Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1891-02-07

ye' We are uenleQ Gne rlgnG to the elective fran
chlse in government that proclaims it derives its
just powers from the consent of the governed
We support ourselves, and in part your schools
colleges, churches your poor houses, als, PRISONS
the army, navy, and whole machinery of govern
ment, and we have no voice in single law that
manages our affairs and demands our tax money.
we have every qualification required by the Con-
stitution necessary to the legal voter, but the one
OF sex. We are moral lawabiding and ntei-
gent, OF sane mind and full age; but we who have
guided great movements Of charity, established
missions, edited papers, published works on his
tory and economy, taught philosophy and mathe-
mates, and are required by law to teach civil gov
eminent to future lawmakers and statesmen, are
denied the most sacred rights of citizens, because
forsooth, we came not into this Republic crowned
with the dignity of manhood.
Every discrimination that has ever been made
against woman in the laws of the Greeks, Romans
and old English law up to this grand and glorious
day when she is reaching her hand to press the
latch that opens the door of perfect equality, she
has been told has been for her good. Now, the
spirit of true democracy is capturing the hearts of
this nation, and 1t does not recognize sex. The
law of heredity says the daughters are like their
fathers, and the women who have inherited the
spirit of liberty from their fathers are utterly OPP
posed to every form of doing good to people
against their will. How readily we recognize pa
ternalism in government, which seeks to do good
to people against their will, in the case of King
George and the American colonies, or the Gar of
Russia! Yet custom has declared this paternasm
right for the mothers, wives and daughters of this
H. 4. Al,
sence of political power, it is the only instance in
history where class deprived of political rights
have not been wronged because of political dis
ability. The church ballot could not stand, the
property ballot could not stand the race and color
ballot could not stand in this representative gov
eminent. Step by step has The franchise been
extorted from its exclusive possessors, until now
it embraces practically the entire human family of
the male sex, if they are of sane mind and full
age; and if the principles upon which these ad
vances have been made are true, women cannot
be much longer excluded. The world acknowl-
edges now that it is wrong in principle to lay down
laws telling women what avenues OF activity shall
be open to them, and the kinds of employment
they are privileged to engage in to make an honest
living for themselves and dependents, since their
mel, from practicing before the Supreme Court of
the United States to the humble calling of farm
laborer. 1t is just as wrong to close the single
gate of political preferment as it was to shut them
out from any lawful occupation.
ave hold these truths to be selfevident that
all men are created equal that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain inalienable rights,
and among these are life, liberty and pursuit o
happiness" John Adams said: "That they WIFI
have no voice nor vote in the electing of repre-
sentatves do not enjoy liberty, but are absolutely
enslaved to those who have votes"
TO deal out Democratic justice the word 'male"
should be stricken from the organic law. 1t is
hard to conceive that time has to ripen to apply
the fundamental principle of our government, and
it is difficult to conceive of evil following in the
exact train of justice. An amendment TO the Ma
tional Constitution wiped out the slavery clause.
For twenty-five years after National legislation