The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-03-19
Womanh0od Suffrage.
EorIhe Jefferson

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For the Jefersonian.
Mr.. EDITOR Having read wit
!, attention the recent articles in you
paper on womanhood suffrage, espec
islly the one by Ohjector," we fee
inclined as usual is when the subject i
!; discussed in our presence, to say
lew words also. The main argumen
which Mr.. Collector uses-and i
is about the only missile left whicE
r those of his opinion venture to use
is, that woman is too good to vote
altogether 100 pure and angelic t.
"dabble in the dirty pool of politics.
Now we must confess to q quie
laugh in our sleeve, when we recall
what we have read of the objections
urged far more vehemently several
years ago.
;. 1t u ed to be argued that woman's
inferiority was sufficient to bar her
not merely from the ballot box, but
from positions which she is to-day
filling nobly and we'll. flour revered
grand mothers and great-aunts could
read, write and cipher, their education
was deemed complete. When the
extension of educational facilities for
woman first began, it was met with
strong opposition. Her mental ca
pacity was far below that oil man, and
above all, her weak physical frame
could never endure the weight of even
Algebra and Latin, much less that OF
Logic and Mental Philosophy. But
the High School system, admitting
girls, was established, first in the
good old Bay State. By and by,
Western Colleges began to spring up
and open their doors to young NO
men; and as the somewhat fearful
professors witnessed the ease with
which the daughters kept pace with,
and often outstripped, the sons, they
could but proclaim their success to
the world. So was it when the early
advocates of "woman's rights took
the field; they were everywhere met
with taunts about the inferiority OF
the sex. AS the years have rolled
on, and our educated ladies are now
found in the physicians office, the
artists and sculptor's studio, with
the mighty pen In their hands, upon
the lecturers platform, at the book
keepers desk, before the composit-
or's frame, and in all our schools, no
one ventures to deny them the right
of suffrage on the score of inferiority.
Think you then that the mouths of
objectors can thus be closed? Far
from 1t; for with a skillful Fright
about face" they now present their
latest weapon, namely, "woman's su-
| periority." Says our objector, ''peO-
pie may talk as they please OF the
equality of the sexes, but 1 don't
4
believe syllable oft. They are not
equal and what is more, they never
can be. Woman is certainly superior
to man." My dear sir, such remark
as this years ago, would have been
sufficient to brand you as traitor in
the camp of your brothers, but now
you undertake to use it as final
settler Of the "woman question. -
Verify, change has come DER the
spirit of your dreams"
| Well, put it upon this ground, if
you choose; we are willing to meet it
fairly and squarely. First, we would
ask, why pure and upright men like
yourself for instance) have anything
at all to do with that which is so vile
and corrupting as the politics of
to-day. Can one descend into the
mire and come forth spotless, because
forsooth he Is a man? We think not:
and if our political system has indeed
become as foul as you represent, we
insist that all those possessed of
true and noble manhood should
shun the slightest approach to ite
vicinity.
What! shall our pastors, those
appointed to break unto us the "bread
of life,' descend from their exalted
positions, mingle with the common
herd,'' and wend their way to the
ballot-box Shall our elders and
deacons, and other brethren in the
church, leave the prayer-meetings,
where they are expected to do all of