The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-21
WOnaan's Rights.

At the request of a special friend we give
below synopsis of lecture delivered al
Springfield. L l., by Hon. Scott R. Sher.
wood. We do this the more willingly as tine
subject is likely to become one of the great
questions before the American people. Mr.
Judge Sherwood. with whom many of ouI
citizens are acquainted. He purposes, or
some future occasion, to repeat his lecture il
our town:
LECTURE BY Hon. SCOTT R. SHERWOOD
The first Of series of five popular lee
lures, under the auspices Of the Queens
High School at Springfield, Long Island
was delivered on Wednesday evening last,
by Scott r. Sherwood. A large and appre-
ciative audience greeted the lecturer, and
listened attentively to his essay, which oc-
cupied one hour in the delivery, and was
interrupted by frequent outbursts of APP
pIause. The platform occupied by the
trustees, Mr. George w. Dickerson, the
principal, a number of invited guests. aud
the speaker Mr.. Dickerson presided. and,
flatteringly presented Mr.. Sherwood to his
audience.
The lecture then began with an elaborate
history of the inception, and progress, down
to the present time, of the wCman'S rights
movement, and followed with an exhaustive
review, in conservative spirit. of the princi
plies involved in the question of woman's IT,
tie to the elective franchise. The essay was
an exquisite literary performance, occupy
ing near'y an hour in its delivery, and
abOundiug in brilliant passages Illustrative
to thu authors singular humor, pathos. and
power of research. Has God made woman
capable, morally, intellectual, and physi-
cally, Of taking pat in human (meaning
politically affair2 Then, what God made
her able to do, il Is strong argument that
He intended she should do" Alter reciting
this proposition as that of Mr.. Wendell
Phillips. in lis harague at Worcester. Mas
sachusetts Oct, Der Is, 1851, Mr. Sherwood
proceeded to argue that woman was a crea-
ture of affection; that she retains an intui-
tou of reliance on man for support and pro-
lection that she is physically inferior that
she is intellectual weaker. and that the eff
feet upon society which would follow the
exercise by women of political and otler
rights now acceded To man, would be per
nicious. Admitting his premises which
may be thus briefly defEed, the speaker
claimed that to woman han been allotted
a distinct province in life. The peculiar Of
fee cf women is to impart virtue, affection,
and gentleness in society, while that of man
i to govern and protect it. Mr. S. insi e
that woman is not entitled 10 the civil rights
o: man, because 1t not her nature or diSpO-
ton to embark on the hazardous sea of pol
itics, ard to become involved in the exciting
strifes Of party. Woman was never consti-
tuted to participate n caucus broils. in con
tentions at the hustings or the polls, in the
wild enthusiasm of mass meetings, or to oc-
cupy positions of confidence and power
She was never delegated to speak from the
pull pit, or to ecome a Gebater at the bar.
or in our legis live halls. or to dictate and
enforce the DEGREES of Justice, or to marshall
hosts on the field of battle. Ths spe,ker
ad6uced il.ustrious examples of women who
have assumed the responsibilities or exer-
Cised the privileges Of eXeCutiAe power; but
demonstrated that they had all proved i'm
perfect exceptions, and had only served to
emphasize the established rule hehad declar-
ed. Our Savior selected his Apostles from
among men. Almighty God made man the
medium for recording his inspired mandates.
After drawing from the testimony and
opinions of others. thereby showing a famil-
iarity with letters and history rarely evi
denCed in single hours essay. the lecturer
inquired Of Plato, Condorcet. Stewart Mil,
and Harriet Martineau; of Fanny Wright,
Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and
Wendell Phillips; Of Ernestine L. Rose,
VIM. lloyd Garrison, Horace Greeley, AL
bert Brisbane, Anna Dickinson, and Henry
Ward Beecher. and the other greater and
lesser ancient and mOdern champions Of fe-
male license: Suppose woman should TO
day be vested with the elective franchise
what number of the sex would accept the
Tr.vilege % H believed there were none
IL !
tenderness of their species. who would un-
dertake the serious and vexatious RESPONSE
bilities of politics. Tho incontrovertible
law Of nature, as CLEANED from Holy Writ.
from the authority of age and prevailing
custom, from the teachings of history.
physiology, and philosophy, and, finally,
from our own honest and manly convic-
tions, pronounces so emphatically against
the propriety OF delegating the women the
civil righth of man. At the conclusion of a
brilliant preoration, which we regret our in
ability to reproduce, Mr.. SherW ood exhorted
his hearers to vigorously oppose any so
styled reform that might impede a perfect
realization. from life'o pictnre of mans
first impression of woman, as conveyed in
Millions sublime description of the thought
by Adam on beLolding Ewes
creation:
: Grace was IN All ner stvr,o, he~'r, ", Der eye
In all her gestures dignity and love"
Mr.. Sherwood's lecture was a most credit
able essay, and deserves the encomiums
with which it had been previously greeted
by the WestcEeSter and New York press,
and was received by the audience before
which it was last recited.
A CONTESTED JUDGEsHIP For the first
time In our history. since the adnntinn of nr