National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-17
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
EXTRACT FROM A LEofuRE BY d. A.



In his lecture on "Citteenship," delivered at
Uniontown on Thursday evening to q large au-
dience, MI. D A. Strsker thus referred to the
subject Of woman suffrage:
81 may be permitted for few brief moments to
discuss what Is commonly known as the woman
sunrage qnestton-which is the right OF woman to
be voter, 1t is pertinent to our suhject Of citi
Eenship, and since have made few remarks be-
fore wiil continue in this connection. Suffrage,
to citizens a uaiifed by law A woman Is q citizen,
and If she Is duly qualified asprovided for by law,
net the easiest question to an Rw. Why shs
that suffrage to women is right growing out Of
citizenship. Then II is a well founded claim. But
does not deal with the abstract but the concrete of
principles; hence IL is quite as proper by such asz
have the authority to inquire into the social expe
diency of granting woman the suffrage account
of sex Il Is to qualify the exercise Of it by
ditions as TO property, education. residence, and
the like. may be asked whether the same argu-
ment would not have been made Of the suffrage of
the negro2 / answer the socalled well-founded
claim urged against negro suffrage-was color
nor religiously, and suppose for the reason that
we would have brought down o good number OF
other folks with US, who answered the objection
in every respect save color.
But is not sex a better claim against suffrage
than color? I leave this to be answered. Will
ask should the exceptions to q proposition form
the rule to govern it, Does il follow because we
had excellent queens, female Scholarships wo-
man is as vlrtuous as man, that she should there
favorable to woman suffrage just in proportion to
the falling off Of the scales which obscure my
sight from the right Of the claim. 1t is my pres
ent opinion that the law needs reform in this de-
partment-that in many respects 1t is defective;
but why cannot q man remedy 1t. 1t cannot be
Contract Of this Government, or there is no ris6t
to govern her at all, or make her amenable to the
laws. How shall we remedy this defective con-
how The present status Of society in govern
ment has been o growth Of nearly o,ooo years.
What effect will it have to introduce now ele-
ment, except we are certain it is to promote good
and perhaps this is the reason why women should
be admitted voters in the land OF their govern
ment Can the naked rights Of the subjects Of the
King of Dahomey, being men, entitle them to
partake in the government to control themf I
mean no reflection. But is not fitness o proper
question? Man may we'll hang his head that he
has so treated woman as to be compelled to CUES
ton her fitness to be q partner with him in the
affairs of government.
The forcible novelist, Sir Edward Bulwer, I'm
bis novel. 1.-THE Student" in writing Of the spirit
OF society in England and France, says "Here
we cannot but feel the necessity Of su6jectng our
gallantry to our reason, and inquirlng how far
the indifference to what is great, and the passion
for what is frivolous, may Be occasoned by the
present tone Of that influence, which women
necessarily exercise in this country. as in all
modern civilized communities. In order
to account for the tone that fashion receives We
have but to inquire into the education bestowed
upon women. Have we (mon) then instilled into
them those public principles las we'll as private
ace9mPlishments) which are calculated aHaI to en-
(women5 are the first to laugh at principles,
which, II is but just TO say the education we have
given them precludes them from undertaking
. Now were it true that>women did not
influence public opinion we should be silent on
the subject. = But we hold that feminine
influence, however secret, is unavoidably great,
and owing to this Landed ignorance of public mat
tiers, we hold 1t also to be unayoidably corrupt.
How often has the worldly tenderness of tho
mother been the secret cause of the furnished
character or velal vote Of the hCsbnndf But we
are travelling out Of our path; Who knows but
what Bulwer is all wrong. The times and the
circumstances beget tho men and their minds. 1t
may be different with us; let us hope that it is,
and that all women may be seen fit to participate
in our public affairs. Already they have proven
much Of their fitness by O new education, wider
advantages, and civil contract.