The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-02
Q III Nortl,erner.
PAwPAw, MicuiGAS, 0cronrn -, 1874
EnrToR TRug NoRTHERNER :

Suffrage" | would like to communicat
a few thoughts for the consideration o
YOUR readers. / have never been an ad
vocate of Woman's Rights so called
but as the question of Woman Suffrag
is to come before the voters of Michigan
| do not feel at liberty to ignore tn
subject. But l sometimes ask mysel
why should l trouble myself about thi
question? 1t will only bring an in
crease of responsibility. And wha
rights" do l covet that | do not enjoy
sheltered as 1 am by the protecting love
of an indulgent husband and the loya
affection of stalwart sons and then th'
thought comes to me-not every woman
is thus safe in the love OF husband an(
Sons.
How many wife waits with trembling
anguished heart the return of her sworn
protector from the saloon or dram shop
longing yet dreading to hear the SOUND
of his footsteps? How many widowed
mother strives with unceasing toll tc
provide for the wants Of her little ones
and at the same time guard them from
the snares spread for their feet by men
base enough to give or sell to children,
the cup of ruin? Yes how many a
mother with prayers which would almost
rend the heavens by their importantly
grieves over the son of her love who has
been lured TO ruin by men licensed to
traffic in intoxicating drinks, Or perhaps
by those engaged i'll the netarious busl
ness contrary t. laws which are dead
letter on the statute book for want OF
faithful men to execute those laws.
What marvel if such women after
pleading with prayers aud tears, that the
vendors of ardent spirits would refrain
from selling the poison to their loved
ones, should wish for the right to vote
that they mi light help TO elect faithful
men to execute the laws against the
traffic.
And we may obtain hint that such
privilege might be desirable from the
characters of the mass of the opponents
of this measure, for we shall find all the
veaders of ardent spirits and the great
Ilass of the drinkers of ardent spirits, ar.
rsyed in solid phalanx against it, and
we shall also find nearly all those who
were in favor of sustaining slavery as a
national institution, and who were loud
III their denunciation of the Government
during the late war, denouncing woman
suffrage, while we shall find the great
body of those who favor Woman Suf
frage, sober, temperate, patriotic and
christian men. But says one, what about
" Beecher.Tilton ?" simply this: all good
causes have at one time or another been
advocated by great rascals and if it
proves anything it would be equally
valid against manhood suffrage, for do
not these same men advocate manhood
suffrage, and would you permit such
wretches to vote, while you deny that
privilege to pure and noble women, a
precious privilege bought for men with
blood, and l may add also by the sacri-
fees and devotion of American women.
But says one, "Woman Suffrage is con.
trary to the Bible" This, if true,
would be an unanswcrable argument, let
us look at it moment. The Bible was
not given to teach us political economy
but only to instruct us in our relations
to God and to prepare us for future
world. But the Bible especially asserts
the equality of the human race, saying,
" There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is neither male nor female but ye are all
oac IN Christ Jesus" and in accordance
with this teaching we find many evan
gclicaI denominations permitting and Ell.
couraging their women to vote on all
matters coming before the Church, and
although myself member of one of
these churches, [ have never heard of
any evil resulting, and have never heard
the right called in question. We have
also in the Bible one example at least of
. woman welding political authority
with the Divine appreciation. Debo.
r'h the prophecies, the wife of Lapidoth,
she Judged Israel and the children of
Israel come to her for Judgment, and by
her means the Lord saved Israel from
their enemies "and the land had rest
forty years." See Judges chapter.
This example proves l think that it is
not morally wrong for woman to weld
political authority and if she may limo.
gently fill an important Office of govern
ment it surely would be no sin to give
her voice in the election of such officers
If then Woman Suffrage be not NOR
ally wrong, it only remains to consider
its cxpediencv. 1t is objected that it
will only add to the great mass of ig.
norant and vicious voters, while the in.
telligent, virtuous and christian woman
will not care to vote.
The first objection applies with equal
force against universal manhood suffrage,
tho second remains to be proven, let
them try us and see. Then again, 1t
will make women coarse and vulgar" etc.
Now | want to ask what is there in the
simple act of casting ballot to trans.
form a modest woman into coarse vira.
90?
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