Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-15

there are still strong hopes, as well
as a good degree Of confidence, that
both vessels will yet reach port in
safety. SttRstedd Journal.
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Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, March +, 1870. /
4Br Editor:-I saw in your last paper
allusion to the Woman Question
thought perhlps a few lines from me might |
not be out ofplace. There has been very /
much said upon the Question here, as
you are aware. The great lights have
been here, and ventilated to their hearts
content, Finally deputation waited on
the committee of the District Of Columbia,
and urged upon them toinaugurate woman
suffrage in the District, and stated they
had q petition of more than twenty thou
sand names that the thing might be begun
here. But Senator Patterson inquired how
many women Of this District had asked it,
and they had to admit that only about one
thousand out of population of 10000 or
10000 had signed the petition. The in
quiry of Senator Patterson was very peril
nent, and should have largerapplication.
How many Of the women of the country
have asked the BALLOT To hear the great
advocates, one might think the whole fe-
male community were languishing and
dying for chance to vote; whereas a lar
| ger proportion have probably asked it here
than elsewhere, say one in fifty. The Ia
/ dies of the country do not desire it, and il
must be sad day when they are compelled
to 60 to the hastings, but 60 they all must
4 when the right Is granted, else the wicked
and unprincipled will rule the country
1t would be a hard time for the republic
cans of New York if the movement should
succeed There are said to be more bad
women in'the city than good. These would
be bound to 90 for democracy and license.
Besides there are the wives of the 10000
or 10000 Irishmen that now compose the
majority there. That majority would be
doubled at once, and adding the other class,
there could always be from 100000 TO
100000 majority given there for what is
called the democracy, How foolish tosup-
pose that when the women have a right to
vote, government would be purer than
now. Rather, there would be more cor
ruption The cry here and elsewhere j,
that women are slaves under the feet Of
unfeeling masters O. if YOU could see these
slaves in the calling and party season, -
riding from one great feudal slaves to an
other, and sailing into the parIors in their
garments ofservitude or walk along Penn
sy!vania Avenue some bright day, and see
them walking on with heads bowed down
and clanking their chains, your benevolent
|, heart would be melted with compassion at
the terrible depth of suffering into which
they have been plunged by their crue
f masters, the men How can they be so bar
barous. But fear that your sense of the
ridiculous would even get the better Of
your pity, when you saw women det0rming
themselves with silks and ribbons. making
their dear persons swell out of all decen
proportions with their "Grecian Bends,
and their 'panniers, ct cetera. Why, a
some of the receptions this winter, it wa
said some of them have been loaded dowI
with letters and furbelows costing not les
than hundred thousand dollars Isn't i
dreadful? have great doubt whether sucl
defbrmed and fettered bipeds are qualified
! to vote, or have enough sense. They Ger
: tainly do not show it by their appearance
- fools. But aside from the ridiculous as
: pect, necessity demands that there SHOULD
J. be two departments in the household. On
Y must 90 out into the world. cut down trees
s build houses, make ships, and sail them
G build railroads and run them ,plow the helc
= cultivate the soil, and rough it, in al
r weathers, the other must take care Of tn
:. house, prepare the food, mend the clothes
@ sew buttons on the shirts and take care o
Il the baby. Does not reason say the distr
f button of labor is about right generally a
f it is? Women would hardly make goo
n carpenters, house builders, brick layers, c
# wood choppers, nor do believe that me
- would get any great credit to themseiv'
y as housekeepers, or wet nurses. NatuT
has seemed to point to the two approprlat
positions. They must either 60 on as the
= are or change places. Horace Greele
says that any Of these heretofore slaves al
o welcome to his AK" with which to he
= their way to their rights. But if there is I
. indication in the natural characteristics
iC the sexes. there certainly is an assignmel
~ in the scriptures. | do not pretend tn
"a the scripture has spoken on every subJe
u but it has spoken upon many, and when
" has spoken its mandate is final The bib
T. has spoken in this case. And the decisiC
a. was made before our first parents we
n driven from the garden of Eden Gen. 81
ne Here is the law, and its reason, bindil
be not only upon Eve but upon her sex.
Mt any one can show that this has ever be
annulled or abrogated, then the argumel
drawn from this source would fail. But
IA far is this from the fact in the law, Civ
he through Moses, the principle was incorpc
be porated into the government. The hi
,st band, or father, was made the head of t
Ne family, and the principle was carried
m that extent. that if woman had bou
n herself by solemn oath, yet if her h,
" band or father disallowed it, when he hea
- it, the oath was not binding. "The h,
l,0 band could establish it, and the husba
w could make it void" See Numbers, oh;
." ter 80. Such was the Jewish law. But
~ this had been abrogated in the New Tes
LII ment then it would be no longer bindi
ias and we should have to fall back upon
INT ture. But it was not abrogated, rathe
II was confirmed, The apostle Paul allu
to it in Tim, 2, IL, IL, where he distir