The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-19

leaf tea, our heroic grandmas drank 10
save paying the British tax. In order to
give her a theme worth arguing for, it was
necessary not only to maintain that wo-
men in general are good and some in par
ticular are great, because in this form it is
too obvious to be worth argument; but
that they alone are good and great, in
which form it is incapable of proof, be
cause it is too obviously false. The latter
is what she actually attempted to prove,
the former is what she succeeded in feebly
illustrating, and from this the reader can
imagine to what sort of reasoning listen
ers were treated. The true eulogium to
pronounce on woman is similar to that
Daniel Webster pronounced on Massa-
chusetts, when he refused to make the at
tempt, bnt simply pointed to the appar-
ent, undeniable virtues of that renowned
State Woman needs no defence.
She exhibited that old thread bare as
sumption that in the religious and civil
unity of husband and wife, the husband
is that unity, and the entity of the wife is
efaced; whereas every married man
knows that in that singular, hypostatic,
mysterious union, he is by far the least
significant and influential member. Cal
low husbands may take different view of
the case, but after few years of expert
ence, they good-humoredly join the gener-
al ranks, and confess, if they are honest,
that the wisdom, if she has any, and the
wishes of the wife have nearly uninter-
rupted sway.
There is a false assumption in the prop
osition OF this class of women that suf-
frage is synonymous with rights. In fact
it is only one, and that not very great,
oftimes very burdensome one among
many. Nearly every right of citizenship
except this, is enjoyed by women and
minors. These latter have as much to
complain Of after they reach certain
stage Of development and education as wo
men. Women have right to meddle in
politics to any extent they please; can
make stump speeches, edit newspapers
form campaign clubs, read and discuss all
the news, and make it hot for husband
brother, father or lover, unless the voting
is done to please them. If certain women
have no influence at the polls it is simply
because they have no influence with one
or more who 60 there and are allowed to
vote. 1t may seem little grievous that
Ignorant males, either white or black,
should have precedence in this matter
over enlightened and refined women. But
even this is justifiable when viewed in
the light of the evolution of government
by the masses, by the rule of the majority.
Originally governmcpt, such as it was,
was carried on by the most powerful; dis
putes were settled not by counting ballots,
but by bringing men into the field, who
had pluck and bravery enough to stay
there and fight till the enemy surrendered.
But as other things being equal the battle
is usually with the strongest battalions, and
this would be especially true of homo
geneous people of the same race and
stock, the expedient of saving blood-shed
by counting the men, and giving the vic
tory TO the side having the largest num-
ber was hit upon. In some such way did
voting arise. Now no amount of intelli-
gence and refinement can make woman
fit subject for ball and bayonet, and the
instinct of the male sex out of a sense of
love and protection will not permit it; but
brawny man is a very ideal Of soldier,
and his body can stop ballot, or his arm
draw saber with about as much effect if
he be ignorant as if he be educated and
refined. The time may come when the
baser elements of society would submit to
peaceful acquiescence in decisions reached
by the aid of woman's ballots, when moral
superiority may be safely substituted for
numerical. But the time is not yet. Diff.
ficulties environ the subject, and progress
is made as rapidly as it would be safe to
permit changes.
The lecturer in several instances exhib.
tied her incapacity for appreciating the
logical value of her statements. If the
facts about going to the polls in Nebraska
and sustaining an assault by rude, drum.
ken men, be of any value at all in decid.
ing the question as to whether woman
should vote or not, 1t would need to be
placed to the credit of thenegative. Here
is another case: "Boys derive their
mental capacity from their mothers. "
This of course was meant as compliment
to the mothers. If it means anything il
is that the faculties of mothers and sons
are about on a par The sons faculties
are good or bad if bad so must the moth
er's be, in contradiction to her position
if good then men, who are all sons of some
women, have mental faculties equal to
some women, SO that in either way the
saying proves too much.
But these things are not all by any
means that can be justly said about this
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