Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-02-09
Woman on the Platform.

fnot paid within three months
Woman on the Platform.
The proposal by the Council Of Censors TO give
woman the right Of suffrage in this State, has
called hither a number Of those women who have
made themselves famous in connection with this
movement, to agitate tho bosoms of our commu-
mites with the new revelation, They made their
first appearance in this town on Tuesday and
Wednesday Of last week. Three or four women
of the masculine gender flew the tail to their
kite, and by the contrast which they presented to
their principals made us feel little ashamed of
the representation they gave of the sex to which
they belonged. We should advise tho women
hereafter to leave the men at home. They are
the best advocates Of their own cause
But even they were unsatisfactory 1t is our
deliberate opinion, from all we have learned Of
the results Of their speaking, that on the whole
they injured their cause in the minds all thought
ful and intelligent persons. The decided and pal
pable Misrepresentation of our laws in relation
to women and their property interests reacted
against them. In fact the laws of Vermont give
women altogether the advantage of men. In
marriage, woman can retain and devise all her
property, while the property and earnings of man
are linble for the debts Of the woman and the
debts of the partnership. Surely there is no OPP
preston here, unless it is the oppression of the
man. When their attention was called to this
Misrepresentation, they failed to retracti it, Truth
is worth something and false statements always
react against the speaker. Unmarried women
hold property on the same tenure with men. So
their whole argument on this point fell to the
ground. Vermont women are not oppressed by
our laws. They have been regarded as generous
and just. When more favorable legislation is
needed it will be made,
Nor did We see how woman suffrage was going
to reform the evils of society. The women who
spoke laid great stress upon the benefits we were
to reap from female suffrage in respect TO intem-
peiance and its kindred evils They gave har-
track Of intemperance and then said, "g give us
the ballot and these will all be done away" But
we failed to sec any connection between their pre-
misses and the conclusion. What can women do
more than men have dono3 What laws con their
wit devise more stringent than we havel What
appetite or passion will their voting eradicate
IRON the BODY or the soul oil man What leverage
nave they got 70 pry over these evils which man
mas mott lhey did not tell VI where legislation
on these subjects was defective or what they could
do to remove evil, beyond what has already been
uone. nt'ie lgnt mere "ould nave been very
he'piui 70 their cause but they neglected to
s"e"
And when they attempted to show the evils un-
der which women suffer, they were none the less
inconclusivs and weak. We know how easy ii is
to persuade another that he is abused. II does
not require any great amount Of rhetorical art to
convince an audience that they arc suffering I'M
der tremendous wrongs and injuries. We natur-
ally love to feel ourselves wronged. 1t is very
soothing and deioctable sentiment 1t makes us
conscious OF goodness and patience and scfdenial,
and oil oil the graces and oil tho virtues of this
HE is very delightful to b told that we are
oppressed and outraged. 1t is rubbing the fur
the right way. Nor have we any doubt that
great many women, under the spell Of Mrs.
stones or Mrs. Moves eloquence, felt themselves
moment askance at their husbands and iathers
and brothers, rs the worst tyrants in the world.
The iron Of their bondage entered their souls as
Mrs. Lvermore and Judge Carpenter and others
acclaimed upon their wrongs But when thoy
came out from under the fascination of these fe-
male and male SEEMS, and looked round for their
wrongs, where did they find then' Mrs, A.
thought of her husband who had always worked
like slave for her for twenty years, while she had
her carriage and her silks and her servants, and
her injuries vanished into thin air. Mrs b. re-
iected upon the loving care which had surround
ed her like Providence, and her wrongs melted
away. Not one Of all those women whose hearts
burned within them a. they listened 10 the tale of
their sunerings, could find their suiierings when
they came out into the open air. Wisdom and
kindness and love had been their protectors. and
the wrongs existed only in the imaeinations of
the orators. Who says that the women of Yer
mont are abused; that they are slaves that they
are to be classed with idiots and oppressed2 Who
says that the men Of Vermont are abusers of their
mothers and wives and daughters7 Who has
dared to say it till these visionary dreamers and
enthusiasts dropped upon our platform,
But the GROWING feature Of the Convention
was the speech of Mrs. Liyermore to whom was
assigned the duty oil answering the article that
appeared in the journal " Of last week. She ap-
preached her task without the least reluctance
a ~ engaged IN IL with the utmost enthusiasm
ine ar,lcio was a general discussion OF the sub