New-York tribune., 1869-05-08
VITHOUT RILCOX.

The Washington women who go before the
authorities of that city to demand registration
rs legal yOters-a concession which the author-
ties have no more right to make than we
have are always accompanied by body
guard of one, consisting of Prof. Wilcox, who
is. no doubt, gallant and amiable gentleman.
Still we are unable to comprehend why these
suitors for suffrage should think viIie escort
necessary. We have always looked with
certain suspicion upon the employment of Mr..
George Francis Train as the ladies man"
of the movement, and here is second advo-
cate of the rougher sex engaged in the same
elegant and generous business. 1t is MT prom
ising. If these excellent women who are lack
"eyed,n as Milton says by "a thousand liveried
angels" need also Prof. Wilcox when they 90
TO demand registration, how many professors
would they require, should the privilege be
granted them, when they came to voter AS
usual their instincts are better than their
logic.
We have always insisted, and We shall con-
tnue to insist, when all women, or a majority
of them, are ready to change social laws which
date from the creation, and to assume an active
part in political affairs, that the opposition of men
to such change will be easily overcome, even II
there should be any of Importance, which we
doubt The main mistake Of these reforming
ladies is that, with true feminine incapacity
for reasoning, they take it for granted that
existing arrangements are purely fortutous, and
that it will be q perfectly easy matter to alter
them all by a short act of Congress- Any gen
tleman who has attempted to convince
one or more of them of their mistake, VIII
have rather ludicrous recollection of the pas
sionate vehemence with which he was met-of
the impossibility which he experienced of pre-
venting premises and conclusions from lapsing
into a chaotic tumble in the minds of his ami
able antagonsts-Of the extraordinary import
ancc attached by most women to assertion, and
of the pretty and engaging contempt with
which they regard evidence. Most sensible
men avoid such discussions, from nm experience
of the almost insupcrable difficulty of conduct
ing them methodically. When two well-edu-
Gated men dispute upon matter either aD-
stract or practical. they follow certain COM
mon method, and each knows when his arSu-
ment has been fairly refuted, and so gives up
the point and takes n new departure. Women
have a thousand admirable intellectual quail
ties, but keeping to the question in an argu-
ment il not one Of them.
II is this logical disability, we may be
allowed TO say, which has resulted in Wilcox.
lie had no proper business with female dep
uta,ion going to demand suffrage. He should
have been stcrnly suppressed. The ladies
should have proved their capacity for public
affairs by rushing to battle without knight or
squire of danes. 1t seems never to have oc-
cured to these fair sutors that the Professor was
a reduciio ad dJSurdum in pantaloOns, bearded
refutatiop, an adverse decision incarnate.
When the good time comes, if ever it should,
how is every lady who advances to the ballot
box 10 be furnished with Professor Wilcox,
to hover about her and to protect her from
harm The teme cOrert might rely upon her
husband if she happened to agree with him in
politics but upon whom is the teme sole to
depends We trust that these Washington
ladies will not be offended If we recommend
the complete and instantaneous suppression OF
Wilcox lie may be man of great virtues
and fine acquircmcnts-kindya and obliging, he
evidently is-but still, as Is man, he is in the
way and q hinderance to satisfactory demon
straton. Let the next deputatiOn be simply
and purely feminine The self-relianco which
will thus be displayed will have a great effect
upon the public mind.