The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-04-12

consistent with the public veal. The
spirit of our institutions fayors political
equality and universal suffrage. If suf.
frage is denied any class, it devolves
upon upon those who deny it, TO give
reason for so doing. 1t was demanded
why color was a bar to cnfrancbisement,
and because no satisfactory answer could
be given, the people decided that it was
not bar. Now it devolves upon the
o)posers to show why sex is made a con.
diton Of cntranchisement. can conceive
of no reason why any class Of our citizens
should be excluded from the polls, ex.
except for incompetency or public in.
jury.
1t is certainly difficult to see any rea.
son why woman should not express an
intelligent opinion by the quiet and unob-
trusiye deposit Of ballot, which by the
way would be much more modest and
womanly, than tho offensive harrangucs
OF the lady recently imported by your
school committee TO illustrate the art Of
reading. Yet do not advocate the
measure if the ladies are opposed to it.
| believe the advocates of the reform u.s.
ually take this ground. Reform should
not be violent Que. They seek to re-.
form public sentiment and let that effect
the reform in public measures. Then on
y would the good results follow which
they hope for. When you assumed at
the opening Of the canvass, that " Ver-
mont is not ready fer the question:" you
uttered the general conviction of the
friends as well as the enemies of the re-
form. Aud yet, if circumstances were
favorable, very many people think it
desirable that every property holder
male and female, should have voice in
! the disposition Of it for public uses. Ii
the women do not want the ballot it may
bring more Of evil than good Certainly
the good will not be unalloyed. There.
fore there is a propriety in the call for
an expression Of wishes by the women
themselves. If hey decide against it
do not want it, lfthcy favor it, the de.
mand can hardly be denied. 1t they re.
fuse, | cannot, however, surrender the
/ opinion tn t under favorable circumstances
great good would result. If there is one
defect in the character Of our American
women, it lies in the lack Of that couser.
vative candor which is born of RESPONSE
biity. Hence | believe in increasing
their responsibilities-not their cares
unit they shall cease to give undue
prominence TO the Importance of such
trfcs as the tollies and frippery of fash
ion aud dress. And let me here venture
the prediction that it will surely come a
some future day. The tendency of tn,
age is to greater responsibilities for wo
men. Straws tell which way the wine
blows Women were lately called upor
to take the responsibility Of aiding in tn,
election of deacon for your Middlebur,
Congregational church. 1t was not an
nounced under the Objectionable name o
" Woman Suffrage" and they took tn,
responsibility, discharged tue duty faith
fully, and selected wisely. The heaven
didn't fall either venture to assert
veloned and strengthened bv this faitbfn
discborao If resnonsiblo dntv % al
,ho rosnors;h;l;,ieg ooormed or hid nno,
na boyo tbo;r u.os in oJnc,t;ng and do
voloning character md intollect tn
re.nonsibility which comes to the youn,
oloror,oon whom ho hocomes n,stor of
cbnScb mnst bove n telling ;nauenc
unon H.. charoc,or ton;ro down b;sr,sb
uaso strsnr,hcn;n,, ;ud,,@ent correct;n
hoh;,a st;onI,,;n, ,herrb, rondor;n
49, D,.,n .;'n, "a I'd Tnamano
,''" nav aha havo b,d hesars amopnt;na to
,ro" , 1or n bn. .bo rnnhah;I;t;oa e mi.
5;o,, ,no yO n,,o, rroo.as tb.n nn 49,,
Tato T,o ho,ha"JoI thonoh,,aaa NV nav
, f'a,,, ~ ..r'o, ~, ho Ias ;ns, o,Ila
,U rnn nnon .ovo o,Ioae
, - a,l r,saa h;n, 80 ;,rr F.
to try ,bat r,nn ,or bis Iifs and the irr,
=, sronsiblr unregec,ing advocate of mo
g ~. I, - !, .,.,.o.,..,;ro ,Lo,',h, &C.