Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-28

| dences OF cerebral disorder. Even Mrs.
Someryille, who wrote on the physical sci
ences, never reached the grade of original
ideation. Woman Jumps at conclusions
with a wonderful degree OF promptness,
and reaches the right long before it is at
tanned by the slow processes of reason, but
this wonderful and unexplained mental
vision, or unconscious cerebration, valuable
as it is, will not do to take the place of the
Judgment, and reason, and GOODNESS neces.
sary in Governor or Judge. The hys
terical conditions to which all women have
been in all time subject, disquaify her in
emergencies and difficult situations gerer-
ally. while they are, in their normal condi.
ton, the source of some of the loveliest
traits of her character. In woman, there.
fore, there is a potentiality for irregular,
illogical. homogeneous and altogether inhar-
monious conduct under circumstances
which require the utmost presence of mind
and the incest discretion. Woman judges
rather as she feels than IS she thinks, and
is wanting in that type of mental organiza.
ton known as the Judicial mind.
These are, then, the reasons which move
the doctor TO his remarkable conclusion.
We say remarkable, because we do not be.
lieve it accords with the history of the race,
nor is it supported by his own line of ar
gument. And this, because the doctor
has misconceived the whole object and
purpose of the woman movement, SO
called, of modern days. We may
admit most that he advances, and there is
but little that is not fairly stated, and
still deny the correctness of his conclusion.
No one has commended that in vesting
woman with equal political rights and du.
ties as man, it should be based upon
her equality in mental power. The
very fact that she is mentally and
physically the weaker vessel, may be
claimed as sufficient reason for arm.
ing her with all the social and legal
weaponry of self-defense. 1t is by no
means necessary to contend that she is
mans intellectual equal. It matters very
little, if at all, whether the grey matter is
less in quantity in her brain, or of coarser
quality. The question is, Is she, as hu.
man being, entitled to like protection with
man ?" Beyond that it is wholly unneces-
sary to go. No one desires to invest her
with rights she cannot exercise or enjoy.
No one proposes, or has proposed, to place
her in stations she is unfit to occupy. The
evolution of the excellent and the reisc-
ticn of the inadequate and unfit will ex.
clude her from all walks she ca4not pur.
sumo. What is contended is that whatso-
ever good qualities she possesses which will
contribute to the advance of the race, the
perfection of systems and forms of gov
eminent, shall be availed of by society,
and not excluded because the possessor is
notof the weakersex Thedoctor, like many
another well.meaning opponent for coedu-
cation of the sexes and political equality,
misconceives the text. It does not follow
that because woman should be vested with
certain rights she must, perforcs, rule in
| political life. So far as she can prevail,
we hold it right that che should. If she
is unsuited to the political realm, no
grant OF privilege can keep her in it. Give
her the opportunity and, whatever her
destiny, it will be worked out. Whatever
she may prove equal to, she should be
privileged in. We have never yet read
or heard an argument of force against the
opening of opportunity to this class of
human beings. On the contrary, every
line of reasoning advanced for the exclu.
sion of woman from the competitive
struggle in life's race has only served
to convince us that whatever the result
to her, so far as political preferment is
concerned, the benefit to man will be de.
cided 1t cannot bring into being weaker
race of men it cannot lessen mans mental
powers it cannot narrow his opportuni.
ties, nor can it in any way reduce the sum
Of human achievements. Into the compo.
sition of society we would introduce every
kind and quality Of brain power at sll as
similable with our own. If in the attri-
ton that follows we suffer, we should suf-
fer. When the doctor can demonstrate
that the tender and humanizing qualities
| nc ,sor;haz n ,.,o,-,ap mill b1, thair oo,,,
plete freedom of exercise, lower the stand
ard of legislation, give vice and crime
greater resisting power, or lessen the moral
sense of the nation, we shall be ready to
surrender to his flag. We are told that
the influence of woman in securing better
laws, in elevating the standard of moral.
ity, and in influencing public sentiment, is
more potent in her partially secluded con.
dition than if she had free rein in the
political field. In sense that is true
true Just so far as her influence relates to
its exercise upon good men and no further,
Upon the vicious classes whom she cannot
reach she should be given the power tC
exercise influences that they alone recog
nize. and they are such as are clothed with
power. a moral force is just as much
more potent as it has the power of making
itself felt. Preaching in a cell is vel
enough, but the evangelist in broad day,
and face to face with evil, is the greater
power. If the influence OF woman car
give us better laws, why not avail of it tc
the fullest extent, no matter how
much less of brain power she
has, compared to the average man.
II it is admitted, as we believe none deny,
that the influence of woman in securing us
better laws is proper to be exercised
through the mediums that her sexuality
affords her, and by those sexual traits
which 30 manifestly tend toward the right