New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-18
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
Lecture by Bishop Haven.

Chapel, on woman Suffrage, Why Not and
Why!' drew large and fashionable audi
ence to listen to this eloquent divine illus
trate and discuss such an important sub
jecs. Precisely at half-past seven o'clock,
the hour for the lecture to commence, the
Rev. Mr.. Morrow and Bishop Haven as.
cended the puipis steps. when the former
introduced the latter to the audience.
Bishop Haven commenced By referring to
the new idea OF woman suffrage, which was
the talk OF tea tables and on verandas. AID
might yet work its way up to the dignity OF
being discussed in the workshops and bar
rooms where political discussions have their
termination. This new idea, however, was
not so new after all Pay visit to Wind
sor, six hundred years ago, enter the great
iron gate aad follow the beautiful path that
leads through the woods, continue on to the
brow Of hill, and there see narrow
stream winding to the sea. and then look
upon small meadow, very green las all
English meadows are, very quiet and very
historic. It was 600 years ago tha. multi
ude of lords and knights. with their pages,
caparisoned steeds and men at arms, Assem-.
bied on the little green meadow, showing
that some commotio1 was abroad in the
realm. And at that castle, pale and trem-
bling. was the potentate, planning how to
get the best Of the warrior knights. who
were cIamoring for share in the govern
ment
sanS TN ~ S;1if hln ha
miyhtiest monarch 10 the world, for assist
ance, promising that if these rebellioCs
lords and knights sad men-at-arms We're
scattered to turn England over to the Mus
sulman faith. The Sultan declined to come
to the assistance of Englands prince, and
ne was thus compelled to attach his sigma
ture to parchment. That parchment was
the Magma Charta of English liberty; that
prince was King John, and that little green
meadow was Runrymede.
Thus the great point was gained ia the
concession and participation in the govern
ment by portion Of the people; yet these
dukes and lords and knights never sup
posed that their serts would share with
them equal rights under that Magma
Charta those subalterns who wore around
their necks iron collars, with the names OF
their masters engraved upon them. These
dukes and lords never supposed that these
serfs would one day become their masters:
yet before three hundred years this was an
accomplished fact. These serfs, in time be-
came free men, accumulated money and
property, and helped materially in the
| financial support of the government, when
they at last said: I'VE will not give our
money until we see how it is disposed Of,
and 80, by the eimpOverishment OF the govern.
yua,t +hav uara CaIa share fharpip and
eventually became the head and front OF
| the English government.
| In the former days of this commonwealth
no one but church members could hold
office. If such q state OF affairs existed
now, what wonderful increase there would
| be in the churches. especially just before
election time. Then it was necessary for
| the minister to certify to the standing Of the
| man asking the franchise of his fellows
| But the ministers saw they could not hold
| the people in this way, and the banishment
| of Jonathan Edwards from the church was
| the signal for the breaking up Of clerical in
| tuence in politics.
Then came the money question. and the
prevalent idea from South Carolina to
Massachusetts was that money was the
| true basis Of suffrage. No one could vote
| unless he swOre to owning so much prop.
erty. At this time. Bishop Haven. with
| the other students, in accordance with the
| laws of Connecticut, marched to the polls.
| voted as landhOlders tthe land having been
| given them for that pusposel and twenty
! four hours after they we're stripped Of their
| possessions by fulfilling their promise to
return the ownership of the land to the
original landholder when the election was
| over.
But money and property qualifications
| failed, and the people rose to the position
| that manhood was the true basis Of suffrage.
| not religion, OF money, or property. but the
| great Jeffersonan idea, which was deter
| mined by five years war on bloody fields.
| Then came the fifteenth amendment, whic h
| declared that no man. of whatever stand
| ing. looks or color, should be deprived of
| the right of suffrage in the United States of
| America. No other nation upon the face
| of the earth dare make such law. Ac
! far advanced as England and France are
| to-day in the march of civilization, they
dare not follow out3the idea of Jefferson
| and pass law making manhood the true
basis of suffrage. America had continued
the march of progress and liberty inaugu-
| rated six hundred years ago by that band
of warriors assembled on the little green
| meadow at Runneymede. and this march
would continue on till woman. also, had
| the right of suffrage.
In looking over the large audience, the
! speaker observed that half-the talrest and
| most attractive half-had no voice in the
| administration of the government. and this
! was the case all over the civilized world.
| The question of woman suffrage came natu.
rally before US as one of the live questions
! of the day It was well for some to say to
the waves, "Thus far shalt thou come and
| vance and sweep all obstacles before them,
like the serfs at Runnymede. If you pro-
pose to construct railroad to the Pacific,
| and YOU come to lovely town, do you
| bring the terminus of your railroad there
No, you are bound for the Pacific coast
| and will continue on. So was it with man
and woman-one can not advance without
Both are equal, and the legitimate course
of human events must result in the partici-
| patton with man, of woman, in the exercise
| of the ballot. and Joint dictati0n. manage
ment and government of State and national
| affairs
Some say this is not practicable because
woman has no will of her own. Married
men do not say so. It was true that they
{ promised obedience at the altar, but the
speaker doubted if the promise was meant
to be kept when it was made. Like the
little Scotch bride who halted at the word
'Obey" and the marriage ceremony was de-
layed until the brawny fist of the bride
groom was stretched forth and the minister
directed to pass that part, as he would take
| care OF thaC parL OF tne Ceremony Wien sue
was declared his wife. But the brawny
fist was as helpless as an infants against
the little wife's will.
You have not all, perhaps, heard the
story of the gray mare being the better
horse. A wife who had promised at the
altar to obey her husband refused obedi
ence, and as he could not make her obey
him, he took her back to her father and
complained of her conduct. The old gen
tleman said: "Now, l will give you one
| hundrAd aopa and tTo of the best horses il