Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-10-27
Are Women Slaves ?

No line Of argument in the suffrage cause
is mere latuous than that which assumes the
women Of this country to be in any sense
slaves. If the laws on the statute books
were forty times worse than they are. 1t
would be equally iatuous Such an assumI-
ton is an insult, and DO argument IL has
scarcely truth enough to sting 1t hardly
arouses resentment; it slightly excites con-
tempt; it never c1nvinces the reason. 1t
may inAame the suffering and impose upon
The weak; but it does not advance the cause
in those quarters where advance must be
made it benefit is 20 ensue. The women Of
this country are as free in word and deed as
the men. 50 far as the ballot Affects freedom.
Their ownership of property is 10 many cases
as absolute; and where there Is a difference
1t is a difference Of degree NOT Of
kind. The wife does not hold her
property free from her husbands con-
troll; but neither does he hold his free
from her control. The RESTRICT ms may not
De equal. but both are restricted each by the
other. Wives. and perhaps women. cannot
hold Office; but it is not wholly because they
are women. nor necessarily because women
a.e considered inferior to men. Many men
are equally ineligible. and some men by rcI
son OF 10 inler0rity. All members OF both
houses of Congress are legally djsquali-
fed for holding Office during their term Of
service; but it involves no discourtesy %
them The idea which underlies the law IS,
doubtless. that one person cannot wei per-
form the two sets of duties: aud it is NOT un-
reasonable 70 .Irrose that tbi. /. precisely
the idea which uuderiies the iega. di-Qua,if-
cation of women. Looking al their actual
social stltus in This country. II as easy 90
believe that they are forbidden 10 hold Office
8n aee1uuf OF the siiuerior seryice which they
render 10 the state in other directions. and
with which oiFceboll-ng MIGHT conflict. as il
Is q, believe rbat rhev are forbidden ON ace
count of inieri9ritv up for the rurp1se of en-
-Ilremen+ Women know tbat tbcv are NOT
slaves. Bad rs are lue ef the laws In some
of tbcs states. there is none In which women
DO not rossess the essentials of liberty. none
in which women may MT exercise entire
freedom of thought. of word. and for the most
part Of deed. namuered only by bonds which
are the result Of their own acts dr character
s., the laws which uniu--'v restrict them
thev nav i1 the most public manner de-
n0unce and use all their eh rts ID destroy
The changes which have been ELECTED in these
latter wears show that deuunc-4tion Is not
the dashiur of irnrotent race against an i'm
movable h5.iv. but NAV become a skiUfil In F
s-rumeut fur 'ftshilnin., the urlv block int, a
.1apelv statue. To inform the mo tber of a
fuiIg-tbe woman who stani.at the head.
ruling. Guiding. watching. irluencin-. c1u-
traIIin, her husband in twenty matters hr
one in which be controls her. taking in socic-
~ the r1sition for which her abilities f- her
to reIl her that she is a slave. OF even q
child: to tell a woman who does not take the .
position forwhich she is fitted because she
las not leisure for II. who -rends the lone
DAYS in cooking. sewing. care-taking for l.t-
tie children who do not know enough u De
thankful. and fora hari-w5rking husband.
who has ALWAYS been used o. seeing women
work. and Is not oyermuch troubled thereby
"a wife who is eogaI PARTNER in tie family
firm. and whose word has equal force in the
family councils. t5teli woman whose life
has been one l9nr grlad of endurance from a
tvanical .ui-erly. rs-ty husband. TO tell
voun- rirl. free. and merry. or an unmarried
woman of mature wears of active life. of def
mite purpose. OF anxious and simless' through
lack Of turr9so tbat thew are one and all
slaves because they cannot vote argues