The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-02-09
The Right Of Suffrage.


The following is a portion of an able
article in a recent issue Of the LadcpeIld-
eHt, by VIM. Lloyd Garrison:
All that the advocates of the ballot for
woman ask Is, that whatever qualifica-
tions are made the condition on which
it is granted shall be just and equal,
and, therefore, without prescription OF
sex. Be it nativity, term of naturali-
cation, the possession of property, abil-
ity to read and write, etc, etc, all these
being irrespective of sex, they demand
that the line be fairly drawn, include or
exclude whom il may. No fayors to be
desired or wrongs to be tolerated.
But what is the fact? One half Of the
people are exercising the right of suf-
frage simply on the ground of their
manhood. One half are denied that
right solely because of their woman
hood! Just as it was formerly held that
''black men had no rights that white
men were bound to respect" Just as in
all despotic governments it is main
tanned by those who have usurped all
authority that the masses have no rights
against their tyrannical rule. This is
not merely q singular anasnoly; but it
is in fiat contradiction of the fundamen-
tai principles of the Declaration of In
dependence, that "all men are created
equal, and endowed with an inalienable
/ right to life, liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness; that to secure these rights
governments are instituted among men,
/ dcFicdng their Just pO1ccrs from the con-
/ sent OF the gOUeTncd. We, THE PEo-
I PIE of the United States -. do ordain
and establish this Constitution" ave,
THE PEOPLE of Maine, do agree" etc.
/ "All government, of right, originates
/ from THE PEOPLE, is founded in con-
sent, and instituted for the general
good" icon. of New Hampshire. ]
"The body polite is a social compact,
by which the tChOlc people covenants
with each citizen, and each citizen with
the whole people, that all shall be gov
erned by certain laws for the common
good. - Con. of Massachusetts. 1--WE,
THE PEOPLE of the State of Rhode ISL
and and Providence Plantations do
orClain and establish this Constitution of
government. - Con. of II. L. "TIIE
PEOPLE of Connecticut do, in order more
eflectually to define, secure and perpet-
uate the liberties, rights and privileges
which they have derived from their an
cestors, hereby ordain and establish the
following Constitution and form of civil
government" - Con. of Connecticut.
And such is the language almost uni
versally used in the several State Con-
stitutiOns of the Union.
We must go forward to universal suf-
frage, in its brOadest scope, or backward
to tOryism and autOcracy. There is no
middle ground. For a government to
confess TO have emanated from the peo-
pie, and then to make political cipheTs
of one half of the body polite, is an in
Justice too glaring to be tolerated any
longer.
In pubic discussion recently on this
subject, in Boston, it was repeatedly as
serted by one of the disputants, and the
assertion was deemed by him to end the
argument, that suffrage is neither nat
ural nor political right. On being
asked where he got his right to vote, he
/ briskly replied, "From the State"
/ "And where did the State get it?n
"FrOm the Constitution" "And where
did the Constitution get ii ~ To this
inquiry he begged to be excused from
making a reply at that time No won
/ der. Neither the State nor the Consti-
tuition being of Heaven, but of men,
who assumed their right TO the ballot as
among those self-evident truths for the
vindication of which the Revolutionary
struggle was begun and ended, the only
sensible answer would have been, "Fron
Il
still been pushed, "Whence did the peO
, pie derive it ~ what other reply wOult
have been pertinent, except this: "II
and of themselves, in defiance of al
r thrones and dynasties, all aristOcracie
and monopOlies.h Most certainly; and
: therefore, all women, because they ar
! women, must be difranchisedl
1t was among the impressive utter
l ances of the lamented DIR. Follen: "Pop
r ular opinion, the habits of society, ar
; all calculated TO lead women to eonside
I the place, the privileges and the dutie
= which etiquette has assigned TO them a
5 their peculiar pOrtion-as more import
= ant than those which Nature has givel
e them G1 common lCith men. Men hav
= at all times been inclined to allow {
r women peculiar privileges, while tciH
D holding from them their essential right,
/ Women, as well as men, are ratiOna
] and moral beings. They begin to fee
e that the place which men have marke
o out for them is but a small part of wha
T society owes to them, and what the
k themselves owe TO society, to the whOl
= human family, and to that Power {
i whom each and all are indebted and aC
h countable for the use of the powers eT
trusted to them" No stronger confirm
alton of this is needed than is furnishe
- by the efforts of large body of the be.
: educated and most enlightened wOme
!, of the land to secure for themselves a
equal voice in the making of the Law
n and the administration of governmen
!. They will surely succeed.
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