The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-06-22
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ignore those personalities which have been growing
more and more gross from the beginning, are most |
obvious. shall not enumerate them. But ifmy |
retorts have been pointless failures they ought to
have stuhg my opponent to most inlecorous rage.
My chief concern is expose the wretched sopl-
stres of my irate friend. Turning, them at once TO
the question let see if he has much power as
violence.
First want our readers to remember that have
not once urged the claims of Female Suffrage on the
ground of distinguished advocates In my first
etter stated that people differ this si,hject-as
honestly as they do radically, that distinguished
persons divided concerning it. and therefore the
question is worthy of candid argument 1 admitted
that it could be decided by appealino TO tho
character ofits advocates. Good are often mis-
taken, and therefore nationally only when We
dec de this question intellectually and not from
authority. In view of my position this point SO
clearly stated, why does the gentleman ask me if
treason atheism female suffrage good things
merely because of their advocates? The fact is he
would have readers beliece that such is my posi-
ton For display, as seems, he has set up
man of straw of his own fashioning which a logical
boy could knock down. and then after hurting with
sickly arm his javelin into its husky ribs he
to the public and says: Behold the demolition ofrny
antagonist In the same spirit of theatrical war he
profoundly expatiates upon the philosophy of dress
as If half savage tribes do not know and upon all
he has said. have heard it proposed to dress
Women like men drive them into coarse and I'M
congenial employment My claim was that suffrage
would not necessitate even tend to indrce such
/
dom of choice, as man to dress properly and seek
fitting empIoyments. But it is plain that one who
objects to proving anything by good character of
its adherents ought attempt to disprove any
thing the bad character of its adherents Although
his irst article most violent departure from
this principle, he justies himself the ground
that he speaks of majorities and I of mnorities
Such is his claia. Let if he does not err
The adhersnts of any composed of leaders
and their followers Now directing our view to the
leaders of this movement, those who have studied
it with scholarly and, political acumen, those
who are tn. opponents of its philosophy, what is
our impression? So far the character and ability
of the leaders concerned his structures are not
dignfed with one item of proof, and yet they are
the who give character to the cause. The
names Off. Stewart Mill, Thomas Hare. Jeremy
Bentham, TaIeyrand, James Martineau Herbert
Spencer, Professor Huxley, James Bailey Goodwin
Smith, Lord Brougham, Sir ErskiE Perry, Mrs.
Browning Mrs. Stanton, Mrs. Livermore, Gail Hami-
ton, Miss Lander, Miss Peckham and host of other
men and women ofculture and literary repute may be
| scorned by common seribbler insignificant
fraction. They embody much philosophy and as
many splendid attachments as all the human adher-
ents, during the first half century of its existence of
the best cause the world has ever known. Remem-
bering that these given to prove the abi-
and respectabilty of its leaders, not the correct
ness of the measure, call attention the fact that
am not bound to show that a majority of all able
and respectable men and women enlisted. Con-
ceding to such a demand, could be shown
to be respectable at its inception. Now if gem
tleman will show that these persons only small
fraction of the recognized leaders and that the other
larger fraction is made up inferior talent worth
or, admitting that these sufficient for the
basis of correct judgment. if he will show that they
are not worthy good cause, then will keep silent
concerning the character Of female suragists. But
he must not count leaders every party jobber who
wants hobby, every newspaper scribbler who
merely repeats the philosophy of his party lead
ers Vow us i.ii.nater,a whether We consider tht
social mental condition of the rank and file in o
party or not. Those who represent its philosophy
alone But lest the gentleman should ca
this fractional affair, will meet him on that
ground also. If he appeals my observation must
say io contradcts his statements with most decided
emphasis If he appeals to his-own that can at most
no more than counterbalance mine. Nothing is
proved. But he appeals to general observation. But
have any general observations been made? Have any
statistics been compiled? Now general observations
IN matter that pertains to all parts of the country
must speak through carefully prepared Stats les or
through literature produced not by but by any
men of wide personal observation and unqueston-
ed ability and fairness venture the remark that
he has not the smallest trustworthy of gen
erdt observation. The matter is reduced simply TO
this:he has called to his aid the venerable twaddle
and vulgar that invariably falls upon those and
especially women, who dare hold an opinion DIFF
ferent from those received from ira tion He srols
upon his tongue delicate rnorseI what has been
swallowed and spewed out thousand times by Doors
and bigots. Ifcoarse women believe in female sui.
frage, no doubt they curious advocates" But
coarse women eat and drink furiousIy Are eating
and drinking bad things? IT, the gentleman vs.
''this doctrine crops out whole in proportion to
the coarseness of women" he ought to prove his
point not by appealing to general observation which
no can consult because it has expression, but
by showing that the recognized leaders with whom
the doctrine has cropped out the most are as whole
coarse women. This L defy him to do. Our party
then, consisting of leaders and followers are thus
tba
osophy unsulled, far ability or want of it can
have any influence the rank and file are accused
before tribunal, general observation which
body find to obtain an adjudication of the case
But can't the fellow find entertainment in discussing
principles as well as in traducing persons'
For his delectationI will show the gentleman a
fractional falacy that is worthy the babyhood of
Euclid. He says nneteen-twentieths of women
opposed to suffrage; but little farther he
cludes that because the other onetoette dare break
the letters of custom, therefore the nineteentwen
is according to his own figures, he has passed judg
ment twenty persons alter examng one. After
much bowling about fractions L did not expect SO
soon to hear him hiss in pronouncing his shib-
boleth, I did not look for any thing puny. Of
it remains before stated thatswomans
dissemination may result from previous education
and customs, and from this it,follows before that
the gentleman has failed to proce any iastincLiue
aversion. Woman naturally clings to tradition and
custom, and is afraid hazard public opinion
than She displayed the hesitancy
about going into the counting room and behind the
counter. Men proclaimed it a vioat ion of womanly
nature. But such notions now esteemed as
follies of the past.
I cannot that women have all the essential
rights of men, They taxed without a voice in