Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-02-15
WOAIEN,S RIGHTS.

Shall women be entitled to vote 7
Yes, say we, if they want 10. For why
in the name Of justice and common
sense are they, taxpayers and property
owners, rs many of them are, placed by
the Constitution Of tho State in the
samo category with convicts and fell
ons? What sort Of equity is it which
thus makes "male whites of adult age
the sole and exclusive participants in
tho elective franchise?
Among other wise propositions now
before the Legislature in the shape OF
proposed amendments to the Constitu-
| ton, is one to strike out tho word male
from that instrument. Tho considcrn.
ton of that proposition is made the
| special ordeI in the Assembly for Tues
day next, and while we hope it may re-
| ceiye the sanction Of that body, We
hope to sec those most interested in the
matter, the ladies themselves, present
in goodly numbers, and we herewith
venture TO invite our lady friends to be
and appear within the bar of the House
upon that occasion, for they will then
have an opportunity to listen to the
voice and argument Of their friends md
advocates rs well rs to take motto of tho
curmudgcons who arc lacking in n prop
or consideration for the sex and its priv
ileges.
Now if VIC wcre a woman, We don't
believe We should care about being in
vested with the elective franchise. Not
being n female, however, we believe in
removing all distractions TO a partici-
nation by tho ladies in the election Of
those who are to govern them. More
over, we believe that women have rs
good n right TO hold Office rs il they
woro boards and enjoyed n legal and GUS
tomary right to wear pantaloons. we
know of women who would grace tho
g~ubcrnatorial chair, who could perform
the functions Of tho Board Of Examin-
ers, who would mako splendid and at
t~ractivc Sneakers of the Assembly, who
would be graceful and useful Senators,
who would add beauty and purity to
the Judiciary, who would perhaps make
reliable State Printsrs-but we are n
little in doubt upon this last PROPOSE
ton. Everybody is acquainted with
"any quantity of ladies who would
run the primaries upon an improved
plan and make the polls q much
more agreeable arrangement thun thoy
are at present. Let the ladies vote and
YOU for,ify and purify politics as they
cannot by any other means be 80 i'm
proved.
In all seriousness, We believe in Civ
ing the right to vote to women. They
are rs much n part Of the responsible
people as their fathers and brothers and
husbands; and as to their influence
upon politics, We all know that even
without the vote they exercise n control
over those with whom they arc brought
in contact which is of q very strong and
decisive character. The law compels
them to pay taxes, and it should in def
erenco to the true spirit Of republican,
ism accord them tho right to a voice in
tho selection of those who arc to make
and administer the laws that are TO gov
ern their actions and affect their prop
erty. The Constitution as it now stands
virtually says that woman is inferior to
man in an intellectual point of view.
There is but a poor showing of smother
wit" in that tacit declaration. 1t may
DO possible that not so many ms one-half
the women of this State desire to be
vested with the right to vote and hold
Office: but we contend that if there be
no more than one woman who, feeling
the responsibilities and immunities of a
citizen and taxpa, or, asks to have the
mower given into her hands FOR the pur-
nose Of exercising that self-protection
without which the citizen is mensurably
powcrless in relation to those who have
q voice in tho administration Of the
government, she should have it and
that until she and all others Of her sex
who feel rs she does are so placed upon
nu equality with other citizens of the
commonwealth, "a republican form of
government" as contemplated by the
Declaration of American independence,
is disregarded and set at naught. The
rule ought 10 be established that every
citizen of every degree should be in
reality, as he and she arc by law con-
templated to be, a full and equal parti-
cipant in the government which de-
rives its just powers from the consent
OF the governed carson Appeal.