Litchfield enquirer., 1870-07-28

l yet HI laCGs lulcIlOE HI puJSAC6i AOAOOs OO the minority, while it frequently happens. that under some peculiarly of the laws or constitution of state, the dominant party is itself in very considerable nu- merical minority. At this very time, the democratic party of the State of Connect cult is a numerical majority, and has the Governor and State officers, while large i majority of both branches of the leglsla- I ture is republican. Thus the democratic party, while an actual majority, and while in possession of the executive force of the State, is yet denied the control of the le- gislation of the State. There can hardly be conceived a case more provocative of and encouraging to an assertion of physi- cal strength against the minority in this exercise of legislative power. Yet no sane man in the democratic party has dreamed of such step. and no sane man in the re- publican has apprehended it. Why is this? Because the great body of men in both parties. indeed all men of all parties de- sire peace and order in the State. They desire this, both because their personal in- terests are bound up in the prosperity of | the State, and because they have a patriot ic love of the State. It is on this interest and this patriotism and not on force that tie State rests.
 Besides all this, it is absurd to suppose that women will ever become substantially party by themselves, in opposition to men, as party by themselves. Men and women are more drawn to one another than men to men or women to women; while there will never be any serious diver sity of interest between. the sexes; and those causes of moral and social interest which attract good women will also attract good men, and those causes which would repel good men, will equally repel good women. ..
 If in any extreme case like that of our late war, the state is compelled to use it's l force to sustain its own existence, women will be found as they were then, ready to bear their full share of self-sacriice, and of work, in departments of service that are as indispensable to the success of the war as the fighting of men in the field.
 4, It is argued that those who vote ought to be able and willing to fight.
 But it is said in reply that voting and l fighting have no relation to each other. Large classes of men have been exempted from bearing arms in this country because their services wero more needed by the state in other directions, yet they have not been disfranchised. Women have hereto fore been stationed by men themselves as uOul0 SeAtIuGlS, bllu bnCl1 olCcDlCSS VIS1- lance has been we'll attested; they should be now and at once enfranchised. both in reward of past service and as stimulus to fidelity in more extended service. "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over few things; I will make thee ruler over many things"
 Again, if wars must still come, the ad- vance guard of still higher freedom, our higher civilization demands an administra- ton of sanitary affairs ill the army to which women alone are competent. They should, therefore, have. hy all means, a rroponeitle ~oioa in ali the declarations of war, and be called upon to do private and official duty in the care of the sick, the wounded and the dying, and in the pres ervation of the health and morality of the army, precisely as men arc now called up- on to do the fighting, stimulated by the same patriotism, anu receiving the same reward from grateful country and, con- sidering the experiences of our late war, one can hardly prophecy to whom in the future greater honor will be rendered for appropriate service faithfully performed.
 Indeed, in any large view, it would be difficult to see why, in any case, the state boy who may be called to die for it rather than to the mother who in at least as great peril gave him birth and implanted in him those principles of self devotion out of which his heroisms are to grow.
 It is most unj just reflection on women to say, as it has been said, that they ought not to vote for a war which is to be fought by others. In the first place, they do their full share in the Case of war, as we have just said, and, in the next place, they feel the burden of war far more than men, and it's after sorrows, and they will therefore be much more likely to vote against it than if they could participate &C., lively in it. The influence of women, es- pecially when they act with intelligence and upon responsibility, will always be against any war that is not absolutely ne- cessary, and when such war comes, they vii not be wanting in true heroism and self sacrifice.
 5. It is said that voting implies office. holding, and the family will suffer through the withdrawal of women from home du- ties. ... ..... =-:.
 In reply, it is conceded that voting does imply ofice-holding, and the advocates of equal suffrage are of the opinion that pub lie duties should be performed by both men and women as they shall be found specially adapted and conveniently cir cumstanced for such service, it being borne in mind that no woman will be en- titled to any office except as she may be the declared choice of majority of voters And to this safeguard of Q required ma- jority, to which in this republican coun- try we leave every thing, even the consti- tutions that are our organic law, we may safely leave this whole matter of the cleo. tion of tie officers who shall serve the State. The wisdom of the time, with all the facts before it, will be far better able to judge what is best, than the wisdom of to- day, dealing with the subject in ad- vance and with no prophetic knowledge of the facts.
 It is also to be considered that women who have homes and children, will always love them and find in them the greatest | happiness; and the instances will be very rare when public offices will present great CT attractions The women who will hold office will be those, and there are many such who can do so without sacrificing home duties, and these will take it as means of usefulness to the public. and of ] honorable subsistence to themselves and those who may be dependent upon them.
 Besides, this whole matter of office holding is singularly exaggerated. Of the offices that require the whole time, or the absence from home of the incumbent, | Il T lr