The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-03-09
For the Register.
Political Suffrage. Woman,s Right.

Thanks MIR. Editor, Tor Registering
my article of the 18th. my apology for
not being more explicit in defining the
data from which Iargued, is my effort at
brevity. May I not presume on yonr
courtesy little further.
BY the term ''right" would be under.
stood the equal rights Of all to ''Life, Lib
erty, and the pursuit of happiness" and
the carrying out of these SO far as such
pursuit may not interfere with the equal
rights Of others. As to the governmental
power of which speak, it is the power
the ruling mind, has, and ought ever to
to exercise over the physical nature, and
animal passions and appetites Of the man.
The contribution of governmental power
Of which | speak is, that, contributed
through the ballot,box by the great body
of freemen, and organized into state au-
thority So by self fgoverning state, 1
would be understood corporate partner,
ship formed on those true principles gov
ernment, to govern such as may prove two
weak or too wicked to govern themselves.
This, together with duties pertaining to
questions of equity, and works of utility,
may be regarded the proper sphere and
end of civil government,
AT the early settlement of the state a
partnership was found necessary, and was
formed by individual citizens and was CAL
led state government. 1t described the
qualification and terms on which men,
bers should be admitted. This partner
ship with some notifications of the orgas
ic law has continued down 70 the present
time and has pretty well answered its
original design; holding the scale of
equity and is regarded at the present
time for all its appropriate purposes ulti
mately satisfactory,
If however this corporation is disposed
by alterations in its organic law, to
admit or invite the female part of the
community to participate in its cares and
duties, it has right to choose, and they
have a right Individually to accept or to
reject the offer.
But can see no more right they have
to demand entrance and participation in
this than in any other partnership. If
the female part Of community find their
rights unprotected by state authority they
have right to unite and petition or pro-
test in the premises, and if need be to
organize social compact to sustain those
their peculiar rights thus neglected by the
states provided however that they do in
no way interfere with the proper sphere
of state authority; or in case CT extrema
ity they hav right to sell out and
retire and form a community by them
selves. But such postulates are merely
chimerical And yet are they not legtis
innate infererces from the doctrine of
woman's rights-claims, at the ballot box.
He who made man at the beginning
saw that it was not good for man TO be
alone. lie made then male and female
ard has SO continued them to this day
And the mystic love of this contrast be-
tween them, the Creator established the
bonl which has served to unite and to
pcrpetuate the human race through every
age.
have said should regard the change
as a retrograde, rather than an advance
step in civilization. This think would
be apparent at once from glance at hiss
tory. Where and whenever we have seen
governing treated as the boon-the high
privilege of the few, we have seen wo-
man trodden to the dust, while in propor-
ton as it has been regarded only as the
instrument of the peoples good, woman
has in like ratio been advanced in what
ever refine ennobles and adapts her to an
place in elevated society. Yet all this
advance has done nothing to obscure that
difference of character and aspect which
the Creator ordained when he said 81
will make help mate for him. 1t has
On the contrary seemed to perfect it,
These data and logic prove to my mind
the impropriety of womans claims as a
just right at the ballot-box. | submit
them to others for what they may regard
| them worth.
Middlebury, Feb. 24th 1869. b.