, 1874-07-12

Woman-Sttffrace.
To the Editor Of The Chituuo 17itune:
SIR Iu my last communication 7 arrived at
the conclusion, that inasmuch as the dependence
of the female on the goodwill OF tho male is a
fact established By Nature herself, which no
enactment Of d law Of equality can change, rs
that very Law itself would depend only on the
grace Of the male sex, the question a1 issue
could only be nationally argued on the point:
Would the granting Of equal rights bo a benefit
to society?
Much as I wonld be willing to crafty tho
wishes of the fair claimants By an affirmative
answer, duo consideration of the welfare of
| society (and Us we'll Of the female as the male
portion thereby forces me to emphatically and
positively reply with mol" And I do SO be-
cause am satisfied tha:-whateyer may be tho
value Of an equality of rights inothcr respects,
which I do not care to discuss here, as each
single claim for rights must be tTca:ed on it's
own merlts-the extension Of sthe right Of suf-
frago to the female would be attended pY tho
MOST DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES
to the peace and stability Of the State and would
finally result in nothing less than tho utter de-
struction Of popular government itself By violent
and bloody revolution and civil war. For the
reason, namely: that the extension Of suffrage
to the female sex would destroy the possibility
Of attaining tue very purpose which tho right Of
suffrage tries to accomplish. That purpose is
neither mole nor less thuu to secure the peaceful
existence Of the State by shaping the Government
of the Same in obedience to the will Of the
strongest power. And tho right Of suffrage tries
to obtain thus end by removing any temptation,
as we'll f,om tue party which is possessed Of the
strongest powor, as from tile weaker one, to-
wards attempting to coutsol tho administration
OF the State for the furthcranco Of their interests
by exercising their natural rights OF using their
own faculties for their own benefit in the vio-
lent and forcible suppression Of Interests hostile
to them. as are those Of tbs opposite party. For
it il evident that. If tue will OF the stronger
party be carried out by the Government of the
State, the weaker party. whose contrary inter-
ests are disregarded, will not be inclined to make
au attempt to secure the advancement of lts
tercsts by force, as, the opposite party being
stronger, such ap attempt would carry with 1t
the Gel taitsy Of failure, and hence would DO an
absurdlty too glaring to be undertaken by "a
tloual beings. But. destroy the conviction that
the governing party Is tho more powerful one,
what motive remaius to secure tho acquiescence
Of the other party in the disregard and violation
Of it's interests by tue oxlstlug Government
None at all! For are not = Governments created
for the advancement of the Interests Of the gov
erued '?-and consequently. are not the gov
crncd justified to oppose, "by tue exercise Of
their natural facultiea, a,"-that il, By any means
in their power,-any Government dis1 egarding
their interests? And, if the opposition fails to
accomplish the aboishment Of the violation of
it's interests in favor Of the interests Of the ru
ing party. BY peaceful means, what will prevent
1t from putting an end to that disregard Of their
Interests
By FoRCIBLE MEANS?
Nothing else. than tue conviction that the
employment OF forcibe meauh would not achieve
the result aimed at. But this conviction il only
consequent upon the consciousness that the
ruling party il tho stronger Que, aud hence
possesses the power enabling it to aeh1eTe tho
victory III openly hostile contest of forces. This
consciousness being the only element upou which
the peaceful acquiesccuce Of the suppressed in
the Government Of the ruling party is based,
any institution that will toud to create it is con-
duciva to the peaceful existence aud develop
ment OF the State. Aud, ii peaceful existence is
IN essential element OF tho welfare Of society in
general it follows that the interests Of the latter
demand the greatest possible perfection OF such
luetltueions which may produce TINT RESULT viz:
the rcius OF Government are indeed held BY q
party able to info1ce it's laws and measures
u ugn,ust any oppCsltiou that may happen to feel
aggrieved and arise agaiuet their execution:
Now, claim that the insulation Of manhood
suffrage attuiua that end better than anything
else yet devised or proposed. Because it III an I
sufficiently reasonable to impress |
even tho mosL fanatlcal parelsans withiis weight,
that tile ula ority Of the vote under system OF |
manhood suffrage ls very apt to also
CARRY WITH IT THE SUPERIORITY OF POWER.
And a Government elected ty majority OF |
tho male vote will most probably possess the !
,oyer necessary to enforce lts measures against
,ny attempts OF resistance OF aggneved plrtlea.
Now, it is possible that the right OF suffrage. rs
It present exercised, NAV still be open to im-
such as would more perfectly bring
,bout harmony between the institutions or the
state aud the Interchangeable law OF Mature
which has made the weaKer dependent upon
he stronger power; yet the Introduction
IT female suffrage would not only not have
,Dy such tendency, but would on the contrary,
1tierly destroy that security OF CONVICTION, ne
.essary to the maintenance OF peace ana the sta
,,lity Of society, that the party which has been
;hosen to govern by the exercise of the right OF
outrage is also the party endowed With the
1atura qualities Of power sufficient TO MAINTAIN
is supreme will against opposition. Irant me
light OF woman-su6rage, and the result OF any
election will glre rise to the consideration OF tue
question By the defeated party, whether or not
heir defeat WIS due to tho vote OF the female
lement. And, if such appear to be the case,
yould they not be inclined to exercise theH
natural rights of taking care OF their own m
erests" by appealing from the decision OF tbe
allot-box, brought about by the influence OF the
emale vote, to the higher and definite decls1on
# the question at issue By
THE PERSUASIVE POWER OF BULLETS;
fhich decision, Nature has ordained, female
ower cannot influence?
In short, consider the extension Of tho night
1 suffrage to the female sex rs : permanent |