Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-09-07
The Necessity Of the Ballot for
Women.

~ GAIL HAMILTON.
The third ground on which the ballot is de
manded Tor women is that she needs it for hel
own protection against man Men left to them.
selves, make laws for women which are uniust
ami oppressive. Women must have the law.
masking power in their own hands in order tc
secure fair play.
| deny this wholly. I deny it in full view Of
the fact that men have made laws uDius, to wo.
men that the only fear of personal injury felt
| by women is Of bad men, and that very large
| part OF the suffering and sOrrow Of women comes
from the selhshness or Ignorance Of the good
men with whom they are connected. Ia the face
OF all this, affirm that American women Do
not need protection sgainst American men, as ?
class that, II they DO need it, they will never
get 1t, either from the ballot or from any other
source and that, on the whole. the laT as II
stands IS more favorable TO women than it would
have hsen if women hsd made the law for tbe1o-
selves
II we ha' come TO the point that women must
defend ther selves against men, we nav as well
give up the attic at once One msn is STRONGER
than one woman, and ten men are stronoer tbo,
ten women, and the nineteen millions If men
IN this country will subdue, capture AMI execute
or expel the nineteen millions Of women. inst as
soon as they set about IT, l., not even lie
the suppression Of the rebellion, question Of
Tune Iaey could do il in half an hour any
day WHAT IS the use, then, Of women's talk
III Aoout protecting themselves against men
4ne slaves OF the South received the suffrage
for their protection bat protection agqirst
whom Against the power that e,va tbe7, ~,
Suffrage That IS absurd Il Is as ifa sy5-1aB
should say to a man '' I believe Won are =, mn
glar snt mean to rob me. Give ne a g1n TIA,
may defend myself against You 80 II be- mons
10 rob her, Il Is Idle 90 expect him 20 give her
the gun. II he gives her the gun IL ia nr,of
that he Is no burglar, and she does NOT noe N
DEFEND herself against him.
But women DO not propose 10 f,b, law. into
existence. They propose 90 v0.s ttem 9.,.
votag-po"er Is based on fshtiug-r5wer Tho
rule O.. the msilrity is st bottom the .,,,. ~
force sixty thousand voters Weld h, d t,,,.f...i
th5uslud voters not because tbev believe tbo,, -
be- wiser than themselves. bu, bs.sus, tbs,. i,'-,-
them 90 hestr01cer. When they 90 uat be'isr.
them 70 be stronger they Do not yielI Tbey To-
sisi' ami bic h9ea rebellion. Lis the kuoq,.. D..
thSt there is physical force underneath tbe vote
strong enough 10 uphold the vote. that -i-es- -5
the vote lts power. So that the tt'i5f 81. r,--
simply ,Lc expression OF desire hut the rrss.,-s
OF strength II the men If this country wi.l >,
oppress The women, wil ,le7 b. 3e-sr.sf .-,-.,
il by women's saying at tie pol-. or snva5e-.
else, that they DO not wish 90 be o-,rs..sI s .rl
strength which women nave to enforce their vote
compared with that when msn hsvsf. .-..,t.s.
it, is simply clntempribls Until r3n,7 .,r
uarch faster ant further. AMI throw earl ftg-.,i-s
more quickly, all stand longer ia tfs t-spcr'ss
AM fight harder ir tEe tefi rf,- -,., -
uust depend fr ius-s. aao9 r5. ,,..i 49,
men.
This would he o fearful sw1-l b.-.---.......-
women, "a most uueGual srr.n-s-.a,.- ... .....g
II there we-e rot implanted In mana -.'.f IN,
toward woman rs deep IS bi. r.f. ses.-.-.. ,s
his strength, rs iual.ensh., ae bi,...rF T..-
good viii is often errat-. I'D Iev...-....-- -
some cases seems 90 hca,.los. ea-.-a.. s...'--'.'
ei, ia savage tribes NAV t. va-. p. ..I.t ''.
tribes needs wise Treatment. t..- .....-,