New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-23
FEMALE SUFFRAGE,

1 The Lake Providence Reppdlican. IN
] der the head OF ''Woman's Rights" nro
! tests loudly against female suffrage. @,
rather it pleads the cause in dannins
way. It says:
[ We know of nothing that wou!C discus,
us more than to see our wives and sisters
eternally growing about the ip ustice done
woman 1t they feel that it would be an
honof TO 60 to the polls and wrangle
WITH low bidckguards, for eectioneerine
purposes, We say by all means let them 60.
and the masculine portion of the human,
race can soon see hu will make good wives,
That IS one way to put the question
but not The right way. Voting at cleo
tons for State, federal or even municipal
officers, Is not woman's right Strictly
speaking according to law it is no. a
mans right. Voting is privilege ex-
tended to a few men, by other mel, with
restrictions As to age, naturalization, and
even race, when Indians not taxed are
considered. i man, then. has no right to
vote because he is a man, Los has a woman
such right, nor is she denied such a right
because she is Of the opposite sex. The
constitution Of the United States does not
specify that women shall vote; therefore
| they are excluded from suffrage exercised
In choosing federal officers. States can
extend the privilege to the gentler sex,
but only SO far as offices created by
State laws are concerned 1t has
been done as 81 experiment in Wyoming
Territory; but tie best of women. we
think, do not desire such privilege. 1t
carries with 1t more responsibility than
pleasure. To urge that voting would rec
essarily degrade women because men de-
grade themselves to get votes is not sutii-
Gent as an argument against female suf-
TRACE. If good men wanted good women
to vote there would soon be a way made
ior them to reach the polls without Goa
taminatlon. The citizens who influence
the conduct OF a government by voting
must be ready to defend the government
by fighting 1t is proper that men should
do the fighting, and under such circum-
stances ladies will yield to them the privi-
lege Of doing the voting. This is ques-
ton Of policy for both sexes. We venture
to say that if the question Of voting
could be decided by the votes Of
women, it would be decided against female
suffrage, and for the reason that women
VIII be slow to assume the responsibilities
Of voters. They do not acknowledge that
The act Of casting ballot would make
them coarse or unretined; and the man is
laboring under a delusion who believes he
would be allowed to insult real lady who
comes out to vote. 4 woman could vote
or governor in a school room with as
much propriety and as little danger as she
could vote for governor s sword at a
,hurch fair. Men insult themselves when
hey argue that women would become de-
,raded by entering with them the same
'lace Of business or public office Did
florence Nightingale OF Clara Barton Of
New York, or Mrs. Lander, or any Of the
lob!e women who did angel work in hos
'ijals or on tented fields become degraded |
y contact with soldiers? Linda Gilbert ,
las led perfect life OF home happiness
nd goodness; and from her earliest days,
lnce she learned to pity prisoners as they
boxed at Ter through grated windows
hen she was school girl walking past
be has been the friend Of the most har {
ened criminals. Christian charity is not S
arrow enough TO reject Miss Gilbert, and ,
here IS not thief in Sing Sing or Tam i
lany man in the Tonbs who would not I
everence her, OF be glad to kiss the hem t
her garment. Ii, then, murderers can t
eat lady respectfully, we can hope
nat III good time the average politi- Il
an, under proper party restraints, might S
induced to do the same thing The "
sues OF wearing pants and voting are t,
ot identical. Nor is Mary Walker
preventative woman. She is a poor h
eature, eccentric almost to insanity; she y
Is hobby, and believes she must have G,
lnts to ride it. The fame of Joan of Arc n
warrior came from the success she | K
hieved in getting fight out Of others. If
omen are not fitted for the front rank in O,
tile For them to fight or vote would b,
It add to their perpleZities and troubles: 4;
d good men should so control and ex
ape the course Of our government that CO
~ may not be obliged to do either. ~,