The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-25
evening State journal
TUESDAY EVENING, JULY rs, 1871.
written for the state Journal.l
THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.

Of this school of educators, we ask !:
Is woman to be pcrpetually idle? Do for
tunes never fail? And Of that (thc Rich
mond Enquirer for instance,) which advo-
Gates her exclusive attention 10 domestic
matters, are domestic theatres, guaranteed
for all !? - pa l 10
Political economists aud censuses, to
Judge from the frequent mention of bank
ruptcy and the unparalleled enumeration of
single women and widows, assure us to the
contrary---a significant reference to individ-
ual exertion and recourse. iiei iits, s3ol
1t is better to be drudge than mere
toy, still we may not propose to be either.
When such names as Lucretia Herschel,
Elizabeth Fry, the Baroness de Sta6l and
Rosa Bonheur are enrolled among the no.
blest in their respective spheres of science,
religion, literature and art, it is weak and
foolish to tell us that women must be
dragged down to be pitiful advertisements
of fashion and shallow, snowy accomplish
ments--an impertinent aspersion to restrict
their capacity to cooking, nursing, acting
the Song of the Shirt, etc. The advance
of civilization demands reform, and it is no
more reasonable to suppose that every wo-
man is to be satisfied with such pursuits
than thatiit is the ambition of every man to
excel in farming, shoemaking, or driving
drays. t.ftg ta a,fgs.
Rut how To advance onr rights p How
To achieve orr freedom , Fnmale sns.
fraoe t? Female s,tf,uoe No n Io,,.
sand times. no ~ ss"N'g
Success in art sc;anca emo,u,,ant mr.
nrofit is not I'm result Of franchise oT con
vention. When Rosa Bonbeur was asked
If she had given the subject of woman,e
rights .nv attention. bar Sbreu,ed cn,,,,,sn,,
sense Iet her exclaim stVoman,s r;ohtsi
woman,s nonsense +, Women should seels
70 establish their rights bv>good and creat
works. and not by Conventions. IF had
cot IN q convention to debate tho onest;on
of nv ability TO naint M0rcIe M Cberour;
for Which England woi,ld nav me farfv
thousand francs the decision would have
hoen aoa;nst me ~ falt the ,,oyvay y,;tb,,
me to Saint T cultivated Il. and have nro-a
duced works that won the favorable verdict
of great ;udoeS II have mn ,,at;enrns wifi
women Who Ask nerm;ss;on to think u va
There Is however . closs of won, 81, W IA
demand the right of Suffrage. and To Mr.
- Ct,,mart Mi - H. p.:f;sL H. -
UViA 1o 49,, VI '- o - i'"'" .io.o, VI
commons, anu the more -eXaggerative ecnoe
of his cis-Atlantic cOmpeerS. is mostly due
tha oo;tot;op Tho women Who h., o1do,,+l
ed their abortive legislation are about aS a.
for renresentatives Of their sax nc . four.
leayed clover stalk is for n souare acre Of
that commoditv' w.
OF the men we saw nothing only If some
enternris;np publisher wanted comnilat;on
of the "Follies Of Statesmen y he might
as unioue curiosities enter this along With
Mr. Nill,s famous chanter IN s.The Proha-
bile Future of the Laborinp Glasses But
Tennvson,s aPrincessu better and more
beautifully answers these misouided revo-
lntionarv women Than anv one nrofi,ct;on
in ENGLISH literature. II cives clear INSIGHT
of the bigoted sincerity the unnatnralness
and imnracticabilitv Of sncb doctrines
while an exquisite Tenderness nervades tb;s
exnosit;on and tbrouohout enl;sts sent;m antS
of respect and commission. instead Of cyni-
cal ridicnje. In .all sincerity we heI;eve
these leading women to he nobler nurer
and wiser than many who have rnled i,;nSl
doms ~ fl'If'Ii
If might he said of each of them as of
"The Princess,':
,,s sns orrs ilfif "a
But in her own grand way being herself
Three times more noble than three-score of men,
Sle ne sees , herself IN Ley every woman 3i1,a else
To blind All the s truth and me- my S''" '''''
And had thew let this fascinating delusion
90 unnoticed. and concentrated their ener-
eies upon some speciality of philanthropv
or science. we doubt not a less eDhemeral
celebrity would have been attained. In the
present role. however. their superior clever
ness engenders aims too intricate for the
average woman. and vet too restricted for
men. The most learned woman is only
half learned man; vet. even admitting
mental equality. is muscle concomitant
Give her the ballot. and can she 90
through the rough-and-tumble of election.
day. unscathed by blows. oaths. obscene
ties and alcohol p Can She frequent bar
rooms, bagnios. and faro banks--scrye in
the militia. work on roads. or plan and
build other edifices than CHatcaatr e., Es-
poqne? IA,
Saws the dean of st. Patrick "a very
virtuous woman would make yery shabby
man:v and the question naturally arises.
Is it nobler and better to remain n true
woman, or become the ''lesser man ?' Is
It wise to persist in making laws which
physically she is unable To enforce and TOO
often mentally to Comprehend !? 'eI7
Clearly It no more becomes n woman ia
adopt these revolutionary measures than It
bee ines a "trueo Republican 70 vote the
Democratic ticket. and one as mich as the
other deserves 70 he treated &c tbe fabled
iackdaw tricked ont in neacock nlumes.
I'M ,,, - - :1. -