Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-04-08
Woman Suffrage.
VOICE FROM A WOMAN.

MR. EDITOR - lheFe was oh'S =" :" "''
who had been dumb from his infancy,
but when great and fearful danger
threatened his family, he suddenly spoke
TO give them warning and thus saved his
loved ones from impending destruction.
Even so would woman, whose heart
and hands are full, with woman's present
duties and whose soul thrills with thank
fulness for woman's present privileges,
strive to lift her voice and warn all true
friends of woman against the evils which
the so called Woman's Rights movement
threatens to bring not only upon woman
herself, but upon all who come within
her influence.
Such is our position here in Vermont
and such is mans respect and esteem for
US, that an article, writte&to call the at
tention Of aH, to the blessings which we
possess, seems about as necessary as an
elaborate essay would be to convince MS
that we receive light and heat from the
sun. The efforts of the retormers to i'm
prove our condition, are like lighting
farthing candle to increase the brightness
of monday, or building a bonfire OF
shavings to improve the temperature of
the atmosphere Of midsummer. Indeed
the whole idea is so absolutely ridiculous
as scarcely to deserve word or thought,
did not history afford so many instances
of the most absurd follies perpretrated
under the specious name of reforms.
To the men of Vermont we would APP
peal, to protect us from the increase of
labor and responsibility which few rest
less spirits, idle hands and unprincipled
souls seek to impose upon us, whose every
moment of time is already occupied.
One need only to notice our laws which
concern woman, to mark how her rights
and her property have been protected by
the legislature and by the Supreme
Court of this State, to be satisfied that
the voters of Vermont, would not will
ingly and knowingly wrong their moth
ers, their wives and their sisters. Yet,
an indefnable feeling Of fear is creeping
into the hearts Of hundreds of us busy,
home-loving women, that the very kind
ness and innate politeness of the men of
Vermont, may lead them to mistake the
words of the noisy few who have chosen
to make our quiet, happy State the thea
tire of their wonderful efforts at reforma-
ton, for the voice Of woman, and most
deplorable of all for the voice OF the
women of Vermont, where the very evils
they propose to remedy, scarcely exist,
and not one woman in thousand needs
or wishes the rights Ger rather bur-
dens) these pretended friends would force
upon her.
There is no objection to woman's lect-
uring if they choose, nor to all the
worlds listening admiringly to her be-
witching accents, as they would go to
see any of Barnum's wonderful curiosi-
ties; for in this working world of ours,
we have SO few recreations that we may
gladly welcome another entertainment
provided only, that it be harmless. But
when you come to try to measure the
whole woman race by those few who have
no homes of their own, or having them
choose to delegate their cares, their du.
ties and their pleasures to others. while
they attempt to enlighten the world by
! impossible theories and fantastic vagarie
you do the women of Vermont great in
justice.
One says, let those women vote VIII
wish to do so, and those who do not pre-
, fer voting, can let it alone. That ca
! not be. When you give the leave to rot,
! you compel it, as necessity. This is n
/. question of mere permission, where eacl
e one can act her own pleasure in the ma
: ter. Once give woman the right to voi
= and it becomes her duty to exercise tina
t right, whatever else is neglected. If III
e good and the true fail to find time an
e inclination TO attend the election, v
:, may be certain the vicious and depravs
e will not he wanting there.
e For the honor of womanhood, for II
i safety of the nation, every woman vi
d loves goodness, justice and temperan,
n mu give her vote on the right side, f
l. the wrong will surely receive large j
d crease of votes.
e The kind, goodnatured husband, wi
knows his own wife has enough work g
ready on her hands, who would glad
:. relieve her of half her present cares if
!! were possible, rather than add to thel
!. by giving her the duties which othe
- now perform very well, not quite as We
perhaps as she would do them, but go
! enough for all practical purposes, sa,
\ "Oh don't quarrel with the women W
want to vote, let them have their o,
s. way, my wife don't want to vote and
"A 1don't want she sho, ID" Dear sir, tn
No. wake up to the necessity of deciding IL
question the before people, in such Wa
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