West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1885-08-26

limits the field of argument. 1t
narrows the channel, and so,should
deepen and intensity the flow of
the stream. That woman IS po-
litical factor, we are not allow ed to
question. II is we'll. Life is too
short to thus "darken council with
words without wisdom" The util-
ity of all force is decided by two
things: LIST. It's concentration, and
I'd, the wisdom that directs it. The
ballot is to-day the mightiest pow
er of earth. Silent as the snow
fake, its decisions are as resistless
as destiny. 1t has changed re-
public into an empire in an hour.
1t changes administrations, erects
the political guillotine and JUST
fes the decapitation of every often
sive partisan who sways the baton
of Office. 1t is the sceptre of free
men. So mighty is it that it is
held to be unfit for the frail hand
of woman. Her place is home.
She was intended to be wife and
mother, If she would know aught
of these things, let her inquire at
home of her husband. Ofal things,
the most disgusting to these lords
of creation is feminine informed
dler with politics. And yet, in this
year of grace, 1885, on the very eve
of the Fourth of July, we are asked
to discuss the question, "Wo-
man, as Political Factor"
Said Calico, as he stamped his
foot upon the earth, lit movesw
And yet, the progress is not so rap
id as this would indicate. The dis
cussion may be new, the fact is as
old as the race. Woman has al
ways been a factor in the politics
OF the world. In all nations, among
all peoples, sage or savage, pagan
or Christian, woman's voice is
heard, woman's power is felt in
the realms of politics. The fact is
demonstrable. 1t is also inevita-
BILE. 1t inheres in her nature. 1t
was included in the charter rights
of her creation. She wac made
mans converse equal, his other 1.
1t requires then no prophets ken
to predict that what hath been
will be. The world is to know no
millennium of undisputed mascu-
line sovereignty. Indeed, there is
reason to fear that the result of
such an experiment would be far
other than millennium. Some
how, most of the great epochs of
progress that mark the history of
the race have depended largely up
on the efforts and influence Of wo-
men for their success. Look at
yon affrighted, dispirited host,
trembling even yet upon the fur
Their banks of the Red Seal The
waves of the sea have become their
allies. Their enemies are drowned.
But whose voice thrills that host
with patriotism and inspires every
heart with gratitude? I need not
answer. The strains of Miriam
will never die. For the time she
is the leader OF israel, and for all
time her name is immortal. Deb
orah, who in time of almost uni
versal chaos, grasped, with firm
hand, the reins of government and
brought deliverance to Israel Jael,
who first decoyed and then slew
her nations enemy; and Huldah,
who proclaimed to king and priest
and scribe, nations punishment,
attest her power for good; while
the story of Athalial and Jezebel
proclaim as in trumpet tones the
fact that it may be cast on the side
of evil. The story of the Queen of
Sheba and of Philip and the Gu
much, lift TO: us the curtain upon
heather lands and reveal the fact
that even there, woman is factor
in political history. Indeed no
history can be written that does
not record the acts and influence of
woman. Can you write the histo-
ry of England and be silent con.
corning Mary and Elizabeth? Or
France, and ignore the heroism of
Jeanne d. Arc and CharlotteCorday?
Can you speak of the discovery of
our own country without acknowl-
| ed OF no tho roorpifoopt roparocit,,