Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-06-01
WOMEN SUFFRAGE.
Remarks of Hon. Thos F. Bayard il
the u S. Senate on the 28th
Of May, 1874.


the Senate biil to establish tho Territory Of
Penblna, and To prov Ido Temporary gov
eminent the refor
Mr.. Sargent ilnvod to amend tho hill so |
that tho right 10 vote or hold Office IN tho |
Territory should not i've restricted on nc. |
ount at Taca. color or sev.
Tho PRESIDING OFFICER, (Mr. Clay
ton IN tho chairJ Tho question IL on tho |
amendment nt the Senator from California. |
Mr.. Sargent upon which tine yeas aud |
NAYS have heon ordered.
Mr.. BAY RkD. MIR. Pres esideHt, il would |
seem scarcely credible that in the Senate of |
the United States, an abrupt and sudden |
change IN 80 fundamental u relation Hs that
horne by tho two sexes To our system of
Government should bo proposed as au "ex
pertinent, and that II should bo gtavely
rocoMinended that IA newly organizsd Ter |
ritory under act at ungress shonll i,e set
aside inr this "experlnent' which il IN iii
rect, grossly iIreverent disregard of all that
We have known as our rule, our great tun
danental rule, in organizing government
OF laws, whether colonial, State or FEEDER al,
in this country.
frankly say, Mr.. President that which
strikes nie most iurcibiv Is the ern,, irrey-
erencs Ot tins proposition. ITS utter disrs-
gard ofthat Di vine will bv which man and
woman were created different, PHYSICALLY,
intellectually aud morally, and IN defiance
| of which weare now to have this poor weak
futile attempt of man to set up his scne mes
| of am elioreiion IN defiance of ali that We
have read, of every tradition, OF every rev.
| elatiou, OF all human experie nee ,enl " hten-
| ed as 1t has been by Divine permission. Ii
| seems to mo that TO introduce so grave 4
| subject as this, to spring 1t here upon the
Senate without notice il the shaps Of an
| amendment 10 pendiog measure, to pro.
pose thus TO experiment with the great laws
that lie at the very foundation OF human
socielv. and 10 do it ior tho most part in Tho
| trivial tone VI hich we nave witnessed cur
ing this debate, Is not only NORTH, ing, but
it renders ono almost hopeless Of the per-
manence OF our Government II this Is To be
the example set by one ofthe HOUSES OF Con-
gress, that which claims TO be more sedate
and deliberate, II 1t proposes In this light
and p6Iinnctory way 10 doal with questions
| OF this grave nature and import.
| Sir, theie Is no time al present for that
preparation which sucb subject demand,
at the hsnos of any sensible man, mindful
OF MS responsibilities, who seeks ia deal
with it,
This is an ait6mpt to disregard laws pro
mulgated by the Almighty Himself. II Is
lirrsVerent legislation IN ina simplest anu
strongest sense of the word. Nav. sir. not
only so. hut it ~ step IN doiinnce ot tho
| laws of ROY, aled religion ~ gIVen tn mon.
Ii there be ous instituiion whieh IL ~eenis
10 ma has affected The character OF ia ~
country, which has Affected the character al
modern civilization. The results ot " bieb " q
can but impsrfectly trace aud bnt partly
| recognize 1T is the effect ot the institution ul
Christian marriage. the my sieriou ils unit
Ing the cue man and the one woman untI
they shall become one aud not tNo peranns
Ii is an institution which is nav stef,0i
, | which is bay ond the reach and unioTstand.
ling OF man hut he cortaihiv can hest OK
hitit his sens Of duty and pi o per OH Igst on
when he rHverentiy shall submit Ia aud
recognize lis wisdom. All such laws as
proposed bv this aIneudnent ara stumbinl
blocks and are meant to be stumhlIOl 1
boels in the way OF that porieet unioH %
r the sexes which Vas iniaLdeI bS the law a
. Christian marriage.
I'll Suffrage is "a political franchise ii Is not I
e right bscausa the word "tlght' ~ Hsa,l IL
| reference TO voting iii the fourteenth Rmend
ment To the Constitution that doss not MAX,
itaright. IL Is in the very nature OF gov
vsrnment political privilege conhded
q according 10 the OK ieency, the expediency
Ivy the wisdom OF those who control tn.
Government tn certain class. The snggss
ton of the Senator iiom Vermont Ia the
iSenator from Indiana WAS entirely sound
| and ii was unanswered by the ShnatOr from
Indiana and ii ~ unansWernble by hlm OF
any Que else. Ii this right Ia vote lao wha
=, The Senator from Indiana declares II 10 be
natural and inaiienahie hight. thon you
have no more right Ia deny IL toa person " ht
is under the age OF twenty-ona years SIr
/, the difference Is radical. Dung ~ no llghI,
: il IL privilege granted. franchise which
Is granted 10 certain classes. moro or less
extended according 10 The supposed eXpe-
, dIency which shall control the minds al
those who frame The constitution OF govern.
| ment for people. There IL no wrong done
so far a. the ahnegaiinn off right is iRvoly-
] | ed, by DENY inc this to certain classes of Il
1community, whether on account ot age or
l sex or anv other supposed causes OF dis
Qualification. In ihis country the waola
foundation OF our Institutions has beer that
the male when arrived mt years OF supposed
, discretion alone should lake part In the
political control OF tho country.
1t is not necessary for me to speak now OF
q other influences than those that come from
politics; it Is not necessary for me to To dwell
' upon the actual and potential influences that
: control the fate of men and of nations. We al
! know that the human passions and affection.
are The true governors NJ the world and moi
+ this power which You call voting. 1t Is lh,
:, passions, it Is the affections 1t is the Sympa-
I thies and desires of the human heart and hu-
u = man ambition that control the vote, aud no
: the vote that controls them. And now yol
X propose to try an experiment upon com
: muniiy composed of your own fellow citizens
an experiment which is in defiance of all hu
man experience, all suggestions of philosophy
of your own laws and CT every lesson yOl
should have drawn from every civilized ma
tion that has preceded you.
Under the operation of this amendment wha
will become of the family. what will becom,
of The family hearth stone around which cius