Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-02
igvatohman s journal,
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1870.
WOMEN AS VOTERS.

/ A mass convention meets in this place to-
day to begin the agitation Of the question of
Female Suffrage in this State. While We
I have not the least objection to the fullest dis
cussion of this subject, we are confident that
the more it is fairly examined, the less merit
will it be seen to have and the less favor will
il command 1t is one of the reforms which
is like Jonah's gourd. 1t has its growth in
the night. When the daylight comes and the
sunbeams stike it, it withers and perishes.--
We have already indicated some Of the rca.
sons why this reform will not prosper in this
State. Our people are not in the habit Of
experimenting with vital and fundamental
relations Of society. They do not demand
it They do not even wish it. And it will be
long time before they will be educated up
to the point of discardirg the principles Of
1iyl aud social polity under which they have
reaped such large haryest4 Of freedom and
security.
But we wish to propose few questions
to the leaders Of this movement, which must
be fairly met aud answered before they can
win their way at all into the respect or con-
fidenee of the community. First we wish to
know whether, under the laws of christian
civilization--that civilization which has flow
ed in an eminent degree from christianity
woman does not already essentially have her
voice, her vote, in all public affairs. Chris
tianty makes no distinction between man and
woman 1t does not resolve man into two
individuals 1t says, in the words of it.
Founder, " They twain shall be one" The
marriage of the man and woman is the Law
of christian, civilized society. The execp-
tons to this law are comparatively inconsid-
cradle so few indeed that no changes in the
general administration is needed on their ac-
count The unmarried have all the advan.
tagcs, by general laws, which belong to the
married Now, if it is the general law that
the man aud woman are one, what proprety
is there in giving to this one this unit, il
which there is and can be no distinction that
is not fatal, two voices or two votes in the
State2 When the man votes the woman
votes also, for the man is by virtue of the
law Of christian civilization, the designated
head to do these very things, to represent
in public life this potential, complete and
blessed unit.
1t may or may not make any difference
which is the head or which utters the voice
or the vote Of the "twain who are one II
it was not the man it would be the woman
and in either case the man and the womau
would have voice Christianity has given
woman her status as one with man; not as
his peer, or his equal, or his inferior, but as
distinction where God has made an identity
to rend in pieces this sacred unit of life, she
invokes for herself a rivalry a strife and q
position like her status under the unfriendly
principles Of paganism. She would revert
let us hope unconsciously and ignorautly, to
J the horrors of barbarsin. Christian civilza.
ton is worth something to Vermont, and he'
! women will think twice before surrcnderinl
their rights under it, at the song of any en-
chanters, charm they never so wisely
Second The advocates of this measure
! will have to answer satisfactorily the ques
ton, whether, laying aside Christianity, thi.
: reform, so called, does not vitiate the mos
: sacred function aud Office of woman, that 0
the mother and earliest teacher OF our race
: There is no name and no office in the uni
i verse so powerful, so blessed, so holy. Tn
= duties of that Office are inconsistent with tn
= duties of political and professional life.
4 woman would be the mother and the tcache
q of the race, she may well lay aside other un
!. worthy ambitions. She cannot compete il
the hard abors of the world with those t.
whom those functions do not appropriately
, belong If she chooses the bar, the forum
y the senate the camp, the pulpit-for thes
b 70 along with the ballot--she must renounc
;, the purest and hottest function of her being
No woman can do justice to such conhictn
departments of duty. And if there is
A name on earth that concentrates all the ele
10 nents of tenderness and strength, and win
all the sentiments of honor and love, it is tn
.. NINE of mother When any of the lofty du
!. ties of that relation are impaired or super
ID ;eded, it will be the saddest day this wor
le mas seen since the mother of all living
y yielded to the temptation to enter upon
similar sovereignty.
Third We wish to know why this move
IN ment, if it be purely good one, is found ohe
y in such low eompsny2 If We are not mi,
II taken, many of its leading advocates, at man
d Of its public conventions, have thrown thei
u scorn and contempt upon the Christian idea {
le marriage, upon the sacredness of that institl
IN ton, upon the authority of the Living WorC
Ar which has zen the basis of our freedom an
security and progress as nation. Some {
- them have announced the broadest ideas
10 personal freedom and free love, and are seel
r. ing to cut and sever all the bonds of huma
90 society, and leave man and woman alike I
y the obedience only Of their own self will. Til
y Divine restraints and order of social life, tn
n. inherited principles of law and liberty, al
We renowned by them, in the most emphati
nd terms. Now we should like to know why
is thought by so many necessary to loosen tn
~ bonds of marriage, to ruffie their feathers I
re- St. Paul, and to institute a system of fire.
It love, in connection with this reform Fc
rk ourselves we can see logical connection b.
he tween this proposed movement and these n
a suits. We believe that thirds of a feathC
. flock togethurn nv n resistless instinet w