Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-08-11
THE WOMAN QUESTION.

1nasmuch as women are unfit to en-
force laws Of their own making, or de-
fend couatry which they aspire to
govern, there is manifest improperly
in placing the bulk OF power in their
over-cautious bands. 1t is objected 10
this that cripples and aged men vote.
| They are exceptions to great compre-
hcnsive rule. Had it been presumable
that cripples OF sexagenarians would
ever outnumber the able bodied men of
the land, the trainers of the Constitution
would doubtless have provided against
the absurdity of placing the Legislative
power in the hands of these passive
non combatants. Ultra radicalism is
always revolutionary, but not always
progressive. Who among us is sincerely
willing to fling away the last fayed frag-
ment of the robe of conservatism with
which the gaunt anatomy Of our body
polite is covered +? Who among us is
willing to rnsh to the extreme of rad
icalism and advocate, as the code Of the
country, agrariaDism, socialism and
freeloveism2 If such should be the
code adopted in 1869, who of us would
have the heart to contemplate the
picture which American politics and
society would present in 1875? And
if any degree of conservatism is desira-
bic in the management of a ma. ion
affairs, the question arises, how much !?
So much as will retain the law maxi e
and Notwithstanding power in the
hands of native born and naturalized
male citizens over the age of twenty ne.
So answers a solemn voice from the
deepest heart of at least one conserva-
tive Republican woman: Female legis-
latlon is unnecessary for the achieve.
ment or preservation Of all the rights
which the mass of the Intelligent wo-
men claim to petition for. know of
no existing statute, national or State.
wherein woman's rights in property are
wantonly disregarded. The property
of women is taxed for the benefit of the
State which protects it aud them, but
no woman in the United States pays
poll tax. 1t cannot be denied that every
year more Legislation is done with ref
erence to woman's advanced ideas upon
education, self-happiness, &c. This is
as it should be, and while woman main
tains a digni6ed, selfpoised but yet re-
firing demeanopy the pride of superior
strength and the JOY inseparabie from
consciousness of proteclorship will
sway man like mighty mesmerism,
irresistible and wholly delightful, to
frame such enactments as will shield,
benefit and bless the woman, and
through her the races which are to
come. Thrust the ballot into her
hand, encourage the morbid, restless
dream of statewomanship and honorary
degrees, and by 50 doing you take from
her something better than you can give
the power to sway man through his
sense Of the ehivalrous, his tenderness
for the confding, his reverence for
the creature God made, not for mans's
counterpart but his complement
They dare rot trust man to legislate
for woman, but upon his honor and
magnanimity they must eventually re-
" for his obedience to the laws which
she may make. One moment we are
assured that human instincts are SO in
fallible that they should be needed as
the voice of the Divine, and in the next
that natural (ormale) depravity is SO
total that one portion of the human
family may not lean upon the
probity of the other, to the slightest
extent, without being pierced by the
broken reed.
Trite and hackneyed as it has be
come, there is meaning in the phrase,
'woman's sphere" 1t is equal in
grandeur and dignity with that of man,
but it is not Identical. The sexes are
differently constructed in body, mind
and soul. Their endowments are not the
same, their work in life cannot be the
same; yet place the Importance of man s
duties: rights and destiny, and that of
woman's in opposite scales, and the
true balance will not stir the beam
There is doubtless fallacy n the pref
ty generally accepted notion THAI the
angelic principle, or intrinsic goodness,
pertains almost exclusively to the fe
male character, or at all events prepon-
derates largely therein. Upon this
ground, some insist that an adnizture
of the female. element would purify
| politics. Acknowledging the compli-
ment to our sex, the author of this pa
per begs leave to doubt the soundness
OF the theory. 1t is we'll known fact
that women, acting as lo66yists, have
| degraded themselves to expedients, to
name which would bring a blush to
this page on which write
The capability of woman to earn her
own living, in many ways, is an estab-
lished fact, and the individual who
would lay a straw in the way of her
honest endeavor to that end, deserves
the denunciations of every honest heart.
Whatever employment she has the
strength of mind or blain 10. follow,
that does not involve the sacrifice of
her femininity, should be left wide
open for her benefit. And the pay for
her labor should Eot III the least be af-
fected By the accident of sex.
The subject of work and wages is en-
tirely separate and distinct one from
that of suffrage and political economy
1t is SO regarded by Miss Phelps, the
champion Of the working women Of
Boston She says: ave want bread
and clothes and homes first, and after
we can get as good pay for our work
as men do for theirs, and just as much
for the same equal. work, it will be
time enough then for you to'talk to us
about wanting the ballot. Almost all
women feel iy instinct that their want