Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-06-19
THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN.
Specch by Horny Ward Beecher:


Mr.. Beecher was one of the Speak
ers at the woman's Mass Meeting, in
New York, lately. The following is
the substance of his speech, as re-
ported in the Tribune:
Now, be it understood that | don't
advocate anything that shall change
the essential womanliness of woman
and project her out of her proper
sphere. If thought that the grant
ing of these rights would make her
less excellent as Il woman, as a sister,
us Il daughter, less admirable AS Il
wife and companion and counselor,
less reverend as Il mother, my tongue
would clave to the roof of my mouth
before | would utter one single word
to produce such disastrous results
[applauscl; but l believe it would
make her larycr-hearted and larger
minded, and when she is larger
hearted and largcr-minded she is Il
better daughter, better wife and
mother, and finally, better citizen.
| Applausc.l 1t is because l hold
that the household is the foundation
institution Of society, and we cannot
make it's foundations too deep or too
permanent, and because we cannot
Ito too much for it, that | advocate II
larger sphere for woman.
In the first place, disabuse you r
minds of the idea that any one urges
any woman to speak that doesn.t
want to speak. All we say is, when
it plcascs God to give to woman the
gift of painting, of carving, of build
ing, or speaking, she has Il right to
the employment of her talent, and l
simply ask for mobstructcd liberty
for woman to do that which God has
fitted her to do well. Applause.
l don't argue that it is the duty OF
every woman to be politician, and
still less Il stump speaker, | only
ask for liberty. 1t is said that the
exercise Of these rights will make
her virilc, taking from her the plan
CIV and the delicacy and the sweet
ness and the clinging habits of wo-
man that the charm of woman is IN
the halt.lights, the tints, and that the
moment you thrust her out into the
hard sunshine and the glare, you
take away that shrinkingness and
that tenderness and that exquisite
bloom we love so much to see in her.
If thought SO would withdraw my
advocacy. We have men enough,
such as they are, and we don't want
to add doubtful men to the number.
Laughter. No; it is for the sake
of clothing that robust strength OF
man with other elements that do not
belong to them that we bring them
in, SO that the community shall have
the benefit of I'LL the minds that God
has made, and not the benefit OF only
one side of those minds. Applause.
We don't think Il man is losing In his
manhood when he becomes kinder
and more gentle, like woman, nor do
we think woman is any less wo-
III IN because she employs the larger
qualities she possesses, and that
heretofore have seemed to rest ia the
province of man.
must say l comot respect the
prciudiccs of Christian men and
women who think the question is
settled by the text Of scripture.
They say Paul would not allow a
woman to preach. | take the larger
view of this matter, and aver that OF
all Of those great principles which
stand related to purity of character
and all those truths which determine
the divinity of human nature, work.
ing men up from lower plane to
ward higher and spiritual, are OF
authority; and that in the new dis
pcnsation under Jesus Christ no pol
icy is of any authority. There is
nothing in the New Testament that
says the Church or the school or the
household shall take particular
form. The directions that were local
and temporary for the then juvenile
Church given i'll the New Testament
which theoretically they still urge i'll
the form Of an objection. l mean
this, that while it is held by the
Brooklyn Presbytery that woman
is not allowed to preach or teach, il
is not held that woman is not per
mittcd to be at the head of a mission
AIRY society, to go from church to
church, to talk in lecture rooms
everywhere, to conduct Sabbath
schools, Biblc-classcs, etc. All that
they are not permitted to do is to
stand in Il particular place called a
pulpit, and talk about it. They may
90 on and work all they desire, but
the Pharisces say they must not talk
about it. Laughter.
In regard to womcn's voting, some
say, why should she go out to vote
What is the necessity of it? Can
you tell me of any reason why men
should vote? 1t has always been in
all ages the reason advanced by
kings why their subjects should not
vote, that you advance why women
should not vote. There is never
such Il question raised in regard to Il
duchess or queen, and this is just
because she is advanced by political
nosition bcyOnd the common herd
Now, what is not too good for q
duchess or queen is not too good
for my wife. Great applause.
What they hold for aristocacy there
I hold for democracy here. APP
plausc. Should you go with you'
wife to a primary, and suppose youl
nciyhbors take their wives along, dc
you suppose there would be such
scenes in that primary as are seen III
Brooklyn? Primaries are not the
most favorable points from which to
view democratic institutions. Laugh
teri It won't do to point to excep
tional instances here and there, and
bcholding the mistakes and cxagcra
tons, say, 'Thcrc! that is always the
way with womcn!" for the mistakes
and cxagerations might have been
seen from the first. All that is nee
cssary is to try her, and you will sec
that she will put new life and new
bcnignity into political and public