Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-05-18
The Two BeecherS.
WHAT MISS CATnARINE BEEcHER WANTS AND
DoN'T WANT.

WHAT Mise AAiiAhiNE hthlhhN NhNfa" 49,
DoN'T WANT.
At the Thursday meeting of the American
woman suffrage association in New York,
Miss Catharine Beecher came on the platform
and offered her objections to woman suffrage.
Henry Ward Boecher, who presided, said
that he knew many clergymen better than
himself who were not there. But he had
too much respect for the liberty Of the in
diyidual to wish them to come until they could
bring conscience and enthusiasm with them.
If you can afford to wait we can" He an
nounced that his sister, Miss Catharine
Beecher, would read her objections to woman
suffrage. lie remarked that she brought up
part of him and was responsible for many
Of his excelencies, but none Of his faults.
He was sorry to say that she yet fingered in
the bondage Of darkness on the subject Of
woman suffrage Miss Bcechcr said
will begin by saying what am not opposed
10. | am not opposed 10 women speaking in pub
lie TO any willing TO hear, nor do object 10 a wo-
man preaching, sanctioned as il is by prophet
ic apostle, as one Of the millenial results. 10 is
true that no women We're appointed among the
first twelve, or the seventy disciples sent out by
the Lord, nor were women appointed 20 be apOs-
ties OF bishops or elders. But they were not for
hidden 10 teach or preach, except in places whore
it violated a custom that made q woman appear
as one Of a base and degraded class If she thus
violated custom.
Nor am opposed to woman earning her own
independence in any lawful calling, and wish
many more were open to her which now are
closed.
Nor am opposed 10 the agitation and organ
ilatiou Of women, women, 10 set forth the
wrongs suffered by great multitudes of our sex,
which are multlOrm and most humiating. Nor
am | opposed 70 women's undertaking to govern
both boys and men they always have done il,
aud always will. The most absolute and cruel
tyrants have ever known were selfish, obstinate,
unreasonable women, 10 whom were chained men
Of delicacy, honor, and piety, whose only alter
natives were helpless submission or ceaselcss and
dsgaceiul brols.
Nor am opposed 10 the claim that women have
equal rights with men. | rather claim that they
have the sacred superior rights that God and
good men accord 10 the weak and deienceless, by
which they have the easiest work, the most safe
and comfortable places, and the largest share Of
all the most agreeable and desirable enoyments Of
this life. My main objection 10 the woman sui-
inge organizations is simply this, that wrong
mode is employed to gain a right object.
The " right object ~ sought is 10 remedy the
wrongs and relieve the suferings of great multi
tudes Of our sex. The wrong mode " il that
which aims to enforce by law instead Of by love
Il is one which assumes that man is the author
and abbettor Of all these wrongs, and that be
must be restrained and regulated by constitutions
and laws, as the chief and most Trustworthy meth
Cd
In opposition to this, hold that the FAULT is as
much, or more, with women than with men, in
asmuch rs that we have all the power we need 10
remedy all the wrongs and suiierings complained
Of and yet we do not it for that end. II is my
deep conviction that all reasonable and cunscicn-
tous men of our age, and especially Of our coun-
/ try, are not only willing, but anxious % provide
for the best good Of our sex, and that they will
gladly bestow all that is Just reasonable and kind
whenever we unite in asking in the proper spirit
and manner Ii is because we DO not ask OF
Because we ask amiss ~ that we do not receive
all we need both from God and men. let me IL
| iustrate my meaning by a brief narrative Of my
own experience. To begin with my earliest |
cannot remember time when | did not find a
/ father heart tender that it was always easier
| for him to give anything asked than to deny me
| my seven brothers, know not one who would
/ not take as much or more care OF my interests
/ than should myself. The brother who presides
is here because it is 80 hard for him to say no 80
| to any woman seeking his aid.
] IL Is NAi q century tllS very spring since / Ue-
gan 10 work for the education and relief Of my
sex, and have succeeded 50 largely by first CON
yincing intelligent and benevolent women that
what | aimed at was right and desirable, and
| then securing their influence with their fathers
/ brothers and husbands, and always with success.
/ American women have only 10 unite in asking
for whatever is Just and reasonable, in q proper
spirit and manner, in order TO secure all that
they need
Here, then, urge my greatest objection to the
plan Of female suffrage for my countrywOmen
are seeking it only an instrument for redressing
wrongs and relieving wants by laws and civil in
| iluences Now, ! ask, why not take a shorter
course, and ask to have the men do for US what
We might do for ourselves if we had the ballot ?
Suppose we point out to our State Legislatures
and b Congress the evils that il is supposed the
ballot would remedy, and draw up petitions for
these remedial measures, would not these petit
tons be granted much sooner, and with far less
irritation and conflict than must ensue before we
gain the ballot? And in such petitions thousands
Of women would unite who now deem that female
suffrage would prove q curse, rather than benefit.
And here | will close with my final objection to
woman suffrage, and that is that it will prove a
measure Of injustice and oppression to the women
who oppose it. Most of such women believe that
the greatest cause of the evils suffered by our sex
is that the true profession of woman, in many Of
/ its most important departments, is not respected
/ that women are not trained either 10 the science
or the practice of domestic duties as they need to
be, and that, as the consequence the chief labors
Of the family state pass to ignorant foreigners,
and by cultivated women nre avoided as disgrace
full. They believe the true remedy is 10 make
woman IS work honorable and remuneratve, and
that the suffrage agitation does not tend 10 this,
but rather to drain off the higher classes of cult
waited women from those more important duties TO
take charge Of political and civil affairs that are
more suitable for men. Now if women are all
made voters it will be their duty to vote and also
to qualify themselves for this duty But already
women have more than they can do well in all
| that appropriately belongs 10 woman and TO add
the ciyil and political duties Of men would be
deemed measure Of injustice and oppression.