New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-05
WOMAN SUFFRAGE EEXPEDEyT.

WOMAN SUFFRAGE INEXPEptENT.
Az AHGCMENr FROM THYHoLOGy BY uE MARY C..
PUTNAM
At stated meeting Of the Woman's Suf-
frlre Society a No l5I East ftyhrst-t. Yesterday
afternoon Dr. Mary P1tnam by invitation, del vered
AZ address movement tor giving the suffrage 20
women she stated her study Of the pny sca- ser
euces had I'D her 20 look ts matter from point Of
new somewhat dif rent from that % many WORKER or
woman and hence .he craved The indulgence o. her
bearers In considering the subject distinction must
be made between the rignt u rule and the ugnt 70
choose rulers. THIS radlca. difertnee should
never be lost sIght ~, and would info
euce the course Of her arguments. The famous
maxim that an governments derive taei- Just powers
from the Of the governed the key note %
much discussion suffrage 10 hasa profoundly meta
physical and abstract meaning. % which sufficient AZ
tentiou paid As generally taken 10 - foreign %
Ango-Sax0u civilization. u wac formulated ~ i-oI--
seau ana RODesperre his disciple, tried % reduce u %
practice. Both Rousseau and kODesperre reasoned
from a false husis-the seton OF social contract
which never existed Society did not originate az Hou--
ssau taught IN the mutual concessions Of individuals
but crystal-Led about center which center was the
mower taken Iy tbs aud submitted % By the
rest The theory soundest history logic and fact. ID
for the rule Of the most capable. provided the
theory D. not pushed 20 the extremes
characteristic o. Carlyle IL one sense al gov
suments by the consent of the governed because
the governed always immensely I'D the majority anc
could crush the ruling minority. Even 4n absolute
monarch re By the tact consent " Dis subjects. and
t this consent bis subjects represented IN the gov
eminent though they have no voice 10 details. Voting
h 700 lightly considered the necessary evidence ~ con
sent Not only may consent exist without suffrage, Tut
n NAV be- absent although vote De taken as ID such
politcal iucgies a. Louis Napoieous annexation OF
savoy, and his election ar Emperor Of the French
people
Another a1ioma-io basis Of agitation is the sentiment
that al men are born WIKI equal rights 10 ne, liberty
and The pursuit of happ.ue-s.' THIS lei not physoogl-
cauy true OF large proportion ~ human beings
would not Gle before they year Old Their rights
lbrrfy ose. Wntu II conflicts with the liberty OF
other. The right 70 vote includes The right OF represn
tinct The Roman pleDean- were represented out ~
parcIan trlbunes. piebeian could not aoia ONCE II
women could elect special men - rcpre-enta-
tiyes o. Their needs anu claims they might BE-
rs eiectu4iy represented AZ they elected
sertatir as We knew cost America. whore the
MINORITY Is wholly reureeute1. II D. often better Tor
human beings have al tAe rslt- Jf represt ut1ton
vinour voting. a. Cor children peasants n rOpe and
po,siav uegr0es America The attempt % 20 oryond
Inc ubv-oiOc,l basic OF rgnt h representation ls un
uf mischief Universal suffrage was decreed ~ france III
i5- Jle consequence Wa me HtcuLs li me 4hie On
fru1n the Of the ignorant majority In The southern
There is rhe objection TO putting woman sui
fnge on the level wtth suffrage. Difference
OF and difference Q. race lfe hoi snaogons. There
question that some races are immensely nfe
/
hnitey less demonstrate than that " women. Tie
right Of vote can only be proved when 70 i
demonstrated thai they ply sioOcay require sunrage
that they dl Out their indYlduauues Ot exert
their capacities without There danger In adding
unnecessarily 10 privileges. Tie French peasats before
the granting OF universal sunIage had all The rights
that we're good for them. Unless women can show
tDey should have suffrage, though
denied that suffrage h the direct coro
ary OF democratic OF the rlEnt 20 vote
Tie great Injury not thai women 10 general
do vote. bat thai TIE well qualified cannot The
ludscrimiuate admission OF the 10 suffrage would
De a great blow % tue On wuInAhs advancement
There Svaut4gc ia seeking % Get Oh the eV OI ID
discriminate male voting ~ repeating the eVil 10 an
The Dcrd Of society N that the true
and claims " ts every part shall get prUpcr con
sderAOD II oyory elias, fully represented. though
by members VI rs ces The lFue theory OF SUI
rage satisfied.
Dr. Mary Putnam considered AZ length the prOrn
Of the prcscni stem Of American eur age,
ulch che claimed the logical consequences uI the
kIurmula thai every body has right 10 vote
These IA brief follows The constant uninten-
gence the majority, Tie absence Of representation FOR
the minority, he insecurity OF the election OF oOpeent
n merely popular officers the OF tests Tor
officers ntDess the inevitable degradation OF the idea
Of authority a. long these conditions exist woman
suffrage would Oo 30 advantage either % women or
society. Women snOuId consider the benefit OF society
instead 0f only aiming al the gratncation OF their own
wshes IL they do agtate suffrage. they should do
Lnand Jest lOi capacity, not property test Ia con
cusi0n Miss Putnam deprecated thu grating OF gen
erI Vi female suffrage by central government
whether state or national, aud advised % Work
Tor Offices Of Usefulness, boari.
missions charity, aud the like spOkr bitterly Ot
injustice OF the noureprese ntt.Du Of women 10 lhe
Bu4ra O; Instruction of t1ls civ.