Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-03-10
WOMEx's RIGHTS.

pen OF ]. W. H.. in allusion 10 which
we wish to make a few remarks. As
We aSe a woman we deem it our duty
to defend our sex on all occasions, rs
well as our ability will permit; and
when in the course of human events.
when patience ceases TO be a virtue.
and it becomes the duty of the op-
pressed to assume their Independent
and equal station to which the laws of
nature and natures God entities them.
a decent respect to the opinions of man
kind require that they should declare
the causes which impels their action.
J. W. II appears to hold out the
idea that man was created superior to
woman, from the fact that he was Gre
ated after the image of God, and pos
sessed with the principle of understand.
ing; while woman he saws was created
with will principle, and this will prin,
ciple it seems is only intended for ma
trimonial purposes. Oh, how gener-
Gus nature has been III permitting in
ferior woman to be created with a will
principle which she may use upon ma
trlmonlal occasions, If at no other time
in her life.
The writer referred to- says that man
fell, and has been getting lower and
lower ever since We think this is a
sad state of affairs for superior man to
be placed in, for it has been very
lengthy descent. and we hope for their
immediate relief that thev will reach
rock bottom soon; that they may have
chance to progress and become fitting
subjects to be called the image of their
Creator.
We rejoice in the idea that our sex
has been more fortunate, for we have
been in one grand state of progression
ever since; so much so that some of
the most illustrious men that has lived
have cherished high idea of a moth
ers power, and that mothers would
shape the destinies Of their believed
e,untry. Let US remark right here
that We ale glad that there are men yet
in existence who regard their mothers
wives daughters and sisters. as good
as themselves, and would willingly en-
dow them with equal privileges.
J. W. II. says that no man has
greater respect for the rights of wo-
men than he has, but the idea of wo-
men having the right to vote at our
elections and claiming right to seat
in o,U Legislative Halls, seems to act
with shocking responsiveness upon his
contracted ideas and prejudiced mind.
We presume that j. W. H. is a mar
ried man and that his wife possesses
more will principle than he does of I'm
derstanding and he sees the probabili-
ty in the near future of his wife claim
ing right to seat in orr Legislative
Halls; this being the case he would be
obliged 70 stay at home with the babies.
We acknowledge that this would be
turning the scales somewhat; but then,
since man is retrograding and woman
is progressing, we must expect great
changes and the best way in our opin-
Jon out of this dilemma would be to
submit quietly to circumstances. We
hold that man and women are created
equal, that they are endowed with GER
tain inalienable. rights, that to secure
these rights governments, deriving
their just powers from the consent OF
the governed, are instituted that when
ever form of government fails to ac-
complish this purpose, it is the right of
the people to change it. The judiciary
of this nation has proved itself but the
echo of the party in power, by uphold
ing and enforcing laws that are op-
posed to the spirit and letter of the
Constitution. For instance, when the
slave power was prevailing the Su-
preme Court decided that negro was
not citizen, because he had not the
right to vote; and when the Constitu-
tlon was so amended as to make all
persons citizens, the same high tribun.
al decided that woman, though a citi-
zen, had not the right to vote, because
she was woman Such vaciating in
terpretations Of constitutional law un-
settle our faith in judicial authority
and undermines the liberties OF the
whole people. Still cur faith is firm
and unwavering IN the broad princi-
pies Of human rights as proclaimed by
our fo-efathers in l77G, not only as alb
stract truths, but as the corner stone
of a republic Yet we are too frequent.
ly reminded that all men of every race
and cline and condition, have been in
vested with the full rights of citizen
ship under our hospitable flag and all
women still suffer the degradation of
slavery; twenty millions Of American
citizens are denied all representation.
By establishing an arlstocracy OF sex
it imposes upon the women Of this ma
tion a more absolute and cruel despot>
ism than monarchy, inasmuch as wo-
man finds political master in her faith
er, husband brother and son. The
aristocracy of the old world is based
on birth, wealth, refinement, education,
mobility and brave deeds of chivalry;
but in this nation it is on sex alone, ,ex-
alting brute force above moral power,
vice above virtue, ignorance above ed
ucation, and the son above the mother
vhO l,oro him