Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-02
Por the Journal.
Does Woman Desire 10 Reconstruct Society :

lfhtibhH III HiNoT tl MuInhU NuUFhEts tfnt sue
did. Have the Indies of Vermont examined this
question fully, with all Of its logical tendencies
We hope they will take no hasty and inconsider-
ate step, but make a searching investigation of
the subject, and then give us their deliberate
wishes with good and sufficient reasons, and we
will warrant woman now, as heretofore, gem
erous hearing and all she can reasonably claim
at our hands
First, are you aggricyed, as we are told by
those who seem to have the opinion that Yer
mont has no better laws for woman than the old
English common law? Mrs Blackwell advises
you 10 study the statutes of Vermont So do
We; and had she 40 done, it had saved her the
notifying position Of standing before an intelli-
gent audience picturing 10 them imaginary disa-
bilites and grievances and misrepresentng the
whole statute az it relates 10 woman Why, sir
so far from man having any advantage in the
matter Of holding property, we fully believe that
on careful examination, the statutes will be
found to lean the other way. Woman has full
claim for her maintenance on the father, If a
maiden, on the husband if married. and nothing
of this on the contrary holds as against her She
can claim her maintenance and pledge the hus-
band credit, hold she ever 80 much in her own
right while none Of her property can be touched
Tor his maintenance, or on any of his debts She
can hold property to any amount. manage it,
take all profits Of the same by trade or usury
Mrs. Blackwe'- statement 10 the contrary not
withstanding Point us out a grievance and
remedy in this matter. and Vermont will be quick
to render you justice most glad to do you and
society through you, good service, as you will
concedc we have most chcerlully done heretofore,
and without any necessity Of your going to the
ballot. Indeed have we not done this unasked
on your part, feeling anxious to do what seemed
best for society and you, as we do also in this
, Convince US that society is better, and that you
will be better for taking part in political can
yass and you can at once command our consent,
/ aye, more, our most hearty support.
1t has been argued that suffrage to woman
would place her as the equal Of man in all trades
and professions, and help her to command for her
abor equal profits What trade or profession is
not now open to her, Many are in the pulpit,
more in the practice Of medicine, and few are
attorneys The American Institute of Homeo-
pathy, at its last session. at Boston, voted to ad
init woman on the same terms that gentlemen
were admitted They have Female Colleges Of
Medicine, and all receive the most hearty support
and encouragement from the opposite sex They
do not need 70 vote to open the professions to
them, for they are accessible now. As teachers
Of schools, who does not know how fast teaching
is going into their hands, and very properly too.
But why not pay female teachers the same as
male? The supply and the demand will 20 very
far towards regulating this whole matter, and
voting will he found to have little or nothing 10
do with it Can we regulate the price of aborers
in the house or field by yoting2 not at all. The
supply and the demand regulates that. Can you
fix the tariff Of any of the professions ? A man s
reputation, in other words, the demand for his
services by the public, will be found to govern
that. II you vote two dollars for yourselves,
where you now get one, you must find some one
to employ you after all. The wages of female
teachers to-day are fully equal to the wages Of
men twenty-five years ago, making all due allow
ance for different values in currency.
But we return again to the question, does wo-
man herself wish society reconstructed? For if she
does, we are Of the opinion that it will be done.
II not, the husbands and fathers and brothers of
Vermont will be slow to allow n few uneasy
spirits who, very likely, are not in the most har-
monious relations TO society, TO drag you into this
doubtful relation. We say then speak out
Do you propose to move in the purest and
highest relations Of woman-we mean as wives
and mothers? Do you want to buy half the farm
build half Of the house, pay half Of the current ex-
penses of the year? You do of course if you
want to possess one half Of the money Certainly
which is 50 loudly now plead as the condition
t Of woman. Money must buy the farm, build the
house and pay the expenses of managing the same
If you have half, there is no escape from its going
into the means which must help the machinery Of
society 10 move. The argument then for equal
pay for man and woman is an argument for recon
,truction of society woman TO bear the burdens
and expenses Of providing and running a house
equal with man. Does she wish to do il? II
will be said no doubt by Mrs. Blackwell, it is all
q very nice to own a iarm; but the women of Yer
mont must understand that these wonderful lights
/ who command large sums of money from the plat
! form, aud the high salaries Of hdes in the pull
pit, are no rules for the majorities. They are eI-
ceptional cases. and oia OF what all believe to be
f true relations of woman to society. They are
! more men than ioOmen in thought and feeling,
and we predict would rarely be happily allied in
, matrimony unless less masculine spirit stood
for the other half Is ii not after all better that
the man be required, as by the present theory Of
> law and custom of society, to provide himself a
home and then take to himself wife, whom he
is bound to cherish and protect in sickness and in
: health, and to take care of that home? Who Of
-. sk,n b.v. lat. o., ho ali A.g,n ndal
and 10 bear his name, " they twain being one
flesh ?' | fear it will be bad day for woman
when she attempts to put her physical powers
, against man when she shall scorn his protec-
tion, and cease to put him upon his chiyalry and
3 noble courtesy when she removes herself from
that throne above him, where she sits in her
purity and beauty, the presiding genius of his des
tiny, the central figure around which now reyoves
much more than half his being, and that his bet.
ter half-the impersonation of loveiness which
TO him is but little short of heaven. Woman a
slave In Vermont To what more exalted station
would she aspire | fear we come too nigh
adoring her She is truly queen she is first
served at our table, she commands the seats in
our churches and cars she commands our purse
as long as it holds dollar, and then she COM
mands our credit while it is worth dollar. II is
true she bears great burdens. Her house is not
easily managed, she suffers great sorrow in her
maternity, and has great care in the rearing Of
her children. But can the ballot change that ?
Not until nature goes backward in the order Of
her laws.
But supposing woman IS enirancbised? En-
} fanchisement of woman means eniranchisement
of the alien born, as well as native born. The
China woman, the negress, squaw and all others
! are likewise enfnnchised. If there be any dan
ger from the illiterate vote now, that danger is
doubled. If we are in danger of going under
Catholic rule by the union of Church and State
now, this move will only accelerate the time.
Finally, ii Is urged that woman will vote right