Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-05-16
Woman Suffrage.

The question of woman suffrage is
now being agitated in New York
and an effort will be made to have the
State Convention to amend the consti-
tuition, now in session, to adopt it.
Clubs for and against are now actively
at work. In one of the clubs opposed
to it, DIR. Clayter offered the following
which expresses the views we hold on
that subject
Il. This is not question of woman's
capacity in the domain of art, litera
ture, science, &C., but of her duties in
the domain of civil government. The
Creator made man and woman to gov
ern, but in totally different spheres
and methods. To man He has intrust-
ed civil headship, the administration
of justice, the authority of magistracy
with the strong arm power to enforce
obedience to authority when required.
The burden of the ballot is laid upon
him. Woman has her equally impor
! tant (perhaps more importantly empire
in which she is to rule-by persuasiOns,
by captivities of love, by force OF char
acter, by a power as gentle as the benif-
icence of the sunbeam. Woe be to US
men when our mothers. wives, and sis
tiers weary of their beautiful sceptre
and snatch after the ballot, the jury
mans seat and the police baton of civil
authority !.
$50. When civil power has been in
trusted to woman, she has not with
very few exceptions) been successful.
For example, in England we find mis-
chievous Qaeen Margaret, a bloody
Mary, a dull Queen Anne, and several
other mediocrities; and even the splen-
did achievements of Queen Eliabeth's
reign were largely due to the great men
around her, and in spite of her AFRO
gance, vanity, and frequent duplicity.
The present noble and pure minded oc-
cupant of the British throne reigns,
but does not govern. Parliament and
premier rule the empire.
''3. 1t is claimed that woman needs
the ballot for self protection. But ev-
cry intelligent person knows how readi-
ly of late years legislation has been
granting to woman relief from former
disabilities and injustice in the matter
of property, and of her marital rights.
What gallantry and justice to her sex
have done will continue to be doce.
II. There is something quite plausi
BILE in the assertion that as woman does
SO much to purify literature and So
ciety, she might also, by accepting the
burdens of the ballot and office-holding
for the two are inseparable), do much
to purify our unclean politics. But by
the time they are through with the
dirty job of purifying the primaries,
the caucus, and the conventions, who
shall purify the women?
rs. There is one argument against
imposing the burden of civil duties up
on women that delicacy allows us only
TO hint at. 1t is that the Creator has
put an interdict on the participation
of a large number of our sister sex in
public affairs through certain physical
disabilities which belong to wifehood
and maternity.
Sc. If the ballot is to be imposed up,
on our mothers and daughters, then
with it will come office holding, jury
duty, and other political responsibili
ties. Then will come the necessity for
them to study tariffs, currency prob
lens, and all other civil questions in
order to vote inteligently at the polls
or in the legislative hall. Then will
come sharp controversies between hus-
bands and wives that will not minister
to connubial peace. Then will come
conflicts between the great sacred
duties which God has laid upon woman
and the other duties which Il false and
foolish theory of government has piled
upon her overloaded shoulders.
PROHIBITION SOUTH CAROLINA.
On Tuesday, May 9Th, the Supreme
Court of South Carolina decided that
there is no law in that State author
iZing the granting of licenses for the
sale of liquor. The court also held
that the previous law ft rbidding the
sale of liquor without Il license remains
in force. The result is prohibition OF
the sale of liquor in the State.
For Malaria, Liver Trou-
BILE, digestion, use