Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-20

bGlO6 VIC Sisi tuC dAuilIdplE lStICI vi
George William Curtis to the recent Ma.
tional Woman Suffrage Convention, at
Cleveland, Ohio:
NORTH SHORE, L. l., Nov. Is, 1862
Dear Madam Il was very glad to sign
the call for the Convention, and am sure
the question of suffrage for women will be
presented by it to the country in man.
ner that will command the most respect
full attention. There are many persons
who see and deplore the disadvantages
under which women still labor in modern
society, but who do not see that share
in political power would help them; and
such persons, I hope will be persuaded not
more by the argument than by the tone
and character of the Convention. All
that we ask is the removal of disability
unreasonably imposed. Nature has GER
tainly, as is constantly alleged, in reply to
our demand, designed the sexes for certain
functions III human society; but has
nature hidden that truth from one sex
and revealed it only to the other Do
not American women know what is wo-
manly quite as well as American men,
and, if they do, why should it be sup
posed that, if liberty of choice were given
them, they would instantly desert the
womanly sphere? 1t seems to be forgot
ten that the functions and duties arising
from sex are not dependent upon choice,
and, on the other hand, that an interest in
the proper regulation of society does not
depend upon the sex. If, indeed, it be
true, as is constantly urged, that their sex
units and disinclines women for practi-
cal share in the 6 eminent of the COM
monwealth, that truth can only be proved
by removing every restraint. 1t viii not
do for gardener who trains his pear trees
upon trellis to assert that pear trees natu-
rally grow like vines, but such gardeners
are men who declare that to allow women
to vote would be reform against nature !;
for they merely assert a convenient the
DRY, and refuse to give nature a chance
to prove it or disapprove it. The State
needs the wisdom, the experience, the in
stincts of all its members. But it cannot
have them without liberty, and the history
of liberty is therefore the story of society
gradually gaining the use of all its pow
ers. In a sound body, head, heart, and
hands move in harmonious action. The
heart. must not undertake the sphere of
the hands, nor the hands that of the head,
for each sphere can be determined only
by natural selection. Women alone can
no more form true political society than
club of bachelors can form q true family.
The position of women is undoubtedly
higher in America than it has ever been
anywhere, and in all civilized States the
theory that women are properly a subject
sex is sharply questioned. But wherever
the improvement of their condition is
most marked, the more general and i'm
perative is their demand for political
equality; nor should this surprise us, for
compliment and courtesy to women, the
most rapturous fiattery, and the loudest
professions of tender regard for femi-
nine delicaoy are found to be compatible
with Must and contemptuous laws con-
cerning them. Liberty is the child of
justice, and if the voters of the United
States believe that governments justly
exist by the consent of the governed, let
them say whether half the adult popula-
ton of the country, chose interest in the
common wealth is as vital as that of the
other half; who are. IA intelligent, as
moral, az orderly, who own property. who
pay taxes, who i'll every way contribute
to the general welfare, shall continue to
be disfranchised, with criminals, idiots,
and tia insanes or whether every oppor-
tunity which men themselves enjoy shall
not be opened by them to the equally free
choice of women. | send the heartiest
God speed to your labors. The cause is
but part of the general emancipation of
society from the letters of injustice and
impolicy, and success is sure, for America
in blood and fire, upon huadred fields,
as IL the firm heart and hope of her best
children is consecrated to liberty.
Very truly yours,
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS