Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-03-04
TOO FAR ADVANCED.


and the honorable gentleman from Tuol-
umne is no exception to the rule. 1t Is
difficult at times to tell exactly what
mans mission is ; what the Creator de-
signed him for; what useful purpose he
is destined to accomplish, and we finally
settle down to the conviction that when
he has been counted by the census-taker,
and set down as zone" in the returns,
then his mission on ills earth is ended
/ But such is not the case with the Demo-
cratic Birney. His age we have no meth
( Cd Of ascertaining, but whether it be nine
teen or nincty-nine it is evident that he
has fully entered upon his mission.
Mr.. Brncy thinks that lie has been
sent to the legislature from Democratic
Tuolumno to right the wrongs inflicted
and undo the bad work Of previous Leg
i ldur3s. Consequently he figures as the
special champion Of repeal. The voice
Of Daniel O'Conncll raised in behalf Of
repeal of the Union with England, pos
sesscd not 1.-THE of the eloqucnce flow
! ing from the lips Of the gifted Birney as
] he calls upon the legislative rover to re-
peal the law by which women are per-
mitted to hold educational offices. If this
was Mr.. Birncy's sole repeating mea urc
we should think it merely matter of
opinion, but as the honorable gentleman
has Il number Of repeating laws on hand,
it is evident that he has come to the con-
clusion that he possesses within himself
considerable more wisdom than was COM
bined in the several Legislatures which
have preceded this one.
Blu. it is chiefly with tho one We have
mentioned that we have occasion TO take
issue with Mr.. Birney, ms his repeating
bill has passed the Assembly, and stands
at least nm even show of passing the SEN
ate. The action Of the Assembly gives
an indication of what may be expected in
the way Of repeating Legislation wherever
the Democrats can get the upper hand
The fact of n measure being good or bad
in itself appears to have no weight in it.
self, if it happens to have emanatcd from
| Republican sources. Now in the case Of
the present law, it appears that no less
California have made n grand rush and
captured the position of County Superin-
tcndent of Schools. The pay and emolu-
mcnts Of these four superintcndencies
have been snatched from the grasp of the
"lolds of creation," aud vested in four
of the gentlcr sex. 1t has therefore be-
came necessary for the Democracy to
step in and prevent the possibility Of a
recurrence of such events in the future
The idea Of "A woman holding Office is one
not to be tolerated by the Democracy
such thing is without a precedent in
! the political history Of the State, and it
| follows therefore that it must be wrong.
That we take to be about the gist Of the
reasons that can be given in favor of re-
per ment (as it may be called) is failure,
for none Of tie ladies elected last fall have
as yet entered upon the duties of their
offices. We had little hope at one time
the question Of woman's capacity for edu-
cat, Il offices would be fairly tested, but
we are rather afraid the Birneys may be-
as numerous proportionaly in the Senate
rs in the Assembly, and the idea of Civ
in5 woman an equal show with man is
little too far advanced to find favor with
them.
1t is claimed that the act making wo-
men eligible to educational offices is un
C institutional and will not bear the test
Of the ecu is. Very well let the courts
so decide and there will be no further
cavil. But would seem that the Judici-
ciary Committees Of the two branches Of
the Legislature which passed the 'lnw
should have possessed legal tn ct suili-
cient to decide that question. Again,
the ground Of repeal was taken by some
because the right to hold office should be
merely an incidental one to that of being
an e'cctor. Now we do not propose to
run wild upon the qucs ion of woman
suffrage. VIII N any considerable por-
ton of the mo hers, wives and sisters of
Americans ask for the privilege of the
elective franchise, then and not until
then will it be granted. We have said
and we repeat, that in matters of this
character men will be guided and gov
crned by the wishes Of tho. .e women who
aru Eerrest and dearest to them. But
when the matter under consideration is
simply one ca',ula ed TO ealargo the
sphere of woman's usefulness, it is one
upon which all reasoning men should
think alike. II nothing can be urged
against woman but her sex, it is a poor
argument, indeed, no better, if so good,
ms the stale and worn out one Of "prece.
dent"
But the grand cause of opposition to
the idea of permitting women to hold an
elective office lies in the fact that it is n
new thing. 1t has its friends and its en-
emles in all parties. In general, howcv-
or the opposition has come from the Dem
otrItic ranks, which always bar tho way
OF every movement in the path of prog
ress. And while we have little faith that
the law will be permitted to stand, we
hope there may be sufficient good sense
and moderation in the Senate to decide in
favor of giving the experiment a fair tri-
nj. Then, If it does not prove to have
the advantages its friends claim for it,
tho"e will be ample time to move in the
matter Of repeal.
DURING the past five years rorty-tw
women have been murdered by men in
New York city. Not one of the mur.