The New York herald., 1871-02-04
Ben Butler and Woman Suffrage.

The course of Ben Butler in favoriny and
advocating woman suffrage in the minority
report on the subject to Congress is one of the
movement. At first glance it would indicate
that there was at least vitality and future
possibilities about the movement, for it is
generally understood that the astute states
man Of Essex bothers himself precious little
about anything that does not promise full
considered hard and practical not easily
moved by womanish tears or womanish fasc-
nations, and uninauenced alike by appeals or
denunciations that have not the ring Of true
political metal in them. So when he favors
the theory that woman has right to vote,
and seriously presents resolution looking to
that result we must admit that it.looks as if
there is something in it. 1t is bard to believe
that Ben Butler is 'tspooney." We may,
therefore, actually have the suffrage on US in
few years if the dear creatures press it.
We would like, however, to present to their
consideration few facts and arguments on
this subject. Not long ago John A. Logan
was elected to the United States Senate, partly,
if not mainly, through the delicate, womanly
electioneering of his wife, woman of the
finest stamp who had, during the war, accom-
panied him through camps and battles. She
electioneered for him merely by the fascina-
tion Of her presence and the agreeabiiity of
her disposition and conversation. She never
asked any one to vote for John, but she said
very often to the legislative voters, who came
eagerly enough to the suite Of rooms where she
had music and bright fires and pleasant smiles
and no liquors. that she would like fer John
to be elected, and it WAS done. Years before
Senator Gwin, of California, was elected
over Broderick pretty much through the same
tactics. His wife, also, held levee, assisted
by twenty-seven young girls, aud they COM
pletely dazzled the legislators of that benighted
region, who would not have sold their votes
for thousands OF dollars, into voting for Gwin,
merely because, as they said to one another,
they would hate to vote against such woman
as that. Miss Winnie Ream, who has been SO
numerically scored by some of the thought
less and ungallant sheets Of the period gained
her commission to cut the statue of Lincoln
which is very creditable piece of work, after
all that is said against t-not by unwomanly
lobbying, but by the mere force of Senatorial
sympathy for woman's tears 1t is even inti-
mated that Mrs. Blanche Ames, the daughter
Of General Butler, has been chiefly ins:ru-
mental in inducing that rugged soldier and
stony hearted politician to father the report
on woman suffrage, which serves as text for
this article. Now, what greater right of
suffrage could woman demand than has been
accorded in these instances, where two Of
them have each polled full legislative vote,
third has directed the deliberations of Con-
gress and fourth has shaped the political
views of General Butler? Their demands
become unreasonable when they ask for more
than this and not only unreasonable, but
unwise even from their own standpoint. II is
far better for them to be the fair pilots of the
political craft than mere pieces Of the compli-
Gated machinery that moves the boat