Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-08-13
Woman Suffrage.


ent resident, | am native of the STATE
of Vermont, and frequent visitor tc
your pleasant village, and am not mate
rally changed probably by brief resi-
dence in another state, therefore | am
always interested in whatever important
changes occur in Vermont. Permit me
then, as Vermont woman to "say my
say or at least little Of it, in answer
to your general invitation, on the ques-
ton of woman suffrage. ! take great
pride in the fact that Vermont, supposed
by many, to be sleepy, stupid, stony,
"not of much account " old State, has
at least respectable COMMITTEE" who
have thus early reported in favor of ex-
tending the suffrage to women ! 1t must
be an act of considerable importance to
excite so much ridicule. ] do not know,
Mr.. Editor, what subject does chiefly &C.
cupy the hearts and minds of Vermont
women just now, but judging from pre-
vious observation they are not so very
different from the women of other states,
except perhaps, as there are no very
large cities no great centres of excite
ment nor ambition in Vermont, they may
be, as you say, more "quiet, calm, plac-
id and indifferent not only to the suf-
ferings of their fellow men, but to every
thing else outside their old beaten track
of thought and action, and less ready to
respond when called upon to answer
great questions. Given that, what does
it prove?
Does it prove that they could not live
broader, better life than they now do
Is this an age of progress for males
alone? We have read great deal about
women being so occupied with dress, Cos
sip and scandal, and no doubt the men
who now ridieule the idea of "wcman
suffrage" had something in former tin es
to say about that, are they thea prepared
to say that there could be poor substi
tute for those occupations? Do they
think womans mind is to be occupied BY
nothing? Oh, no! | hear them say, "let
them be keepers at home, good wives and
mothers" How about the hundreds Of
thousands of women who never were, and
never will be wives or mothers? That is
a question, the answer to which has NOT
been found yet, and it sticks in then
threats. Keepers at home eve hear q
great deal said about women and chill.
dren being kept at home-would to heav.
en- some means might be devised where.
by the men might be made to stay at
home" heard an eminent divine say,
in speaking on this very subject not long
ago,-and thought he had hit the mark
that time sure-because you Mrs. A. or
you Mrs. b. have home and are wives
and mothers, you are " calm, placid and
indifferent to the fact that your own
state has thousands of women who never
will have, nor be either, because you for.
@ooth do NOT core that your neighbor
beats or DULLES his wife and controls her
actions and property, or spends all the
money for drink or on other women, and
she has not complained of him abroad
she does not feel the need of any change
perhaps Verify that is reasoning with.
out reason. But tell you whether the
women of Vermont aoish to vote or not
believe it is their duty, and therefore
pleasant or unpleasant it must be per
formed. Who of the sons of Vermont
wished to fight before the late war :? bu
they did fight, and conquered too
when the sins of their brothers made ii
necessary for them to do so. Our suffrage
has got to be extended before it can b.
purified, till all available material /
gathered in, and then it has got to b,
sitted and compressed till we get the pur,
voice of the people, not the voice o
money and mob and mere politicians no
even Of the entire male population, bu
the voice of the people, of whatever rae
sex or coler, who are capable of self
government. Either that or we 90 t.
destruction like many another govern
ment, through our own vices, to max
way for something better-for God rul
eth.
One word for Mr.. Dewey of Rutland
do not know the gentleman, but will
venture to say that he never bore arms
or did military duty, unless in the sta,
at home militia; but | would suggest t,
him the propriety of reading a littl
more history of our late civil war. Their
are several books published relating ex
clusively to the services of women il
Hospital, Camp, and on the Battlefield
l could tell him of hundreds of womel
whose names will live long after his i
forgotten, who have soldiers record
who bore arms and performed militar,
duties that many male man would b,
proud to own; who have done wha
they could not do, for want of tact anc