The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-04-05
DO our Women want the Ballot /,

this large question of Woman Suffrage has
been agitated upon us Of late, | desire now
to pat forward one suggestion. The ar
gument for and against the proposed
change, is in fair way to be urged quite
sufficiently, and do not propose to enter
upon that Probably not much more, for
substance can be said in favor Of it, than
has been cried aloud up and down the
state by the very able champions of this
reform, who have recently imported so
much light and heat among u.s. Here
and there an organ Of echo has been vol
untcered among our state periodicals
also. So that, on the whole, we believe
the argument for the change has got it.
SELF in all essentials, pretty fairly stated.
The case has gone to the jury, and the
sober, second thought of consideratc men
and women in all our houses has for some
time past been weighing it. And rife
conclusion on the merits of the question
has already been reached by the men and
women of Vermont conclusion which
probably will not be greatly changed by
further agitation.
Now my inquiry is this Is there not
some way in which this conviction can be
pronounced among us ? especially the so
Der judgment and decisive wish of the
women of Vermont? For the danger is
that they will presently find this question
decided upon them. The noise that has
been made under outside pressure can
easily be managed to mean that the
greved women of Vermont are shrieking
for redress The only chance for carry
ing woman suffrage in this state rests on
establishing the false presumption that
the women of Vermont desire it, and all
that publicity Of action and character
which properly 60 with it. Persuade
the voters of Vermont that this is the de-
liberate wish of the women of the state,
and they will surely give it, as they will
readily grant any and every correction
of unjust legal disabilities, which they
shall clearly ask.
But do the women of Vermont desire
the suffrage? Who will pretend that
this is the spontaneous movement Of Yer.
mont women, resenting their wrongs and
clamoring for the ballot The truth i,
just the contrary. They strongly and
generally deprecate the movement and
condemn the proposed change, as surely
containing in it forces Of mischievous in.
fucnce to the womanly character and tC
all the supreme interests Of society
Within pretty large circle we have rea
son to believe that not one in five, more
probably not one in ten, of the thought
full, considerate women among us, has any
favor for the change, or looks upon twill
any other feeling than those Of alarm anC
disgust, as upon a bundle of mischief
seeking acceptance under the insidiou'
disguise of great enfranchisement.
Look around you, reader; DO tn,
women of true worth, the sober wive'
and mothers of Vermont, crave the bal
lot as privilege, or do they dcprccate i
as worse wrong than any and all they
now suffer? Do not the great majority O
the women you know protest against thi.
whole movement as an attempt to thrus
it upon them, against their Judgment anC
desire, the burden and the wrong OF al
unnatural public character ? Tyrants
are we? Well, let us not push our tyran
ny so far as that.
Now, ought not the women Of Vernon
to declare themselves in some way OF
this matter? 1t should be done in sea
son, for the question will be pushed to ;
decision very soon. Speak out, or the
change which you think scarcely posi-
BILE may be carried. Your silence sccm'
to consent, and at some crisis, when it il
too late to speak, you will be said t'
desire it because you had not spoken
More than you think, there is danger tina
the change will be managed into effect
Show your thought and wish, now, bcfor,
the question is shut upon you. Leave NJ
man at liberty to presume or pretenC
that the women of Vermont consent t.
the change. Convince all that you con
denim and resist it. The clear utterancl
Of your judgment and wish will determin,
this question for, as the voters of Yer
mont will certainly give you the ballot i
they are assured or persuaded that 20,
generally crave it, so certainly they viii
not thrust it upon you against yonr wish
if fairly and reasonably uttered.
The truth is, this is no movement o
our Vermont women. A raid has beer
made on us by certain professional re
formers and certain indignant and clio
quent females from abroad They hay,
made this noise and furnished gratis al
the tears that have been shed over GU
suffering sisters. And let us understnn'
the significance of this crusade on Yer
mont. If this rare little state, the cream
of New England for discreet sense au,
right headed true-heartedness, can be car
ried for this reform, it becomes a capita
instance, much needed precedent AM
glorious example, to be quoted to tn
worlds end, and they will make Of GU
Green Mountains fulcrum to pry up tn
rest Of the world. All right, if Vernon
with deliberate choice, accepts the posi-
ton of leader in this revolution; al
wrong, if it be pushed in upon us by
foreign drive, and imposed on the unwl
ling women of the state.
But the question is raised and must b.
met and it is broad and deep enough t
warrant earnest and resolute action. Som
thorough canvass should be had some lai
and general expression Of the feeling ant
judgment of our Vermont women, som
form of petition, perhaps, uttering point
eddy their wish. in this matter which s.
deeply concerns them. Let us hear then
and then let us see if the men Of Yer
mont are tyrants enough to push then
out into unwomanly ways against thei
will.
Some such petition as this
We, the women Of Vermont, legal res
idents of the state, believing that God ha
wisely adapted each sex to its own du
ties, and that the faithful discharge o