Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-23
MISS cOUzINs SPEAKS.
Answering the Senate as to the
Mormon Bill.
Confidence Not Inspired by
Mans Efforts 10 LegislaIe
for Woman.
ST. Louis Chronicle. p.

St. Louis bore off the honors in the
National Woman Suffrage Convention
which brought out the best women Of
Boston last week. Miss Phoebe CouziOs
never addressed an audience in that
city before, but that she will be warm
ly welcomed back whenever she
chooses to lecture there is asserted by
the fiattering attention paid her every
appearance on the platform. Miss
Couzins' closing address was regard
ing the Edmunds bill to disiranchise
the women of Utah, and it has not
been forgotten in st. Louis that Miss
COuzins' recommendations for place
on the Utah Commission were not
needed by the President. There is
ne man better acquainted with the
subject than Miss Couzins. She
said:
"If it is desired honestly by tho
government that this complication in
Utah be fairly aud justly dealt with,
surely the sex, whose degradation by
man made laws has caused the serious
completely, ought as a matter of JUS
tice be invited to aid in the solution.
Mans success as legislator and ex-
ecutive for women in the past does
not inspire a confidence that in this
most serious problem he will be any
the less an unbiased judge and law
giver. For this government per
mitted the establishment OF religious
colony, so.called, whose basis of faith
was the complete humiliation of
women, recognized the system by ap
pointing the chief head OF the church
as Governor of the Territory, under
whose fostering care polygamy grew to
its present proportions. That woman
has not thrown off the yoke of re-
ligious despotism can be readily appre>
ciated when we remember that
man from time immemorial has
played upon womsn's religious faith to
exhibit his own attributes and de-
Grade hers; that this teaching her to
believe in his superior capacity TO
interpret scIiptural truths for her has
been the means Of sacrificing her
powers of mind, her tender affections,
her delicate sensibilities, on the altar
of his sel6shness throughout the ages.
And nothing 30 clearly bespeaks the
degeneratiDg influences Of the ages of
perverted teaching as this absolute
faith manifested by the women of
Utah, in this ipse dixit otman's re-
ligious doctrine for her. Their eman-
cipation must necessarily be slow, for
the degradation of mind and soul dates
back through the ages. This paternal
government allowed polygamy to be
nlanred, take root and grow in a viii.
derness, where the attrition of
nobler minds and free thoughts was
not known. They came from the
personal despotisms Of the Old World
to be shackled 10 this land Of freedom
with the still darker despotism Of the
soul, and under the egis of the
American flag they have borne
children as religious duty they
owed TO LGod and man, and it cannot
be expected, even from that grand
educator from kingcraft and priest
craft rule, tho ballot, that at once
they will vote themselves outcasts and
their children Legitimate. The
fitting act Of justice for women is not
disirauchisement, as is proposed, but
the disiranchisement of the Mormon
men OF Utah. and the stepping down
and out Of the sex, as a legislator,
under whose fostering care this evil
has grown. But suffrage for women
in Utah has accomplished much Of
good. Aside from their RELIGIOUS
convictions, the women are emphatic
in their condemnation Of wrong; their
votes banished the liquor saloons,
Their streets are as safe at midnight
as in the midday. Shall we then take
the beacon light Of liberty that ieebly
glimmers in these womens hands and
cast them back into the darkness Of
mans guidance? Nay, rather let US
say to them that liberty shall bring
justice, justice will bring light, light
will pisyce the clouds, ami all the
infinite diversities Of beauty and pure
religion will spring into being from
out the life giving radience of true
freedom. Enact the law that shall
stop further Entertainments, o law.
givers for women, but perpetuate no
continual wrong against the sex so
grievously betrayed"