove a curse.
1t will not do to tell US in reply to these coun-
sells that the mass of male voters do not study
the science of politics any more than women.
ALI men, or nearly all men in this country
above the ignorant laborer, have taken an in
terest in politics and been made familiar with
political ideas and political processes from
their very boyhood They are, at least in
directly, trained to politics by the nature of
their studies at school and college,
and by the nature of their business in active
life. There is no man who does not find his
calling more or less affected by legislation, and
who does not therefore, give more or less
attention TO political measures. Clergymen,
lawyers, doctors, merchants, farmers, mecha-
nics-all become politicians, in a greater or
less degree, from necessity. Moreover, it
is one of the familiar facts of domestic life that
boys, from the time they begin to read and
observe, turn their attention to political
affairs, TO wars, to laws, to revolutions, to the
fortunes OF states and of rulers, Just as regu-
larly, and with as little direction from without,
as girls to dress and dolls and visiting and
cooking and other incidents of household eco
nomy. Whether this difference be natural
or conventional merely, we shall not here
discuss. 1t is enough for the purpose OF our
argument that it exists, and that nearly all
women of the present or next generation will,
on entering on a political career, have to
acquire by hard work even that amount of
fitness for the discussion of political questions
which most men acquire without any special
effort at all, by merely going on their way,
following their natural bent, aud attending
to their business. Of course there are, and
will be, women who will be able to contribute
as much that is valuable to political discus
sion as any or all but very few men, but
then the mass of female politicians will not
without special preparation, be able TO con,
tribute anything at all that will not positively
do mischief.
Female politicians, however, thus far, with
three or four eXceptions-we would willingly
make the number larger ii we could-have
not given, on the platform or in the press,
much, If any, indication OF either thought,
study, or experience. They show, indeed, an
ardent interest in the growth of human happi-
ness and virtue, but about the means of pro-
noting them through legislation they seem to
be in a state of simplicity not far removed
from that of very small children about their
fathers capacity for procuring money. We
would refer anybody who thinks these re-
marks too severe to the history OF the
agitation about Hester Vaughan, the woman
recently sentenced to death for in anti
eide in Philadelphia. The woman found
her husband had committed bigamy in mar
Tying her, and refused to prosecute him
after he had deserted her. Another scoundrel
fused to prosecute him or even tell his name,
lest it should hurt the feelings of his wife;
and she then murdered, or appears TO have
murdered, her newly born child, and has
been convicted for it. Meetings of women
have accordingly been held in New York, in
which the laws under which the woman has
been condemned have been made the subject
of Wholesale reprobation by female orators,
and the conviction denounced with as much