The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-03-12
For the Jeffersonian
WOMAN SUFFRAGE AGAIN.

readers of the JEFFERsoNIAN, would
like to offer few ideas to substan-
tiate my former communication on
"W oman's Equality with Man, and
reply to the arguments advanced by
in a recent issue of your
paper. The opposers OF Universal
Suffrage advance some strange ar
guments in their behalf. That
against Negro Suffrage is, "that they
are too ignorant not capable of SELF
government" &c. The argument
against Female Suffrage, according
to COLLECTOR" is, that they are too
refined and intelligent. He says,
that if women attempt to rescue
politics from the scum and filth of
so many long years Of contention.
DIN and villainy, they need not
be surprised if, in the end, they for
ieit the good opinion, respect, and
even love of man." If politics is of
such a character as to be disgrace
rather than an honor to our nation,
"and women possess such a purifying
power'-here then the application
should be made. Now, / claim that
a want of virtue, refinement and in
telligence is just what has brought
about.this deplorable condition in
politics. | understand "Objector"
to claim that the way to remedy this
evil is to deprive those of the right
of Suffrage, who he claims possess
these qualifications in much higher
degree than those who now exercise
it. If this be true, then indeed, we
may expect that "bitter fountains
may send forth sweet waters, and
that We may gather figs from thorn
trees, and grapes from thistles. D
Our political fabric is on fire with
crime, infamy and ignorance. Shall
we apply fuel or water to the burn
ing structure ? But as regards the
corruption OF our politics, / would
make no issue with COLLECTOR" for
he says, con these principles we hold
that, as the condition of politics is
of such a character as to be q dis
grace rather than an honor to our
nation, 1t is not best for woman to
engage in anything pertaining there
to-" And why? Because they are
too refined, too enobling, too fai
mans superior, says "Objector."
Strange objection to be sure. Upon
this principle, all men of morals
should be disfranchised for fear of he
coming polluted by our corrupt poll
tics and We must hand over the politi
cal machine to those who are already
cOrrupt-to the inmates Of our pen
itentiaries, to the New York Give
Pointers" to the debauchees of ouI
land, for they are already ''rotten
eggs and cannot he spoiled. II, as
Franklin says, "man's happiness is
Gods glory surely woman's
power is unlimited, for, from the
cradle to the grave, she watches ovel
man AS another watches him as he
takes the first step, sympathizes witt
him in his first sorrow, chidss hel
wayward boy for his first wrong
As a sister, she may be so kind and
and never betraying it, that for his
sisters sake, he will respect all
woman kind. AS a friend, how wide
the scope; warning, advising, telling
him truths that he will hear and heed
only from woman's lips, till, for her
sake, he leaves the wine cup, the
dissolute companion, the gambling
saloon, and all other places where
his character is blackened and his
soul ruined. AS a wife, how much
stronger the tie! The twain one
partner with him in every care, joy
or sorrow. But some may say,
where would be our quiet, peaceful
homes, if these guardian angels took
your position If, in order for
women to act intelligently and fill
positions of trust and honor, she
must spend her time in the streets,
at clubs and bar-rooms, be herself a
slattern, her children squalid, her
husband henpecked, then ambition
is sdapgerous-knowledge and intel
ligence are dangerous. All will ad-
NIT that the rearing of children and
quiet domestic duties are the great
qualifications of woman but must a
woman be man, or cease to be
womanly, because she has equal
rights and privileges ? How unjust
the restriction thatprevents married
woman from doing business in her
own name, unless burthened with a
drunken or imbecile husband. The
wife of the drunkard, the gambler. the
niser, the libertine-shall they not
nave right to their own hands ? to
lse the avails Of their own labor for
heir own benefit2 Surely there
leeds no argument on 80 simple a
question ofjustice. Ifa female teach.
r or seamstress performs the same
of labor, in the same time,
nd equally as well as male, should
he not receive equal compensation. 4
'ato said of his countrymen, "the {
.omans govern the world, but it is ]
he women that govern the Romans.
he discovery of this continent tes-
fies to the nolitjcal infuanc. of