The Republican journal., 1870-12-29
LETTER FROM BOSTON.
Correspondence OF the journal.
A Debate on Female Suffrage-Miss Catherine
Beecher and Mrs. Livermore the Disputants
--They Try to Right the Wrongs OF Women
---Jennie Collins Method Of Doing the
Same Work.
Boston, Dec. u. 1870.

| BOsTON Dec "A. 1870.
| The long anticipated discussion, upon the
Woman's Suffrage question, between Miss
Catherine Beecher and Mrs Mary Livermore,
took place at Music Hall on Wednesday
evening OF this week. As might have been
expected, the novelty of the affair drew to-
gether very large and curious audience
Notwithstanding there were great many
other attractions, in the wav of lectures.
meetings, fairs, concerts and the Opera, in
other parts of the city. on this particula ar
evening. Miss Reecher has long been known
as an opponent of Woman's Suffrage, whilst
Mrs. Livermore is equally well known as one
OF It's most Jealous supporters. Both being
highly educated and widely celebrated wonl-
en-, there was of course great desire 10
hear them debate this much talked Of cues
ton. Mrs. Julia Ward Howe was present
Oh the platform, and by special request in
troduced the speakers in u few brief but hap
Ply remarks. AT the mention Of her n anne,
Miss Beccher came quickly forward to the
front Of the platform, and stood quietly wait
ing the cessation of applause that greete d
her appearance. To a large portion of the
audience she was al entire stranger, and
many were the eyeglasses and curious
glances levelled at her, which inlliction she
bore with becoming patience and grace A
quick cursory glance showed her to be an
elderly lady, Of perhaps sixty years Of age,
arrayed in Il simple dress of black, unextend-
ed by crinoline, and not adorned by founce,
furbclow or frill. In her bare hands She
claSped some manuscript; across her should
ers was thrown rich but plain cashmere
scarf; whilst upon her head was a nice, neat
| sensible bonnet, such as our gTandmothers
used to wear and warranted to protect head
and brains against the inclcmency Of the
weather and sudden indispositions. Soon
silence reigncd, and every ear was strained
to catch the first words that should fall from
the lady's lips. Alas they were so soft and
low that none but the reporters heard She
is credited with saying that ''our great poet
has said that Il soft, low voice is an excellent
| thing in woman, and that She had an abund-
ancc OF that excellence" therefore she would
have to beg the indulgence of her auditors
whilst her friend Rev. VIM b. Wright pas
tor Of the Berkeley street church-rcad her
address. This was of course somewhat of
a disappointment to the assembled audience.
and 4 great disadvantage to Miss Becchcr,
as no argument, however we'll prepared, can
be so etfectually read as talked.
The reading of Miss Beecher's opening ar
gument consumed a half hour, and was main
| ly devoted to showing that the ballot was not
the needed redress for woman's wrongs
She admitted all the wrongs" and ''inequali-
| ties" as set forth by the leaders Of the female
suffrage movement. but thought the same
men who would confer tie ballot would
right those wrongs if properly appealed TO.
She alluded to the increasing dissemination,
on the part OF men, to marry, and asked if
comforting the ballot on women would force
them to marry. She deprecated this State of
affairs as detrimental to the best interests Of
the nation, but attributed it to the eXtrava-
gance Of women, and the customs Of society
which made it such hard work for young
man to undertake the cares OF q family. Be
side there are more women than men, and OF
necessity many must remain single, and have
employment and support Would the ballot
! provide any better for them? Shc thought
not. After touching lightly upon the reasons
why men would confer the ballot upon w0nl-
en-, she referred to the danger of entrustin@
the interests ane wealth Of the nation to the
large majority of ignorant and degraded
women.
Mrs. Livermore, IN reply. claimed the right
of suffrage for women on the ground Of her
intellect, ability, and superior moral charac-
| ter. And in her clear, concise, and always
convincing manner, plainly demonstrated to
8 Boston audience that women not only
needed but were perfectly capable of WELD
ing the ballot. She thought the occasions on
which they had already voted showed clearly
that they would preserve better order at the
polls than Grants body Of soldiers in New
York. On a point of economy, then, She
would have them vote. In Wyoming Terri
| tory the influence OF women voting had been
seen and felt, and by their votes they had
changed the administration Of the Territory
into the hands Of the republicans, and this
She thought was good reason why they
should vote Moreover women would treat
the men better, and make better laws for
them than they now made tor themselves,
This was Of course strong plea for tile bal
lot. These We're the main points OF her AZ
gument, Interspersed with funny anecdotes
! laughable Incidents and sad rcCOllcctions.
told in Mrs. Livermores bright, pleasant
way, with alternating touches Of sarcasm
and pathos Mrs. Livermore's face bears
upon it the impression of genuine goodness
whilst her whole life proclams her IN earn
est, true, pure, large hearted. loving woman.
In her manner and speech there is magnct-
ISM that strangely ana strongly attracts any
listener, whilst her superior intellect causes
one to wonder. Among other women She
seems to me a queen-grand and beautiful,
but SO thoroughly kind as not 70 be inacccssl-
bic. But with all the admiration for her
virtues and graces, we don't like to see her
spur this hobby of ''female suffrage into
such feartully hard galIops. Ii doesn't seem
quite right to force women 10 swallow pills,
when they are not sick. And it they are
sick, perhaps it would be rs well TO Lot them
select their own physician, as to force upon
them dose they don't want to swallow.
Miss Beecher closed the discussion with u
plea for the more liberal culture of women,
and for the endowment of Female Colleges
and Female Schools, narrating her own ex-
periencc in educating women
Jennie Collins tells the whole truth when
she says it is the large class OF working girls
that most need the reforms of the ballot IT
Mrs. Lvcrmorc or Miss Beecher would
either of them go into any shop in our large
cities and associate intimately with the girls
there, listening to their methods of speech,
subjects of conversation, and to their some
times not commendable manners, they would
be willing to admit that neither the ballot
nor the College is what they need-but home
culture, or something that shall take its place.