Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-07
woman Suffrage.

woman suffrage.
We find the following sensible com
munication in the Burlington Free Press
and Times, on the question of "Woman
Suffrage" which is commended to the
perusal of both the friends and opponents
of the suffrage movement
In your morning paper of the 10th
| inst, [ read communication from q
woman who returned home from Nasby's
lecture ''thorO,ghly ont ofpatience." Per.
nit me to say to the people, that l too
attended Nasby's lecture in B., and re-
turned home th0rongtty pleased with the
position taken and ideas advanced by the
| lecturer.
Far from sneering at the idea of this
woman's dependence, [ rejoice with her
that she has a "strong pair of arms" to
lean upon but has she ever thought the
day might come when the strength OF
those strong arms would be gone forever,
and she be left to depend upon herself
What if the "oak" be removed and the
"delicatc ivy" be left without support ?
Open heart love if thou willest, but thine own
soul still possessing
Live thy life, not a reflection or a shadow of his
own;
Lean fondly, as completely as thou willest, but
confessing
That this strength is Gods, and therefore can if
need be stand alone
1t seems perfectly useless to rehearse
over and over again the arguments in
favor of this "woman question )" for if
there are any, who, after careful study
and consideration of the subject as it has
been presented by able writers and speak
ers, do not know what it is claimed the
ballot will do for women, [ think such
cases hopeless; but when from woman's
pen comes this hue and cry that she is to
be "unsexed," torn from her horne and
her sphere" against her own will and
better Judgment, and against the judg-
ment of all who think wisely, [ would in
candor ask what she means Is woman
hood only slight superstructure raised
upon the cornerstone of housekeeping
Are those things which unsex women
most likely to be met in public While
it i. not to be denied that some may be
foolish enough to neglect their homes if
allowed voice in public affairs, yet who
can say that none do this 1lO1o for much
more foolish reasons than to enact laws
and to dispense Justice Oh pe not
alarmed, l pray you; if in due time our
Glands are loosed" we will still be wives
and mothers, sisters and daughters.
From the frequent repetition of the
assured facts that woman does not want
the ballot and would not vote if she had
the right, one would suppose they were
thought TO be clinching arguments. Pers
haps we do not want the right to vote,
certainly if we are told often enough that
we do not we may at length be convinced
that it is fact. However, we are fire.
quenty assured that we do not know
what is best for us to have, why may it
not be SO in this case Ii it was left to
the children to say whether they would
have schools or not, how many think you,
would there be Instead of consulting
their aoishes you build school-houses, and
make laws compelling them to go certain
portion of the year.
Before enfranchising the negro was it
demonstrated beyond doubt that ma
iority desired it 4? I think not. Why then
be SO over-conscientious in connection
with the present question? Besides, gem
tlemen, thousands of women have for
years been crying in your ears that they
do want the ballot, and if the principles
of Republican government are good for
anything, they ask for what you have no
right 20 deny.
That American women would not vote
if they could, is charge which [ should
be sl0lC, because should be sorry, to be-
lieve. With the right would come an
obligation, and have American women
when tested in matters of duty been
weighed in the balance and found want
ing ?
sIn Wyoming they have chosen women
as jurors, and none of them asked to be
excused" What criminal affair When
have we ever been told that among the
thousands of jurymen there was one who
neglected his business or his family, when
perchance he may have left wife and chill
dren with scarcely the necessities of life ?
Oh but it will degrade woman to serve
as jury, some say. All! yes, fathers,
husbands, brothers, it may be degrading
to have to do with the law as it now is
but with whom rests the blame? If, as
you say, there is no courtesy, no decency,
no self-respect, no purity, no manly honor
in the courtroom, is there then any hope
of finding justice there? EaI
When it is no longer necessary for wo-
man to be tried by the law then will we
Women now may enter the courts of law
as witnesses and criminals, bat not as
jurors, lawyers or judges.
o leges! o mores How long must we
suffer it to be so 1t is because the purity
of woman is in jeopardy, that I would
plead that our so-called courts of justice
should not he composed of men only. at
is not good that man should be alone"
To the gentleman who has 80 delicate a
sense of honor that they do not wish to
force the ballot upon the women of Yer
mont, would say, that in removing the
obstacles in the way of our exercising the
right, you do not force it upon u.s. we
should still be free to do as we chose, and
you would be relieved of all responsible
ity.
Though not presuming to assume
whether l speak for the majority or not
| but feeling that there was not a fair show
ing of the question if only one side asked
to be represented in your paper, would
say, there is one Vermont woman who,
| though she has not connected her name
publicly with the cause, is not able to find
any reason for men Of every nation, OF
every race, and of no intelligence exercis.
ing the franchise, which is not equally
applicable to woman's voting; and though
realizing the great responsibility, yet feel.
ing there are responsibilities which it is
more noble to meet than to avoid, is wait.
ing with what of patience she is able until
the power which is originally inherent
in, and consequently derived from the
people" shall be exercised by the people.
1 Very respectfully,
ALPHA.
Legal tender is getting tough under