Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-04-17
Speech Of Hon. Asher Cook In Cen.
Con. on Woman Suffrage.

Inc electVo tfancnlse is one OF the PuttJchl L
rights which individuals acquire on entering
society, and for which thcy surrender some Of
their natural rights. This being The case all |
who enter this state Of society, should be invest
ed with this right. This is proposition |
which cannot be denied.
But the objector says, do you intend thus 10
eIoths women with the right Of suffrage
No one clothes her with IL. The logic Of the
transition from a state Of natprs to state Of
society invests her with II. She derives II from
the same source as man derives II. Man ac-
quires n on entering a state OF society, so does
woman. And nothing but the arbitrary act Of
man, enforced by bis superior physical power,
deprives her OF it's enjoyment. But as we all
venerste the sacred name Of mother, and the
endearing title Of sister, and the more holy re-
lation Of wife. how comes il into our mi nds to
deny them the exercise Of right, to which ma
ture and the formation Of society entitle them
equally With oursclves2
Do we indeed believe that the mother who
laid The foundation Of our education and
the solid basis Of broad christian philauthro-
py, aud thereby taught us how to vote Alright Is
less capable Of voting correctly than wei
Does the young man in the pride Of his
strength, believe that she, whom he Is hazarding
all to win, is inferior to himseltI And could the
hazard of the die b., determined iu his favor,
BY voting 10 confer on her the elective franchise
would lie not do ii2 Then why has she not
long since been enfrRnchisedf To this there
is but one answcr3 Man Is tyranical, and nu-
just" and to retain power In himself, will
withhnld il from the dearest companions Of his
Hfe Where is tie son who dares say the moth
l,ot inf dlffnrpuca
between good and evil, and started him on the
road to greatness and glory, is less capable Of
voting currectlv than lie Reason, and the
logic Of events, having thus entitled women TO
the ballot, the burden Of proof is with our oppo-
nents, To show why she should not have the
right To use II.
| shall not ransack ereatisn to prove that
woman is competent In rule. The worlds
history is full of proofs Of this. She rules
everywhere to day in the government and
education Of her children.
Wumans right ts the tallnt seems so clear
that it is like some Of the mathematical axioms
which ii is difficult to mole clearly define them
py stating them. But will try aE,in. Each
individual, on entering state ot society surrrn-
ders a position Of natural rights aud in return
therefor receives, among others, the political
rights of elective franchise. woman Is an
individual, and when she enters into state OF
society and thereby surrenders portion of her
natural rights, she receives in return therefor
the elective franchise. equally with man, on the
axiom that things equal tn another are equal to
each other. Aud AS she surrenders as mnch
of natural rights, On entering state OF soceity
as man, she should receive equal rights IN re-
turn.
II the sylegIsm be correct the right inevitable
consequence. And where logic leads cheerful
lv follow, for the laws Of nature were formed bT
an unerring hand.
An examination Of the nature and origin OF
hat
man, phylOsOphcally considered, is equally
entitled IN the bollot with man, while she has
ever been.denied the right to exercise i even in
a very limited sphere.
She not only surreuders an equal share OF
natural rights with man, entering into
state of society, but sae Contributes equauy
with him in the rlaintainanee ot society, and
enjoyment, to give happiness to those whom
she has brought forth.
Truly has she obeyed the command to mul-
tiply and repenish the earth, aud bitterly has
she suffered the curse
I'm sorrow shalt thou bring forth"
She has furnished armies for men TO slaugh-
ter, while her tears have been unavailing to
stop tue carnage, because pOwerless without
the ballot TO control.
Not only do reason and natural right prove
her entitled 60 the ballot, but the matter IS so
| apparent that, when speaking OF the rights OF
citizens without bearing in mind the intention
| to exclude her, we always include her and
speak of her as entitled to the right by one
| general expression. In the bill cf rights we
| declare, that all power is inherent in the peo-
] pie. Are not women part of he people
| And as this cannot be denied il is admitted by
this solem declaration, that the political power
| Of the state iuheres in woman as IN
| man. But what aYail is it tn her. To declare
that she po ssesses th,s political power, when
we deny her the right to exercise it? In the
! the bill Of rights we declare that all political
| power is in the people. But in the article on
the elective franchise we say-all male citizens
are electors thus making the promise to the
| ear in the bill of rights, and breaking it to
| the heart in the article on the elective fran
chise. This craftsmanship is emnently worthy
the ance nj: logic from whom it was derived:
- Resolred, That the earth belongs to the
saints.
Resolued, That we are the saints and therefore
the earth belongs TO u.s."
Which will make the constitution read thus I:
| All political power is inherent in the people.
The men are the people, and therefore all po.
litical power is inherent in the men.
| Is the elective franchise so sacred right,
that the purity Of the ballot will be stained by
the fair hands of our mothers, wives and
sisters7
To her, the Almighty, in the wisdom with
| which he created worlds, has intrustsd the
dearest interests Of mankind, aud most sacredly
has she maintained the tr1st.
You may deny her political power but you
| cannot change the order Of nature. In the
| glory Of your yower, yOu are powerless, Tor
| "'Tis she who can dispose alaue
Whether your heirs shall be your own
Whose integrity you must,
In spite Of all your caution trust"
| With these eternal interests in her keeping,
| it sounds like idocy to hear men say, she is not
compete nj to exercise judicially, the right OF
suffrage. Is it possible that she. who has
| borne a nation on he bossom is unworthy to
| govern il. after II has grown TO manhood
| EufranchIse women, and we will hear less
| about the dirty pool Of politics. Their hsrcu-
lean labors will clean this Augean stable.
| Where women preside, purity and order reign.
With what neatness and cleanliness they ar
range their household, aAd clothe their children.
With what solitude they provide for the COM
| fort Of their husbands.
| II women were invested with the elective
| franchise all this would be turned TO the ad-
vantage of the state. Woman is the light Of
| the hnme the life Of the social circle, aud the
| guardian angle in the sick room.
How dark is home without her. How cheer
less society, deprived Of her preseses. Life
| deprived Ct her les, would be cherries and
rayless and maus wanderings over the earth,
| without woman's society. would be an aimless
search for personal gratifcatinn.
| In the household, purity aud order accompany
her. Ia the garden, flowers bloom around her
| Aud in the church to which she invites fallen
world, she prepares a music which would
charm Caliope aud her nymphs, that the
| the confession Of sin stricken heart may be
carried to the throne Of grace, on strains
sweeter than angel vuices. After all this de-
V0tuu TO your interest aud happiness must she
plead in vain at your feet for the exercise Of
right. which God aud nature 50 clearly in
tended for her
Give woman this right and you will drive