The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-07-16

IieS sue uoeS uot IeaCu any SleaI le
suits, it is simply because she is in
capable Of doing it, through want o
capacity or some opposing and para
mount duty, which has grown out o
| the laws Of her nature. ] am at
loss to conceive what larger sphere
woman covets than the one which
lilies before her. The arts and scien
ces, literature il all its protear
forms, even the learned profession:
have opened their doors to her. /
is not the elective franchise which
has won this recognition, but her owr
mental progress which has kept pace
with a progressive age. The ballo,
box will not advantageously enlarge
her sphere. She will have voice in
the body polite, she will be qualified
as witness Of wills, in short she
will cease to be an infant in the eyes
of the law, but may not this right oil
ballot for which she contends be the
nucleus Of serious wrongs Which will
materially affect the we'll being OF
society? Many of the disadvantages
under which she labors can be re-
dressed outside of the ballot and
they will be in time. Nor is it at
all clear to my mind that the cause
of temperance, tor which she has al
ready done such noble and effective
work, will be advanced by her vote
at fhopolls.
contend that though in few
special cases and grievances, the
right Of the BALLOT might might ben
eft a few women, for the majority in
Louisiana the evil would be incalcu.
liable. I contend that the happiness
Of home and domestic life as we un-
derstand it here, would lie seriously
impaired, if not destroyed by the as
sumption ofnew duties, which would
oppose themselves to the older, the
more natural and God ordained order
Of things, ''.s
My Louisiana sisters are opposed
to "wollfau's suffrage" ca, masse,
whatever may be the opinions of a
few agitators or dupcs to1he specious
arguments Of "woman's rights"
They may do as point dappai for
the female majorities IN Massachu-
sets and other New England States,
where not one woman in ten can
hope to assume the duties Of wife
and mother, but to the Southern wo,
man happy in her husbands love,
honored in her sons reverence, the
sanctity and purity of the domestic
hearth is surely more than the pos
sible publication Of the ballot box.
Besides the question arises will she
purify it7 Her domestic peace will
be Jared by the iiscords Of a con-
tested election. Her important du-
ties will be neglected or take Sec
ondary place during the excitement
of political campaign. She will
seldom, if ever be an independent vo.
ter, for independent voting on the
part Ola wife or mother is one of
those myths which will not bear a
close investigation. In comforting
the right of suffrage upon women
you merely strengthen the vote of
each man, white or colored, in pro
portion to the numerical strength of
The female part of his family. There
is not one woman in ten whose polit-
ical opinions are not the reflex Of
those of the men of her family
You certainly will not add to the
of the tenth unfortunate,
whose wife or daughter happens to
disagree with him, nor 10 the gene
raj well being of Southern domestic
life, by exposing women to the con-
of the polls. She will no
more purify it than she can change
the laws of the elements, but her
flexible and sympathetic nature may
On the contrary contract prejudices
and grow bitter, and unwomanly from
contact with evil things.
I believe the women Of Louisiana
would rise up en- msasse against this
proposed infringement of their most
cherished rights. Have not all cour-
teous and gentle observances from
Southern men been our right2 Have
not the love and reverence of a do.
nestle hearth guarded against all
communicating infuence been our
righta To be held purest and best
BY husbands and honored by sons,
has been our precious right. Will
the ballot box enlarge or elevate
these high prerogatiyes7 Will it