New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-09
THE WOMAN QUESTION.


recently assumed new form. The time
for proving that woman is fit to exercise
the duties OF citizenship. and that, there
fore. man should legally invest her with
the right to do so, has gone by. 1t
is now assumed that she is legally i'll
vested with that right already. and that
man. by an abuse of the power he has
usurped,' is wrongfully restraining her
from the exercise of that right She
has it, and vet she hasn't it. Through
her representative. Mrs. Victoria Wood
hull, she points to the radical amend
ments to the constitution whereby all
persons are guaranteed their rights
rs citizens of the United States She
is told, il reply. that that clause
must be explained by each State after
its own fashion. She shows that 1t may
not be so explained as to exclude
negroes, and is informed that her re-
marks are not to the point-that the
word ''person means all persons. but
that it does not mean women: where
upon she turns in despair toward her own
sex. and tries to convince them TIA. they
ought to desire enfranchisemeut. And
here. precisely. is the difficulty : Woman.
rs class, does not desire it. She desires
fine clothes and good living ease and
amusement a fine house and ele-
CANT furniture. a husband. children.
servants. pleasant society. and
the thousand other things that
help to make life smooth and say. For
ali these she looks TO the man: she does
not look 70 the ballot. The chance to
work. to earn her own living. to achieve
an honorable independence. TO cultivate
individuality this has no attraction
for her, because. as Il rule. it conterS no
attraction on her To please man. to win
him. to hold him. to be the honored mis-
tresS of his household. the COM
pan;on of his leisure. the mother
Of his children - that IS the mis-
sion Of the average woman. and
until this average is elevated which
it can hardly be by legislation women
who clamor for acknowledgements will
simply cut themselves of from the pecu
liar advantages of their own sex. without
obtaining those of the other. One thing
is certain: man now monopolize> the right
of suffrage. holds exclusive control over
it. and can be induced to share it with
woman only by persuasion or on convic-
ton that it is for the best interests of soci-
ETY. TO do so. Perhaps it is; but it will be
very difficult, almost impossible, We think,
to bring the present generation OF grown
up men to take such view OF the Que>-
ton Ii. however. this innovation be
really 4 reform. if it be based Oh truth
and nature, it will ultimately succeed.
G-ea, changes do not take place rapidly:
the choicest fruits are slow to ripen; but
if these reformers have the endurance
which should accompany all great efforts
tor the ame.ioraiion OF society; il they
are governed by pure and lofty motives
and not by paltry hunger for notoriety;
if they are willing to SOW the good seed
and let another generation reap the rich
harvest. then there is plan by which
their reform can be accomplished. They
must begin At the beginning. II il is
only through men they can accomplish
their object. and the grown men of the
present day are too obdurate for convlc-
ton. they must work on the next genera
ton. and on them through their mothers
suffrage Will make them wiser, better.
happier. nobler, prettier. more attractive
TO men different motives for different
minds. and trust them TO educat. their
sons in that As the true faith.
We think. then. that Mrs. Victoria
Woodruff. in turning her attention to her
own sex after her recent disappointment
before Congress. instead of trying 10 con-
vince them that they already have tie
rgh. of suffrage, had better persuade
them that they would like 10 have it
not that it is guaranteed them By the
constitution Of their country. but that II
Is in accordance with the constitution Of
their nature: right the exercise of
which would contribute greatly TO their
vell-being Is women. and one Of which
they are now deprived by their own su-
pineness more than by the injustice Of
man. Let the future mothers Q; our tu
,ure statesmen heartily accept the new
doctrine and their sons will imbibe il in
such a way that it will grow with their
growth. and strengthen with their
strength. and in the fullness. Of time will
become the law of the land