Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-10-31
Woman Suffrage In the Massachusetts,
Conventions.

Conventions.
If the principle that there shall be
no taxation without, representation
be correct, there il not, and there
never has been, q sound argument
for the dsiranchisement OF women
since they have become property
holders. A woman might own al!
the real estate upon the chief street
of the village. yet she cannot vote
for road oversccr. Plainly, il her
sex incapacitates her, being mature
and intelligent, tor controlling her
property, it should certainly inca
pacitatc her from owning it. The
law that authorized her to earn, hold,
and devise property lifted the lid
from the ballot box. And all that
the Massachusetts Convention has
done is to say, "Certainly it did"
The Convention SAID that it was
the opinion OF the party; but that as,
we said, we shall now see. We have
nothing to do with the party, but
this is a question OF all parties, espe-
cially il, as the scoffers say, every
wife will vote with her husband. OF
course they always agree in religious
matters, 80 it may be supposed that
they will in political. Indeed, there
are never any differences between
wives and husbands. The husband
has only to tako snuff, and the wife
sncezes. The Spratt legend is foul
libel upon matrimonial tastes. But
every wife is sure to vote with her
husband, shall she therefore not have
the right to vote? Most youths OF
twenty one vote with their fathers-
shall they also be excluded from the
polls Shall the rule be extended
and any body who votes as any body
else votes be distranchised for that
reason? Or shall only those be per.
mitted to vote who can give sound
and satisfactory reason for their bal
lot? ita wife may not vote because
love for her husband would lead her
to duplicate his vote, then, OF course,
all men whose votes are influenced
by personal regard aud respect for
some one elsc must DO set aside. In.
deed, 1t is chiefly when mon begin to
argue the question cot suffrage for
women that a grave doubt OF their
| own competency TO vote arises.
But II wives are to be excluded be.
cause they will vote with their hus-
bands, upon what ground shall we
distranchise those who have no hui-
bands to vote with? Snail we de-
privs them OF the ballot as a punish
msnt for not having husbands to de-
prive them Of it! The same excel.
ent argument would apply to their
property; and we ought to ccnfiscate
TIA earnings q spinsters ,ause tn. y
have no husbands to manage their
money for them. Indeed, the srgu-
ments all tend to prove that women
should be in perpetual prostra,ion
of gratitude that men suffer them to
exit upon any terms whatever.
Certainly no really great move
ment ever proceeded so steadily and
swiftly in the tace OF curious difficult
ties as that Of woman Suffrage in this
country. 1t has had the most within.
steal and often absurd and repulsive
advocacy. Il has often seemed to be
the very politics Of the moon. Elk
travagancs aud FOLLY have been 80
hopelessly combined in its behal, TIL
many OF iss trusst friends have won
dersd that it was not pushed from
decent and candid consideration
But such friends can not too con.
siantly Remembers that IL IS the his
tory Of every movement which is All
appeal to pure reason. There are
no guns or clubs behind tho demand
for this extension Of the suffrage. 1t
is conducted wholly within the do
main of intelligence. And il rlddled
with ridicule, let any skep.ic recall
the beginnings of Methodism. Read
Sidney Smith, and wonder how an
intelligent and liberal men could de.
ride some OF the noblest and best
men that ever lived. The history of
the movement for the extension of
suffrage to woman, like all the other
great movements in this country,
shows to every youth that he who 10
hospitable to liberty which is rldi-
culed entertains angels unawares. 1t
is safe to heed the counsel of Con.
dorcet, do not choose man who
has ever taken side against the liberty
OF any portion OF mankind. VI Edi-
tors Easy Chair, in Harper's Magazine
tor November
The indications are that Mexico
will enjoy greater prosperity under
the present president, Lcrdo, than
during tho administration of Jnarez.
Sebastian Lerdo dc Tejada was born
in the city of Jalapa, in tho State OF
Vera Cruz, April Is, 1925. II was
the intention OF his parents to fit Hin,
for the priesthood, and his studies
was arranged Tor that end; but tax.
ing dislike to the ecclesiastical pro.
fession, he went TO the city Of Mex.
leo and studied law. He early se-
cured lucrative practice, and in
1855 was elected magistrate Of the
supreme court Of Justice. Subse.
quently he held a position under
President Comonfort. He soon re.
turned to the practice Of law, from
which he derived a handsome for
tune. In 1861 he was offered
place in the cabinet Of Juarez, which
lie declined, prefering a seat IN Con-
gress. When the French invaded
Mexico, he united his fortunes with
the liberal party and did all in his
power to lncite the people of north
crn Mexico to join tho republican
army. He became Minister OF For
eign Affairs, and in that capacity he
refused the petition OF the United
States Minister to spare tho life OF
tho fallen emperor Macmillan. stat
ss.s -. t.nJ:,( that h.o ,l.ntt. ,,,no