The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-18
WOMAN OUTRAGE.
An Intense Argument 10 Favor Of Her
Right 10 Vote.


Right 10 Vote.
The event Of yesterdays session OF the Sen.
lts was the reading Of Senator McGregor's
memorial on the right Of women 10 vote
1t school elections The Senator from
Richie has by his course In the Senate
lrawn to him large circle q almirlng lady
friends, aud he Is looked Up TO as their
patron saint In thing. material. II It were
not that the age Of ChiYalEy IL passed, and
that no more lances are Shlyered and knights
the Senator would no doubt be a
iavoritoI OF the tourney aud the object Of en-.
couFaging SMILES and approving looks from
the fair sex, whose cause 10 no ably cham.
plons In the MONDAY OF civilization.
But 10 the event we referred 10. The ses.
sion was nearly at al end, and the Senators
were n0ddlng listlesaly In their seats. and
under the spell Of the Clerk'sVoice were de
stlned soon TO bOlnlled to Slumber, when the
joint resolution introduced by the Senator
from Richie, extending 10 women the right
OF suffrage at school elections came up on its
second reading. II was supposed that It
would be murdered by the ruthless hands OF
the opposition and quietly inferred, without
the passing tribute Of Sigh. But Il was not
50. The Senator from Richie sent up TO tho
clerks desk nicely arranged document and
asked that II be read. The scribe Of the San.
hedrim gazed at the chirography, winkcd Ills
eyes, took a cup Of water, cleared his throat.
took q fresh hold on the manuscript, and In
q sweetly mellilluous tone polished OF the
sentences with the charming cadenccs OF his
voice, and showed oiThiS Evolutionary powers
for oil they were worth.
The opening sentences OF the memorial
awakened the Senate and drew their atten.
ton to the agonies Of tho clerk, who really
seemed 70 DO deeply moved. The exOrlium
was as follows: ~ hope this Senate will allow
me the privilege Of saying few words In
yindic1tion OF the resolution under consider.
alton. believe some Senators think offered
this resolution for fun, [surprised looks on
some iacesl and Others say Ii would bO the
cause Of many divorces; Sensation In the
lobby while Others say that this and the pro.
hlbitory resolution will ruin the State, Muir.
murs OF dissent, care not for what Sena.
tors think tgrteyed looks on many counte.
nancesl or say. ans responsible for the
Introduction OF this resolution and intend
TO stand by II. ] know It Is right and have
been oil this opinion for, l0I these many years"
Here the tired elocutioAist paused and
fabricated his thorax with Ohio river water.
During the pause number OF the members
OF the House OF Delegates dropped IN, and
the lobby braced up and leaned forward with
batcd breath and with consuming interest
pictured on their faces. Like the clown in the
circus who bursts into the arena with the
shout, Here VIC are again." the Clerk fas-
tened his eyes on the document and contin.
ued his realizing. After referring TO some in.
constituencies OF the Constitution Of the State.
the memorialist ptopounded the conUn.
DRUM "Wftt any Senator undertake to say
that u woman Is not person or a citizen
within the meaning Of the Constitution
But here Is where they wept. In speaking
OF the trainers OF the constitution and their
torgettulneSs OF lovely woman, the Senator
said: but when they came 10 frame the first
section OF article four the old Bourbon moss.
back element asserted its authority BY insert.
ing the word male citizen which has ruined
the harmony and consistency Of that instru-
ment and deprived one-halt OF the citizens
OF this State OF the right of sutfrage' fSighs
from certain guilty mcmberS!l Democrats,
We used to think the Republicans were aw-
iul bad people McGrew and Dawson move
uneastty III their seats1 to disiranChise so
many OF the Democrats; and when we got
into power we diStranchised One.half OF the
citizens OF the State. Now, Senators, lis this
not ftteratiy trtiGH { A voice: You bet your
sweet life'.l 1t is, unless you can prove to
me that wOntun is not citizen nor a per
son."
After short iloluilyon the injustice OF de-
priving lady teacher CT voting but allowing
the tanttor Of the school, building, white or
black, to do so, the memorialist extended the
following pressing Invitation to the Senate:
Senators turn. your thoughts back two or
three thousand years and roam over the
pageS OF history and look upon woman in
the dark ages Of the world, Voice in the
lobby: Can't; haven't got free pa,Sl and
sec what her condition was then. She was
treated rs Il slave and beast OF burden, but
nov she stands on an equal with man, save
and except that she pays taxes and is dc.
t1sfyed oEthe privilege of voting. This is one
Of the relies of the dark ages. The general
tendency OF modern civilization and progress
Is onward, and to free America that honor is
largely due. Then, Senators let us throw
oil the old shacklcs that have bound us and
be- men and say, OH woman, thou
art truly my equal, come this day
and vote with me. tsenSasion.} WHO
cannot trust the ballot with the partner OF
his bosom, the sharer OF his joys and sor.
rows; who Is friend In health, who burns
the midnight oil to smooth the sick pillow,
and wipes the perspiratiOn from the sick
brow OF him she loves"
The audience seemed to be deeply affected
at this jHRctuFe, and the Oscar Wilde clerk
who thought 1t was too utterly too, too, all
but wiped the dew from his marble brow
and handed it to the Wood county aborigine
who manglcR bills for the judiciary Com
mittee. Dim w0S pretty fresh, and threw
great degi Of !ervoF and spirit into his read
ing, and rolled off the touching sentences
with extreme JUNCTION and power. After re.
citing what we have quoted above the me-
morialist continues: But some say il will
degrade the ladies' to go to the polls 10 vote.
Ibis iBA very silly idea. The Inv forbids
the sale OF intoxicating liquors on election
sales at Fourth OF July celebrations The
women attend these and we think II nil
right. Certainly lady would be far safer
at MI election than at Fourth Of July cele-
bration,"
The memOralist cited many thrilling ex,
amples OF woman's bravery and strength Of
character, and warned the United States OF
the late OF the Roman empire, "onCe the
proud mistress Of the wOrld,n the decline
and fall OF which was attributed to her des.
potic rule. 'All history" continued the
Senator, "ancient and modern, proves that
woman has always in all christian countries
been regarded as mans equal. Miriam, the
md sweet singer in Israel was the
constant companion and equal OF Moses and
Aaron. She shared in their triumphs and
responded to their songs OF praise, bursting
forth from the assembled Israelites on the
shores Of the Red Sea. Deborah Judged Israel
Tor forty years. Now, shall We Of the nine.
tenth century say woman shall not enjoy
national freedom and equality? Now, lei US
DO as great thing as did King Ahasuerus.
When queen Esther appeared before him to
plead for her people, no said what is thy
petition, and It shall be granted unto thee
Let us do likewise, and grant the women OF
West Virginia the school ballot by passing
this resolution"
When the reading of the memorial had
concluded an oppressive calm pervadcd the
Chamber, and the tension was only relieved
when the President broke the spell by pro.