Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-02-26
Female Suffrage.

The question is ut last assuming tangl-
bic form, and coming into shape to meet
practical debate. Burlesque, ridicule, at
tempted criticisms and pointless irony
thus far, have been the weapons of pre-
tended argument used against it. We
hear much of the rights of man, and lit
tie children of to-day can repeat the list.
And even in these polished days man re-
tains and practices many so called rights
which would better have become dark
err age. Besides his right to vote he vo-
ciferously claims his right to swagger,
sweat, get drunk and kick up riots gen
orally. We need not go abroad for these
things, since they are found 10 every
town and village in our country. Like
better things, like christian graces, like
good sense and taste. they arc natives
here at home. We now ciamor for the
rights of man without distinction on nc
count of race or color, and we are about
TO put the ballot into the bands Of
large mass of the population of the Uni
ted States who are acknowledged by all
to be inferior by far to the mass of whit G
women at the North.
So far as practical results are concern.
ed. it might be Of little or no importance
whether or not tue women of our state
or county should vote. The Same might
be said if those only among tho men OF
odd or even wears were allowed to vote.
Or suppose that these, and these only
should be allowed to vote who were for
tunate or unfortunate enough to have
been born in a year of even numbers.
What then? Would the general result
be different? Probably not. Would
our laws be essentially different? Not ut
all. Would the " sovereign" be any
more favorable to the idea Of allowing
todd numbers" to vote than he is TO day
with the idea of allowing woman to vote {?
The same, doubtless.
But let us look at the scoffer. He
Claims the RICH: of the negro 10 vote,
and side by side he will walk up to the
ballot box and deposit bis vote with him,
while he would scOrn to be seen thus 10
walk 10y the side Of his wife. And now
in the name of high Heaven, why? Is
she less intelligent is she less viriuous
than his negro friend? Is she in short,
less competent or more poorly qualified
10 WELD the ba lot than the woman whom
he calls his companion? If so the poor
victim must have been decidedly unfor
tunatc in his choice of partner. And
where is the young man who would pre-.
fer the company of on ignorant negro 10
the ballot box to that of his mother or
sister? If he is to be found in an intal
ligent community he is monster of
frightful mien.
Then why these attempts at RUNE.
buricsque! Is this the las. the only re
SRI Of man who aspires to be Iegis-
atorl 1t has been sad that " nil are
not men who wear the human FORM
and to that class must belong those whose
only argument is ridcu!e. They may
shield themselves lch n a hamon form,
and laugh Mt their own stale jests, but
the man" is not there. The Almighty
never get put a soul in such body, and
that body is capable only of animal en-
joyment. His wit may provoke smile
or cause us to perpe'rate few ironical
sentences, but canlid thought AMI reflec-
ton were never evoked by such trifling,
or such pointIess trades. a. M.
o. r--