Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-05-13
THE u.O.us.v IRE Co.vrEvrED.

Beecher says "They say that women do
not want 10 vote. Well, sinners don't want
the Gospel preached to them, but II is good
for them, and they have got TO have it,
This is a very neat way of jumping over
the most commonly advanced objections TO
woman suffrage. But when we are told
that women do not wish to change the pres
ent order Of things, we naturally inquire
what the real facts are. IL Is not true that
women in general are satisfied with their
present lot, Multitudes in every state cry
out agairfs, the wretched coadition that
something, they know not what, has i'm
posed upon them. Many, who have not
thought Of the ballot complain most bitter
ly of their poverty, their poor pay for hard
work, the abuses that they suffer from their
husbands, and their complete dependence
upon others. In a most touching appeal to
the public, the laboring women of New
York have said, 1--WE have no promotion,
no career, no hope. The American work
ing woman has no share in the American
privilege given to the poorest mate laborer.
a growing income, and every office of the
Rupublic, if he have brain and courage to
win them.' Says Catherine Beechor, who
is opposed to immediate suffrage THAT
there is something essentially wrong in the
present condition of woman, is every year
growing more and more apparent" The
unmarried and widowed, who must always
form large class here in the older states.
feel that they are compelled to be an in
cunbrance to fathers and brothers. None
but the giddy and thoughtless say that they
are satisfied with the opportunities that are
given to women. Even those who are op-
posed to suffrage admit that there are many
wrongs tina. should be righted. Therefore,
although it is true that the majority OF wo-
men have not yet asked Tor the ballot, it is
not true that they are satisfied with their
present condition.
But it is not reasonable to expect that
with the kind OF training women have re-
ceived, they should be constantly ciamor-
ing lor suffrage. They are taught from their
very earliest years that the ideal OF charac-
ter is submission, ana that they should look
wholly to men Tor support and protection,
They are taught thai II is 'strOng MINDED,
UNIV onanly, ana unbecoming iof them 70
have and express views OF their own, or 10
become III any way conspicuous. 1ney are
educated to believe that tnelr sphere Is the
very opposite oI tnat oi man IN All respects.
50 that IL would he strange, Inueed II they
all came forward at once IN iavor ol TINS
movement.
Yet, Notwithstanding the influences ol
| education and social prejudice, tine number
OF women VINO ask IoI tins right is by no
means small. Wherever the subject has
haap hafpra a "a
most earnest ana significant interest has
boon shown by the women. Many III our
own state, who had not thought OF 1t "a year
ago, are now earnest advocates. No rolorm
against a long standing evil ever before
| gained friends 50 rapidly. one man pre-
sented to the British Parliament petition
for suffrage, signed by 1000 women. In
New York 100000 have publicly asked for
| this right. If, then, women have not spok-
en-, they have at least opened their lips to
speak. And it is noticeable fact that the
women who advocate suffrage are mainly
of two classes, the educated, thinking wo-
men, and the laboring poor, who feel their
dependent position. 1t is an easy thing for
woman, in "A beautiful home where her
every want is anticipated and supplied
to say Il am satisfied But let her
remember that many OF her sisters have
no home, except such As their own half
paid toll can supply.
But what strange argument this is, to
| say that because some persons do not wish
for their rights, 100000 others shall be de-
| prived OF theirs! That because all women
do not demand their rights, no woman can
have hers! Who would say that because
the majority OF negroes never petitioned to
be free, the others might not demand free
dom as "A right? That all women,do not in
sist upon equality, merely enables men to
retain their unjust privileges for longer
lime, but it does not render it less unjust.
| If there are women who think it unlady-
| like to take their part in the government,
let them stay as they are, but they have no
authority to forbid wiser and better women
to perform their duty.
Therefore, we say that it is not true that
women are satisfied with their present con-
d tion, that the unwillingness of many to
vote is fairly accounted for by their educu-
ton, that, large and rapidly increasing
lumber do wish to vote, and that their
rights cannot justly be denied them be-
cause others do uot.-I4. JohnSbury Cdledo-
| nidu