The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-07-16
THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE FOR
WOMEN.

Two or three ladies who brought
he yexed question of "woman's suf
frage" before tile Convention in New
Orleans, claim TO represent the wo-
men of Louisiana, in their demand
for the elective franchise. From nv
knowledge of the opinions of my
countrywomen, on that subject, in
various parts of the State, consider
the assumption Of these ladies, as re-.
personalities Of popular opinion,
wholly unwarrantcd. The problem
Of "woman's suffrage which the
North has hitherto skiIlfully evaded,
cannot be shifted to the Southern
States with any prospect of a sue
cessful solution. The constitution
of society here, the mixed nature Of
the population, and a special tone Of
thought and habit in tile cultivated
lasscs are decidedly opposed to it.
At first view, the grievance con-
laincd in Mrs. Sarah Dorsey's letter
TO the Convention, where a large
land owner, and tax payer herself,
she WAS denied the freedom of the
franchise conferred on her colored
male iessccs, may seem an evil which
''alls Tor redress. liz The first place
hers is an exceptional case-in the
ccond, her single vote, if she had it,
would in all probability be nnIlifed
ny the action Of her female lessees.
No good to the State generally or to
herself Individually, could accrue
from her vote at the polls. 1t is not
my intention to go over the old
ground Of argument in favor of or
against the elective franchise for wo
men. In the words of La Bruyere-
tout est dit-on that subject. We
are all of us familiar with every point
of vantage in this long skirmisb.
On the one side we are made TO hear
The rattle of the woman's chains, and
her shrill cries from the sshouse Of
on the other, masculine
sneers against her incompetency and
general iDferiority. There is a mid
lie and more reasonable ground,
whence we can see the benefit wo-
nan may derive from some changes
existing laws, but do not believe
hat the ballot box in her hands will
effect these changes in a manner ia
1orable to her future we'll being
But I will confine myself to-day to a ]
ew certain immutable truths which
'xist and must continue to exist, in
dependent fall prejudice and clamor
m either side.
Whatever the oppressed condition
# the female sex may have been in
he early ages of the world, when
'rute force was dominant and man
himself was only one remove from
he wild beasts, against which lie
varied, we can yet see in the clear
light of the nineteenth century that
Ter wrongs were but the natural Sc.
Luence of baroaflsm, or imperfect
civilization. Christianity hand in
land with civilization, has remayed |
me by one, the impediments which
hecked the development of her
highest moral and mental capacities.
We hear no longer sounding down
he centuries the brutal distich |
Which once awakened such wild
nirth: -
2nid cala'no leaius ?-pulvis. Quid pull
Uere ?-uentus. @ftf
2uid rento ?--mulier. Quid neuliere -
Mill. ~ & iA&
To-day, in educational progress, in
he arts and sciences, in literature,
q all philanthropic works, we see
ome exceptional women moving
ide by side with men. That only a
ew have as yet gained this marked
IRE eminence, is no argument against
he freedom of the masses to attain |
he same honorable distinction
What one can accomplish, lies in; the
,ower of all gifted with the same
!bility and progressive capacity.
rhe manner and measure of wo-
mans work and its success is like a
mans guaged, by her special adap-