The Richmond palladium., 1871-01-28
Communications.
woAAH SUFFRAGE, NO. ..

wOAAN SUFFRAGE, NO. 9.
RICHMOND. IND, Jan. II, 1871.
Editor Palzad;Gm
In the No. 4 Issue Of the .Advo |
cate Of Peace current year, pub
lished in Boston and Chicago, I
find the following remarks, under
the caption Of Responsibility of
Women for War
Women can prevent war, il they
will. They are the mothers Of men,
and leave on their children an in
dslibls impress of themselves. The |
hand that rocks the cradle will be |
found in the end to rule the world,
and tho voice which whispers in |
the infant and youthful ear lessons |
Of truth or Of error--of goodness
or Of guilt-will Jet give tone to
morals. law to society, and charac-
ter TO the whole human race. We
must win the young to peace. and
their character 10 moulded almost
entirely BY female hands. Az
mothers and teachers they are the
chief educators Of mankind
There 10 much Of truth in these
observations. How all important
then 10 It that woman should have
al her suseeptibilities, all her pow
ers. all her faculties fully educated
and developed to their fullest ex-
tent. But II it not obviously un-
just--to use no stronger term--to
hold her responsible for the exis-
tence Of WAR. or Of any other evil,
while We wrongfully withhold from
her the essential agencies by which
alone she can most effectuslly
meet her responsibilities. As q
means Of impressing her influence
on the action Of governments, not
only in the matter Of war, but in
oil other respects, that the exercise
Of her right to direct voice, as by
the ballot, would contribute more
powerfully than by any other one
fundamentally, would seem so
plain, - to require no reasoning to
convince al persons Of ordinary
intelligence. There would appear
to be additional reason Why women
should be invested with this essen
tial attribute Of freedom, because
no portion Of the human race suf-
fer 90 much from Wars. All their
untold miseriss and sufferings fall
with full force on her.
Servitude, subsection, and even
inequality Of rights, among indi-
viduals Of the same nation not only
tends to debase the inferior class,
but tbs effects Of such unjust dis
ordinations against the subordin
ate, are transmitted to their pos.
terity.' Not only so, but it is the
lesson Of all history, that with all
peoples among whom such distinct
ions exist, the baneful results ars
not confined to the oppressed-th.
oppressors-those who by force
arrogate to themselves the ruling
power, are equally sufferers.
This fact was exemplified in (
manner not to be mistaken, by th'
blindest opponent of woman sui
frsge, In those States in whicl
chattle slavery existed previous Il
the late rebellion. In degree les
but in kind the samo-is the con
dition Of woman. For want Of
more suitable expression--it is
law Of our nature--it 10 IN inheren
attribute Of our mental organizs
tion, that We are creatures Of nc
tive. Although We should Low
goodness and virtue for their ow
sake--though the pleasure we ez
perience in the acquisition {
knowledge, and in it's practical an
useful application, w1sDoM, shoul
be An adequate incentive in leadin
us to cultivate our mental facultie
yet the most casual Observable
teaches Us, and the most super
oial acquaintance with mankir
can not fail to impress us with Il
fact, that but for our being ab
satisfactorily to answer the que
ton 'oui bono'-for what obviou
practical good-for what benefici
purpose-are We to observe goo
ness-to pay our devoir to Writ
and to store our minds with lear
ing, the due observance of tho
cardinal qualities, and the purs1
Of knowledge would be much me
neglected than they are.
Hence, until woman, equally vi
man, has given her inducements
has supplied to her adequate q
jccts--for the cultivation of
understanding--by widening
sphere Of her useful emplovme