Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-05-21

nave Watcneu Win unnagglnS inter-
est, with such intelligence as was vouch-
safed me, and from what vantage ground
I could command, every phase of the
movement that came within the sphere
of my observation. That movement has
advanced from weak and despised begin
ming to a point where it is discussed
seriousness, recognized by parties, defer
ed to by leaders, and acknowledged in
some quarters as not very remote fu-
ture possibility.
From this careful observation ofits
course thus far I cannot see that any
thing in its treatment of difficult ques-
tons or in its conduct of delicate affairs
in the ends which it proposes, the
methods which it selects to accomplish
those ends, or the manner in which it
pursues those methods-gives us the
smallest prospect of an introduction to
a higher grade Of political life than that
which we are already occupying un-
der the dynasty of man. I fail to
see that it is more comprehensive in vision,
more inexhaustible in research, more radi-
cal in thought, more scientific in method,
more conscientious in action; that in dis
cussion it is more sober, candid, just, and
courteous: that it displays more informa-
ton and less inflammation, more of phil
osophy and less of personlity; that it is
more accurate in presentation, and more
conscientious against misrepresentation;
that it is more judicious in the selection
of agents; that it appeals to higher
motives, or teaches wiser mode, or points
to wider field of activity. Itappears to
me, on the contrary, that the woman's
party copies with singlar fidelity the old
ways of the old parties, which ought never
to have been entered at all Women, SO
far as they are already in politics, are
doing right over again, and often with
peculiar feminine and fatal facility, the
very things which have been done by men,
and which ought never to be done at all;
while have not been able to discern the
introduction by them Of a single improve
ment or sign of improvement in political
thought or action. Universal purity, free
dom, and happiness are indeed noble ends
for any party; but no party in the country
confesses or processes any other ends.
When we look at the means by which
the woman's party proposes to reach the
desired results, We find that they are
either general, and, therefore, practically
worthless; or specific, but empirical, and
often worse than worthless; or they are
the same means which men have been
employing and are still continuing to en-
ploy. This has nothing whatever to do
with the right of woman to the ballot.
A man is not forbidden to cast his vote
because he casts it for the wrong person
or The wrong measure; no more should
woman be. But, when the vote of wo-
men is urged upon the nation as its means
means of grace and hope Of glory, it is
requisite and necessary to infer somewhat
from such preliminary grace and glory as
have been displayed. If tho dawn is
darkness, why shall we suppose that at
evening time it shall be light?
Nor do these statements. if admitted to
be true, involve the inferiority of woman
to man. 1t does not imply inferiority to
fail where he has not succeeded. It
simply indicates that at present she is
not politically his superior. It dismisses
again to the domain of abstract reasoning
the idea that government and society are
to be uplifted by the direct professional
participation Of woman in politics, and
leaves it with presumptive evidence
against it.