The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-03-03
WOman's Suffrage.
Rev. D. P. Livermore In reply to Rev. Dr..
Il. III. Hatfield.
From the Chicago Tribune


he terms "The Pernicious Effect of the
Agitation of Woman Suffrage" AS he is
travelling over the country, agitating
this subject wherever he can obtain a
hearing, employing vituperative langu-
age concerning the champions of this
movemen, calling them "stammering anna
zons," of course, he is responsible for the
pefniclous effect" which his agitation
produces. There can be no doubt but tae
way he agitates the subject is "pernjci
Gus" His language is ungentlemanly,
his statements unreliable, his misrep-
reservations are constant, and he is per-
sistent in abusing many of the noblest
and best cultivated women of our coun-
try, and, if the report of his lecture is
correct, he has vilifed and slandered the
women Of our land in the assertion that
as many men suffered from the effects of
woman's tongue as women suffered from
drunken husbands" This vile SANDER
on the women of our country is one of
the "pernicious ways DR.. Hatfield has
to agitate the subject.
In his recent lecture, he referred to the
ChacagoGa as a woman's paper, and as an
exponent of this great movement. That
sheet, which was discontinued months
ago. was never recognized exponent of
the suffrage canse, as DIR. Hatfield we'll
knows. 1t would be just as fair to call
the City Life the organ of d.. Hatfield s
church! This is the way he agitates the
subject.
We do not admit fora moment that
the champions of this suffrage movement
&C of
munity They are above reproach. They
embrace many of the best statesmen and
theologians of our country, among whom
are Bishop Simpson, of the Methodist
Church; Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Rev.
E. O. Haven, d. D, President of the
Northwestern University; Rev. Edward
Beecher, d D.. Rev. DR.. Haven, editor
of lions Herald, the Methodist organ of
Boston; Theodore Tilton, editor of the
Independent REV. DR.. Murray, an eminent
congregationalist clergy man of Boston
Chief Justice Chase, Senators Wilson and
Carpenter, Representative Julian, and a
host of others, advocating woman stuff
rage.
Would these men who stand high in
the Church, advocate o cause whose
tendencies are pernicious? 1t is not sup
osable. Aad with all this array of tai
ent and piety, Mr.. Hatfield asserts that
the agitation of the subject is pernicious
No sensible man can believe it. These
gentlemen whom we have named are
quite as capable of judging what is per-
nicious as Mr. H. The fact is, DIR. Hat
field is Ishmaelitish His hand is against
almost every mans. His Methodist breth-
rem have some recollection of his hostility
to the Sunday camp meetings, which he
denounced as "pernicious."
Mr.. Hatfield says: "Nearly every
paper IN favor of woman's franchise held
that the sex was sorely oppressed" This
he calls false assumption"
BY stating only part of the truth, a
false presentation of the case is made.
The recognized leaders OF this movement
never make any snch sweeping assertions
about the sex being " sorely oppressed
ONLY as the lao works against them, as
it often has, and still does, in many re-
CARDS.
They complain that the law does not
place woman on an equality With man !;
that, in many respects, there is one class
of laws for men and another for women
The law permits the father to will away
the children from the mother, even the
unborn child, no matter how debased
may be that father, nor how good and
capable may be the mother The advo-
Gates of woman suffrage contend that
such laws are unjust and oppressive, and
that, if they could vote, they would i'm
prove woman's condition in this respect.
Until within about year, the law in
Illinois permitted husband, no mattea
how drunken and brutal, to sue for the
earnings of his wife, who might be toll
ing hard to lay up something for her
needy children, and several such cases
could be cited did space permit. Through
the efforts of these agitators the law was
changed by the last Legislature of our
State, so that married women now have a
right to their earnings. Because women
complain of such unjust and oppressive
laws, DIR. Hatfield denounces their agita
ton as pernicIous! In some States a
widow can remain in the house only .forty
dnYs after the death Of her husband, i'll
he has died insolvent, without paying
rent, even though she has helped her hus-
band to accumulate the property, while
he can remain in the house as long as he |
pleases after the death of his wife ! DR..
Hatfield does not complain of these sol
amn facts about these unjust laws, bnt he
blames their reformers for telling the
women of our land of their existence, and
says they are making women discomfort
ID with their lot. He has not a word
lbout the bad laws, only talking about
hem. The agitation OF the subject is at
ended with ''pernicioos effect"
In Illinois, married woman cannot
make contract, as she cannot give bonds,
nd hence does not stand on an equality
With men before the law, and if she
wishes to engage in business the law