The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-01

TO be alike protested against. The Car Peter
did much for Russia; tis, therefore, an argument
against reform and rights that despotism pnve
the people of that land civilization They do
not mind it because their rights are guarded
through their influence in men. These wofnen
are ours" say you, land shall we not take care
of our own 2" Has not every crowned king who
has lived and died, or who lives to-day the rirht
TO use the same argument; "Is not this land are
not these people mine Am | not, in conse-
quence, interested in those that are personally
my own2 Let their ALL weliare-shall | not
guard them?-their interests and their rights the
whole history of ignorant or infamous. as I
would those usurpatOns of power and disregard
of rights--respond.
NO. LOOK AT YOUR UNEQUAL LAWS.
That proposition is sef-evident. Does il need
proof ? Let any one sit and read the long list of
laws which intlict injury, or withhold Justice
from woman, and the proof is given Until re-
Gently woman, especially a married woman
suing for her rights in any court of law, has
been well photographed by the condition of the
old lady who said that she had no counsel that
God was her lawyer. "My dear madam" ex-
claimed the Judge, ''he doesn't practice i'm this
court CLaughter) She has been without
counsel at the bar of n law with which neither
God nor Justice had anything to do That these
laws are being modified is true; that they require
modification is the proof that the influence of
woman has not been sufficient in the past to Sc
her all she needs; that it is better for this
modification to be brought about by indirect
derstand how power which is salutary when
exercised virtually can be noXious when exer-
cised directly Nay more, j hold that an influence
which is sufficiently powerful to make and un-
make laws should be a power held responsible
and amcnable to law. (Applause.D
INDIRECT VERSUS DIRECT INFLUENCE.
Indirect influence gains for itself, not Others
Direct influence gains for others when it gains
for itself Pompadour and Du Barry were queens
OF the Kings OF France, and the word of an
orange girl was more potential with an English
king than that OF the consort crowned by his
side. Yet no woman in all France or England
came thereby nearer to political equality and
legal justice with the men by their sides. In all
ages, autocrats have had clowns and courtiers
who were absolute in their privileges to-day vet
were beheaded tomorrow. The favorite was
accorded generosity, but the human being. not
only for others, but for himself demand. Justice
woman settled the fate of the greatest state
trial of America and the nineteenth century--a
mother denied the right to her own child; a
wife, beaten and bruised by a ruff
fanly boor; a wretched woman starving in the
streets while her husband spends her wages at
the whisky shop. When such an one, by a
silence more awful than thunder tones, cries for
the right to defend herself and her offspring,
then she is to be answered: Your influence is
more potential now than your own action could
be; you have more power now than a man. Do
you doubt it Don't look poor fool, at your
own Outrages unayengcd and wrongs unre-
this one beautiful and energetic being at the ma
tional capital. The millions for there are mil
lions of suffering women in America are to
have no power to protect themselves, because
one rare flower can by her perfume bewilder the
brains and sway the judgments of a multitude
of men about her. o Justice! how art thou
outraged and thy fair name sOilcd That in
direct influence is more powerful than direct
in modifying statutes and enacting laws, ] deny.
Through a quarter of a century Garrison and
his contederates were laughed to scom for
their efforts to abolish American slavery
while they refused to take part in Ame
rican politics. They would convince the
judgment, enlighten the understanding, touch
the heart. Excellent, no doubt. No doubt,
also, II is true that revolutions produced by
violence are often followed by reaction, but that
the victories OF reason once gained are gained
Tor eternity. Nevertheless the cannon of the Re-
vOlutiOn was more eiiicaciOus than the fulmiua-
tiOns or entreaties OF a thousand conventions,
and the single pen-stroke Of Abraham Lincoln
than an army of eloquent retOrmers, though
they spoke with the tongues OF men and angels.
and uttered the wisdom of the Sphinx. (Ap-
plause) The work might be better and more
smoothly done by the first plan than the last,
might be fairer sight to look upon when com
peted by this slow process OF q thousand years
than by this lightning stroke of a moment. II
might be- But what OF the slaves who are TO
live and die through the thousand years The
Indifferent loOker-On may declare the first plan
best, for IL is wonderful how easy and liberal
=
affairs But the slave who is to continue slave,
and be the father of generations of slaves who
are to multiply and live after him till the perfect
work is perfectly done, till the objection OF
tyranny is cOaNed and persuaded out of the body
polite or who is TO be a free man on the spot.
though the body polite is a little torn and rent,
would probably prefer the latter.
THE DISTINCTION OF SEX.
Self-preservation is the first law of nature, we
are told. | cannot, then, see how the gun which
the Observer the other day fired is to hurt Us.
They, that is, these advocates for suffrage.
ignore or eyade the distinction OF sex which
naturally regulates the employments of man
kind Life and liberty are not employments
but inalienable rights. Whatever there Is ncccs-
sary to secure and protect life and liberty is as
much our right life and liberty itself. To
deny this involves the absurdity that a man has
no right TO protect or defend that to which he
has habtual right. We are not talking OF
employments, but of the first law of nature,
selt-preseryation, which no one will deny applies
to woman as thoroughly as to man.
HOW ABOUT HOLDING OFFICE?
But the right to vote includes the right TO hold
Office and the right to hold Office means an in
PRODUCTION to Il new class of emplOyment-anew
order of work, for which women are not adapted
and to which men are admirably suited. Men
are the natural lawmakers of the universe, says
the world to-day, as IL has said through the past
Wen, then, i answer, II men are natural law
makers it is high time they made an attempt 10
see If art cannot improve upon nature. (Laugh-
ter and applause)
MEN As LAWMAKERS.
They have bern the Lawmakers, national and
otherwise, and what manner of laws have they
produced An eve for an eve. and n tooth for
tooth; that has been their law. Murder for mur
der--wars OF conquest and wars of desolation.
Slavery and polygamy-rum running like water,
unchecked; idleness, vagabondage, brutality,
atrocities. murder, flowing therefrom; aims
lns,r lad I1.l Id