Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-22
Woman Suffrage.

The following letter on Woman Suffrage
have been handed US for publication:
Hon. SAMUEL TIrcoMB Dear Sir-The
petition for woman's suffrage. which has been
presented to the Legislature does not contain
my name among its signatures, because it was
not asked, and believe am only one of
large class of intelligent, (may l not say cul-
tivated,) women in this State, who want the
ballot, though they have never publicly ex-
pressed that wish.
And if the honorable committee ask why
want the ballot, this is my answer. This great
republic has claims upon me, and while am
denied the right of suffrage am deprived of
the most sacred of all rights, the right to do
my duty. l have never seen logical argu-
ment against woman's right to vote; certain
ly she has a moral right if man has.
But am competent to voter Are women
brainless that they should have no views on
questions every day agitatng the public mind?
Have they no sense of duty that they should
hesitate to form and declare their convictions
on the abolition of war, temperance, the rights
of labor, civil service reform, civil rights and
the proposed christian amendment to the con-
stitution, a more fragrant insult to the liberty
of conscience, one could hardly imagine?
These and many other issues are freghted
with consequences too mighty to be settled
IL
womans duty to take part in their discussion
and rote on them at the polls. Nor will this
interfere, or be inconsistent with good house
keeping. With ali my other duties l find
time to study political economy and take an
interest in my country. 1t sometimes looks
as if, as Theodore Parker once said, "no
woman ever kept house so badly as the
United States" And so l want woman to be
allowed to HELP wash the dishes, sweep and
dust, have general house cleaning, perhaps
make it impossible for so much dirt and cor
rup,ion to accumulate again.
l wish that Maine, my own State, might
lead (Dirigo) in this great reform, and would
like to have the experiment tried next fall
when President i. to be elected. The re-
spect for law in Maine and the large native
element in the population would have salu-
tary influence on other States, and the end,
general suffrage, be speedily reached when
the whole country, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. would be not mans government alone
but woman's as we'll.
Every person ought to do right and get the
right done for others, and believe that the
ballot in the hand of woman would help man
would help man to endow the politics of this
country with the richest gifts, namely, the
recognized duty of the republic to educate the
whole people to true liberty and equality.
Together, dwarfed or god-like. bond or Tree;
IL she be small, slight nurturel. miserable,
How shall men grow? But work no more alone;
Our place is much; as far as in us lies
Well clear away the parasitic forms
That seem to keep her up, but drag her down;
Will leave her space to burgeon out of all
Within her-let her make he rself her own
To give OF keep. to live and learn and be
All that not harms distinctive womsnhood,
For woman is not undeveloped man;
Not like TO like but like in difference;
Yet in the long years liker shall they grow
The man be more of woman, she OF man;
He gain in sweetness and in moral height
Nor lose the wrestling thews that throw the world
She mental breadth, nor fail in childward care,
Nor lose the chdlike in the larger mind;
Till at the last she set herself to man
Like perfect music unto noble words
And SO these twain upon the skirts of time
Sit side by side full summed in all their powers,
Dispensing harvest, sewing the To-be,
Self reverent each and rcverencng each,
May these things be-"
These convictions are not the growth of a
day nor a year and should not be true to
myself if did not express them to you the
representative of Augusta and one Of the
Committee on Legal Reform. In conclusion
let me say, imagine yourself disfranchised,
and you will appreciate the feelings of a dis
franchised native citizen of Augusta.
Very respectfully,
NJ. A Il.
Augusta Feb. Is, 1872,