Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-09-06
War. Women and Government.

pOoluB oiAllco INO uiIlOn Hltu alC maj
shaded and not a single woman. Yet no
cutlery, no Solemn protest" is raised by
our progressive sisters against this odious
discrimination in favor Of the masculine
sex. Not even the editor of that mitraH-
lcur, the Woman's Journal, nor the con-
ductor of that explosive magazine, the Rev
olution, have raised their voices against
this fresh instance Of the subsection Of wo-
men. Have centuries Of oppression so
dwarfed and dulled the sensibilities Of wo-
mankind that even the seutinels who occu-
Ply the watch towers can sleep in the pres
ence Of this new danger-this colossal dis
grace?
Seriously, let us sec how the question of
woman's work and womans privilege is
affected by the fact Of war. The formula
ofthe advocates Of woman suffrage is about
this: As men aud women cooperate, work
side by side, in the family, in the school
room, in society, in the church, so that
they ought to cooperate and work side by
side, in the professions, at the ballot box,
and, inferentially, in all forms of political
and official life 1t is claimed, in short,
that woman is fitted by nature and hence
has a natural right to share with man all
the leading activities of life Now, right
across the path OF this argument let us
throw down the granite fact that war is one
leading activity, in which woman, as u sex,
never has and never can participate. The
answer Of course is, Did not the women of
America do their share during our struggle
for the Union, and are not the matrons
and maids Of Germany now serving in the
military hospitals, doing all in their power
TO succor the wounded and cheer the SOL
diers at the front? To this question we re-
turn an enthusiastic, Yes Nobly, grandly
the women of this nation did their woman
ly work during the rebellion, but they did
not make war, and this is true in all ma
tons and at all times. War is bloodshed
destruction. Woman's work in time OF
war is one Of healing Of preservation and
consolation-applying to the wounds o.
battle the medicine Of peace. The work Of
the hospital nurse may be equally houora
BE, equally high with that Of the musket
bearer in the thickest Of the fight, but tn,
two must not be COMPOUNDED, the forne
is not war, the latter is. Let it be honest
ly admitted, then, in the ranks of the army
on the battle field, and on the march, we
man cannot stand by the side Of man. Fo
once at least the sexes must part COMPANY
in carrying on the activities of life"
But, falling back to the second line 0
Notifications, our progressive friends Flip
PANTY remind US that war is exceptiona
in its nature and occurrence, that it is, a
best, only a prize fight on an enlarge
scale, aud woman ought not to suffer pc
ltical disabilities because she declines t
share in these brutal conteslsof force Blu
here is n fundamental fallacy. In til
present state Of human society, and as hu
man society is likely to be for some lime i
the future, war is perfectly natural resul
Of forces constantly at work. 1t is the a.
TINA rati0-the final argument, not Of king
only, but Of peoples and individuals. Tn
understood fact that, under certain circum
stances, men and governments will resor
to force TO accomplish certain desired end,
or to avert dreaded evils, is the sub strat
um on which rests our social and politica
fabric. The interposition Of the laws
courts, iuries and verdicts, and general aC
quicscence in their adjustments, PARTIAL
conceal, but DO not remove, the pivot,
truth here stated. The fact that the awar
of a jury, or the sentence Of a court viii
il necessary, be enforced by the aggregat
muscular and military strength Of the con
munity and finally Of the nation, is VIII
secures the present unresisting compliant
with the awards ofjuries and the sentenc
of courts. The fact that an oppressed PEI
pie will rise in rebellon-that is, 80 to W.
if crowded too far, is a necessary al
salutary check upon the tyrannical te
dency of government The fact that OF
nation will resist with force as well as a
gument the aggressions of another is Il
strongest present guaranty of courte
and peace. Where there is no CONNIE
arbitcr war is the tribunal Of last appe;
Whether a necessity or not, war is aud
likely to continue prominent fact in h
man life, and it is absurd to attempt to j
more it as a principal agency in governir
the world and adjusting the affairs Of $
ciety. In this leading activity Temi
cannot share.
If then, there is one vocation for whit
woman's sex units her, may there not pc
sibly be more than one-may there not
many? If woman is incapable Of MAXI
war may not that very fact prove the il
propriety Of her participating in the wo
of governing the world through the ballo
As laws derive their final authority Il
from their business but from the fact th
the physical force of a nation stands |
hind them, so majority votes at the pc
in the last analysis depend for their vail
ity not upon their inherent wisdom b
upon the implied fact that the voting n
jority have the physical power to enfor
their decisions should the minority resi-
Practically this fundamental fact is seldC
thought of when popular elections occl
but when the test is applied, as in t
shareholders rebellion, it stands out wi
startling clearness. Now grant the bal
to women and imagine the formation O
political party embracing a majority of
the voters Of the country but made up
one-iourth men and three fourths WONT
He who believes that even the Americ
Republic could long be governed by su
party, that the edicts Of such a major
would long be respected or obeyed,
failed to master the al phabet of politi
science or political history. Let it be l
derstood that not at one election only
at many successive elections, the major
in numbers was a small minority in m
culine strength, and the temptation to
chile resistance to law becomes almost il
sistible. In a word it is dangerous in I
itics to act on the theory that goveFnm
does not rest, in the last resort, on ply
al force when it does. If government W
matter of sentiment or moral suasion
case would be changed
We end where we begin. As in war
mans work is to soothe, to cheer, to m
fly, so in politics her mission is to quit
mold opinion, to check passion, to elcN
aims, to prevent partisan strife from deg
Grating into personal hate. The MON
she herself joins in the struggle her {
servative influence is gone. Woman {
not share in the carnage of battle or
turbulent business of governing the W,