Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-08-05

presume NR4n space ~ your cQlnMea, to COR
rect the misapprehensions under which you
labor, as well - the wrong impression given
your readers concerning my lecture at the
Town Hall last Wednesday evening. regret
exceedingly that did not succeed in making
my position more comprehensive, than
seemed TO have done, Judging from the ,uis,
representation that ossur, IN yoar attempt to
restate my arguments: It Was "A Plea for
Equality" we were making, and not simply a
demand for tho ballot, aud 1t was 10 part Of
our argu msnt In the least, to contend that the
ballot In the hands Of women would secure
to her equal pay for like service rendered
which man receives.
Had We been content with simply offering
~ argAment fpr woomans suffrage, We could
have made no demand for that larger equal.
ty WHICH We claim, nor could We have treated
the subject of the general injustice 70 woman,
Of whieh we felt it our duty to speak, and
that too in terms that could not be misunder.
stood. SUFFRAGE is not equality, and an ar
gument for the suffrage, does not include
that Of equality. but the subject of equality
does embrace that Of suffrage as there can
be no equality without the right of franchise.
We predicated our claim to the ballot upon tho
fact that We have the same natural and ina
lienahle right to it "a man, and that there Ia
nothing in the constitution that pEohlbits 1t.
and further mere, this IA not tf.., govern.
mept without II. W. aold that taxation
"''''"' Sol" -esentation is Tyranny in 1876 the
:,, <ho l.. ha0 m
exercised over women, and from those premi
ses we argue, as the advantages we expect to
realize has nothing whatever to do with 1t.
We also spoke against submerging the indi'
viduality OF the wife. in that Of the husband
az is the case vt the present time. We know
full we'll that the question Of wages or what
special amount shall be given to either man
or woman as an cquivelant for service rem
dered is not a subject for legislation, nor did
we say one word from which any one could
reasonably infer, that we had the absured no.
ton, that a uniform price for labor could be
established by legislation. All we asked OF
legislation, was, that it should say that
woman might own her ages. and that her
husband should not take them from her, and
hat the law accord her Individuality enough
that in case she was crippled for life by q
Rail Road accident, she might sue AMI collect
the damages instead Of her husband. We re-
fered to the great injustice to woman in that
there was more censure, contumely and dis
grace heaped upon her for her failures and
short comings, but how any "sane person"
could iufer from anything we said, that We
looked to legislation for change in public
sentiment in this respect is to " . mystery.
Our appeal was made direct to women, in be-
half of women. nor are our complaints rem.
dered less just or our arguments less timely.
by the fact that women arc Themselves ne.
sponsible in great measure for that public
sentiment, which brands them with infamy.
for sins from which man who il the pamper-
ed f.vorite of society goes "scott free" and
though We are not looking to legislation for
a. remedy in this respect. Voc do know. that tho
ballot will be the precursor of oil that We de-
sire or hope for in tho near future for women
Quite an admission that, Mr. Editor, whic b
you make, that men will not be restrained
from their Z" sacrifice Of the innocent" to salts
fy their lust, only from motives Of self inter-
est, and these arc they whom We are told,
are our protectors varily it Is that kind Of
protection which the wolf gives the lamb. |
Before the war, the party that wanted to
maintain chattel SLAYER y. were always saying
that the slaves did not want their freedom.
that they were satisfied to remain in bondage,
but the fact, that through their ignorance |
they were willing to be enslaved, did not
make traffic in human souls less crime, mel
Their does the argument that woman does not
want the ballot, weigh = feathers weight
against the evidence In favor 70 her right to it.
But upon your plan of reasoning, what are We
to think of the temperance principles Of the la
lies in Bradford There were only a score
,r two of them In attendance upon our lect-
ire given upon that subject. are We therefore
% copclude that tbeir principles ere svsrss to
We will oply ~ y coon1uaioo