Evening star., 1869-08-05
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Singularly enough the movement for
women rights W hich In this country Is seld ON
spoken or written of by persons not actively
engaged In the crusade, except In terms of de.
preciation, ridicule or sarcasm, or worse still.
In sort of oantering but half tolerant half
Patronizine way, receives IN England most
earnest and serious consideration by the press
and all classes OF the people, and many of the
most powerful and brilliant minds in the
tIited Kingdom are enlisted in the cause That
The English 'giri OF the perIod" will be alio wed
10 vote, before her American sister 10 enfr,n.
chised, we have little doubt. But vav 4, n,
Are the English women more in earnest than
ours Is there greater necessity for reform
there than here; is il the general indifference of
tne male or the female American that Is the
bane OF the movement here; or are our gentle
Sorosisters OVERRIDING IL by mixing up with the
pure and simple question of the right Of sun.
rage such side issues as the right to wear
breeches, the right to carry pistols the r,rht To
''see life" from the masculine standpoint. the
right to write naughty things IL they want to
and various other rights not pertinent to the
main issuel That the advocates of the
movement here are as much in earnest
as those on the other side of the
Atlantic we may take for granted, although
we believe rhat women have been and are
treated better in this country than they are
there. IL cannot be denied that large maior.
ity OF Americans of both sexes take but little
Interest In the subject yet, and that the cause
Is not making the progress which might be ex .
pected, bu, this, we think, Is owing in a great
measure to the reason we have suggested that
the main question is too much hampsred with
side issues, which lay II open TO ridicule. The
organs of the movement here are ably con-
Quoted, but the best Of them all, TAe ReroIution
Is open TO this objection. BY its boldness in
graphing with the social evil and other sub
Jects tabooed In most families, it frightens or
many timid sisters who might otherwise be
persuaded TO take their stand for the ballot IL
that was all; while by ad vocsting dress reform
and trotting out other pet hobbies, 1t leads a
great many careless readers to have very CON.
fused ideas OF "what these women . rights folks
are driving at" Thus IL is that the picture
presented to the minds eye of most people Is
not that of a lady in her ordinary attire walk.
ing quietly to the polling place ana perform
ing the simple duty Of depositing her ballot
with as little Inconvenience as she would en-
dure from contact with the unwashed In a
crowded market house or street car. On the
contrary. they seem 10 see mothers, wives and
sisters N B!oomer conunuations, swas.
eering 10 the poils, pistol in hand. pre-.
pared 70 do or die. Hence the covert
sneeis and open ridicule which meet the ad-
voeates Of reform st every step, and deter
public men from iDIuring their chances for po-
hticai preierment. by espoasing a cause, which
ahnougn based on principles of justice, is
loaded down with so much that Is extraneous
and Irrelevant. As We have intimated, they
manage II better in England. While ths late
convention at Saratoga was attended by Just
the same set Of enthusiasts that have figured
before the public all along, and while IL did
not attract much attention among outsiders
except that il was the occasion of innumerable
newspaper squibs, the contemporaneous con.
yertion Of the London Society for Woman's
Suffrage" was one Of the most imposing politi.
cal demonstrations Of the times. Among those
who participated IN the proceedings were
Mrs. p. A. Taylor, (who presided,) Mrs. Faw.
eer, wife Of the member from Brighton, Mr.
j. ). Mill. Lord Houghton, Mr.. James STAINS.
field, III. p; Sir O. W. Dixie, NJ. p; Mr.. NJ La.
ren, d. p; Mr.. p. A. Taylor, NJ. p Professor
Fawcett, ID. p; Rev. Charles and Mrs. Kings.
ley, Mr. John Morley, Professor Mason, Mr.
Boyd kInnear, Mr.. Thomas Hare, Sir W. Law
son, NJ p; Mr.. Price, NJ. p; Sir ID. " eddsr.
burn, NJ. p; Mr.. winterbotham. M. p; Mr.
james Haywood, the Hon. Auber on Herbert
III. Aries Dufour, n. Louis Blanc Herr Kari
Blind, and other dis tinguished people. Mr..
Jonn Stuart Mill was the principal speaker
He said that the higher education OF women.
and their political emancipation, were sure
to 60 forward together. The great practical
distinction between those who could pro.
tect themselves and those who were at the
mercy Of others was the political franchise.
The suffrage was the turning point in women's
eause-that alone would insure them an equal
hearing and fair play. With IL they could not
De denied any just right, or excluded from any
1air advantage. He concluded by moving
THAT this society declares its strong conyic.
ten that 1t Is in the highest degree unjust and
iInpolitic to make sex the ground Of exclusion
from the exercise Of political rights" THIS
resolution was adopted, as was another sec
onded BY Lord Houghten. sThat this society
pledges itself to use every lawful means to
obtain the extension Of the franchise to women,
and II therefore considers that q bill for that
purpose should be introduced in to Parliament
as early Is possible in the ensuing session ~
That Parliament will give due consideration
TO tne recommendations of such an assemblage
OF representative men and women there Is NO
doubt.