The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-03-04
THE DEBATE
FEMALE SUFFRAGE.

The debate at the City Hall on
Monday evening Feb. 22d was par.
liciPated in by eight citizens Of the
coIored persuasion, four on a side
The dispntaDts weTo severally in
troduced to the audience BY Mr..
Moss, in a bland and impesing
manner.
The Resolution proposed for dis.
cussion was read, as follows: Re
solved, That Females should have
the right Of suffrage; wheIeupon
The affirmative side Of the prop.
osilion WAS opened by Mr.. John
Viney, who smiIiagty remarked
that lie had never had one days
schooling in his life; what he knew
he had picked up as he could catch
it. He favored the audience with
briot sketch OF his lite; stated
that he was born in Pocahontas
county, Virginia; then he came to
Galliopolis and travelled around 10
CrcleviIle, Shelby county, NC. In
his travels he had taken consider.
able notice OF the females. He
proposed to speak in their favor.
Ever since he knew how to have
some knowledge of tho females he
had had favorable opinion OF
them. They get less wages than
malice; as teachers, for instance,
although they do.ts much good,
and are as intelligent and indus.
trlous as males. Set out q female
with certain portion aud q male
with the same, and tho female will
do the best with her portion. lie
bad known an Irish female who
with Sl.50 a week, finally got
$1,000 in bank; If it had been male
it would have gone Tor whisky, to.
bacco, &c. He referred 20 scripture
history, citing the case OF Esther
who had saved the Jewish nation
and caused the wicked Haman 10
hang very high. The constitution
says that all men are born free and
equal; if woman had suffrage VIC
would have less corruption, and
good honest men in the govern
mont.
Mr.. James Webster next took
the floor, on the negative side. lie
related an anecdote of o hu ntel
who declined shooting at u deel
while on tho run because If allow
ed 10 keep on running hc woult
soon kill himself--to illustrate thu
position that the preceding speak
er if allowed'to go on far enough
would refute his own arguments
Said the>spcaker--we don't argu
that the ladies have not ability t,
run. the governmcnt--ws admir-
them too highly to make sucl
drudges of them, live give ther
suffrage, on the same principl
they would have to take up arm
in time of war. Formerly wome
were slaves and were made I
draw the plow; if they are allow
cd to vote won't they have to do a.
; the work OF mon? When the NAL
and the female stands before tb
man that combines them together
they agree to perform their differ
, ent parts, the man for the har
, work and the. woman for the house
q work. So Eve was given TO ma
Tor q helpmdte, and not to Cover
nor control in law making affair."
J and that shows that women ougt
t not to have the right OF suffrage.
Mr.. james Brown was the mex
speaker for the affirmative. ID
could have argued on the o,hC
side, but he wouldn't do it. Dow
in Georgia many ladies settlt
their ceased husbands affairs
! then why not let EN- vote? An
. great many of 'em pays take
and all that pays taxes ought
vote; if they votes wrong it's n
It more than many gentlemen doe
Have you not heard men say iii
= had known he was such man, b
wouldn't got my voteT" Wei
d that was where the man made
Y mistake, aud it would have bee
!, no worse il the vote had been pt
in by a lady. | 'spect it wouI
y have been bettcr--and there is mi
r. NY bac men elected that would |
@ lelt out if the ladies all voted. I'll
women is the weaker vessel it
true, but | has seen ladies pa
rent when their husband lay drum
, and has known woman To tcat
- their husbands how TO vote, whi
a many vote and not know who
d voted Tor. Two thirds OF the W
ic men are not as~low as the gencr
:, class of men. See the case Of
woman left o widow with FAM
70 Of children. She will raise the
: up and keep them together, or III
how know where they arc al
what they arc>a dQin'- The mi
IS in tho same case will let 'em sea
8 ter and go to destruction. TaI
tho mans chance and Che woman
:" chance and tho woman will con
20 out best. The gentleman on Il
g. other side says Eve was given
Adam for helpmate. Well, VIII
t. was she to help him in--ir som
N thing, or nothing2 Why, in eveI
a thing. Therefore the'ladics oug
y to help the men in voting, and
'u government affairs.
g. Mr.. Green, the next speake
was opposed to woman suffrage
God created man--next woman
not as an equal, but as hclpme
" and we intend to keep them
their place, to keep tho house.
A u