Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-01-12
N5atohmau s. journal.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 70, 1870.
TEENs-i20O per year strictly In advance or $3.50
ifnot paid within three months
Vermont Awake.

u
will be chosen to State Convention, 10 act
upon the propositions submitted by the Coun'
Gil Of Censors. The American Woman's SUI.
frago Association wishes to convert Vermont
to their views, and will send quite list Of
star orators, both male and female, to oper.
ate upon the untutored intelligence of our
people. Julia Ward Howe, Mary A. Liver.
more, William Lloyd Garrison, Lucy Stone,
Henry b. Blackwell, Lily Pcckham and
others are to do the work of arguing US out
Of our positions, and charming US out Of our
established ideas. la fact, Vermont is to be
walked up, and the wand of tho cuchantress is
is to disenchant us Of our inherited opinions.
Now we eau have no objection to Massa-
chusotts and New York sending into our State
their advanced MumiHati to open our eyes
and make US see things we have never seen
before We are in favor of the freest posi-.
bic discussion of this and all other social
questions. We have no objection that Yer.
mont should be made the battle ground of the
advocates of measure Of the vital character
Of female suffrage, where they shall get, if they
can, a leverage to use on other States. We
shall welcome the strongest and best speakers
who can DO sent here, and yet we can but pre-
monish them Of their failure. And we will
give them a few reasons why they may not
be disappointed in such an event.
First. Vermont is the most intelligent and
yirtuous State in the Union. She does not
feel the need Of such fundamental change in
her social and political and domestic life as
the proposed measure would inevitably bring.
She has reached her high position under the
sovereignty of ideas she will not be willing to
discard at the first call of the leaders of so
complete a revolution. Her people will test
these theories by the drylight of reason and
experience. The question will be as to the
advantages that will accrue to the people, to
all the people, by such change. Will it
make our men better and wiser, our women
more honorable and excellent viii it guard
our politics from corruption, or increase their
evil tendencies? viii it increase the honor
and respect in which woman is held, or the
purity and moral power and influence which
she now possesses7 Will it cement, or dis
turb the family rolation2 Will it close the
door to old evils, or shut it to the incoming
OF new ones? viii it strengthen, or weaken
the bonds which hold society together and
keep it from excess and disntegration 4? viii
1t help our youth, our children, our sons and
daughters, to have the family turned into
political arena, instead of remaining nur-
sery of intelligence, of virtue, OF love and
mutual helpfulness7
These are questions that Vermonters will
ask and must have answered, seriously and
honestly, and not with passion and rhetoric
and fancies, before they will vote so radical a
change in their Constitution and polity
Their intelligence will not take these things
except upon proof If this matter is an ey-
pertinent, they may prefer not to experiment
with the most vital and sacred interests of the
social, political aud domestic structure. If
1t is not an experiment, they will want to
know something about the State which has
tried it, and which has found it the realiza-
tion Of Utopia.
Second. There has been 10 demand from
the women of Vermont for the right of suf
frage. There has not even been manufac-
tured demand We are far removed from
the centres of advanced thought aud agitation,
and have not yet fully learned or realized tho
evils of our present social arrangements.
Our women have not agitated themselves
with the question of their rights, and till
now no one has thought of enightening them
on this grave subject. They have been peace.
full, contented and happy in their honorable
duties nor imagined they were oyerborne and
depressed. Nor have they seen how the OK.
tension of political rights is to relieve them
of any of their present responsibilities, or in
troduce them to happier and more useful
service in their homes or in the communities.
We would not say what Vermont would do,
ii her women should demand the franchise.
We have no doubt that such demand would
be treated honorably, and granted instantly
and generously But they are intelligent and
thoughtful. They have not been agitated
and stirred with the fiery sentences of impas.
stoned orators and enthusiasts, and have given
the subject that calm and earnest considera-
ton to which their very seclusion has invited
them. The result is, that they have remained
perfectly quiet and satisfied Nine out Of
ten of them, from the moral heights of their
virtue and spiritual supremacy have said
it they have said anything at all, 1--WE
want none of these new rights. We are
to be represented at the ballot
box by those whom we rule at home.
We would not give up the substance of
influence and moral power, for its shad-
ow." This is what nine-tenths of the best
women the sun shines on, say and feel in
respect to this whole subject And We can
assure the speakers who are to canvass the
State on this matter, that they will have to
encounter class of thoughtful aud earnest
and decided women whose ideas are in direct
antagonism to theirs. And if they are quiet
aud retiring and undemonstrative and content,
It is not because they have not thought about
it, aud reached an intelligent and honest judg-
ment, but because they have considered il
fully in all its relations and bearings.
Third. This matter is not of spontaneous
growth. 1t has not grown out of any wants
and necessities Of our people. 1t has no vi
lality in itself 1t is altogether foreign and
nxtraneous. II comes not as a remedy for
lt.t II tt.t a A..