, 1877-01-06
Woman Suffrage.

We reprint from an eastern exchange
the following letter of Mrs. Stanton, not
because we are in favor of woman suf.
frage at the present time, but on account
oi the truths presented in such plain,
favorable language in relation to the
subtle, baneiul influence of the priest
hood, in State and society, obtained by
the control OF wnman's conscience:
"ln recent BETTER to ne from Judge
Hurlbut, the first Vice. President of the
National Liberal League, II passage oc-
ours which desire to quote, and answer
in your journal.
1t may not be known to most of your
readers that, quarter Of a century ago,
Judge Hurbut, leading lawyer in the
State of New York, published a very
able work on Human Rights, and in the
chapter on the Elective Franchise"
proved, conclusively, woman's absolute
right to self government, to choose her
own rulers and have voice in the laws
under which she lived. As many Others
share IN the tear he now expresses rs to
| woman's influence in the State, desire
to call attention to the point he suggests,
and thus draw out from liberal thinkers
some opinions on this question. He
says:
4 do not doubt that, taking new
people tor the first time forming gov.
ernment--having no old institutions to
lumber up their path, no priests, no non.
nse,--woman's equality in the suffrage
should be deemed matter of course.
But have hesitated of late, under our
artificial system, with imported laws,
usages, religion--with priestly power
all-controlling, religion as yet being but
the mere myth and poetry of the barbar-
Gus ages, and having most controlling
influence with the female mind, esteem.
ing it probable that universal female sut-
frage would give the priests the ultimate
power of the State. And priests l fear
more than do their internal saint
Woman in her ignorance and super
stitiou Is to-day dangerous element
under all government, blocking the pro.
gress Of science and reform by her blind
faith in man.made creeds and false inter-
pretations of Natures laws. Man for
his own selfish purposes has made woman
more completely his slave by the sub.
lection of her religious nature than in
any other way and, with the false
creeds and dogmas by which he has en-
slaved her, she now with prayers and
tears enslaves the race.
To avoid the danger other subtle in
huence, felt to-day in all ranks OF society,
shall we limit her personal independence
and knowledge still farther, and thus
perpetuate the very danger we fear and
suffer Or by giving her complete edu-
cation, freedom OF thought on all ques.
tions, equal political rights, with the full
responsibility of an American citizen,
with the dignity, selfrespect, self.asser-
ton, honor and honesty-the cardinal
virtues that follow in the train Of liberty
and equality,-transfom her into pow
er of good rather than evil
Many bigoted Protestauts oppose wo,
man suffrage because they say Catholic
women, being under the control of the
priests, and being more numerous than
any other sect, would outvote hem, and
establish their religion throughout the
land.
The whisky rings and German beer
garden gentry all oppose %oman suffrage
because, they say, the women would in'
troduce rigid Sunday laws, shut up the
beer .gal dens and saloons, pass prohibi-
tory laws, grant divorce for drunkenness,
etc, etc, there being no end to the good
and evil women would do, If they had
the power. Inasmuch rs men do not
cease to vote the dag women begin to ex-
ercise their right, and az men would out