The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-06-23
A PLEA FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
The Ballot Would Not bs "Iseform
Against Nature.

Editor Egt1y EVenine: My
attention has been called to a lengthy
article in your issue Of June 9th,
entitled GA Reform Against Nature,
&c" and signed "Isobcl H Floyd"
Now am prejudiced in the start by
her signature. A woman who
would SO dishgure the grand old
Spanish name of Isabella as to write
ii with an 20" in the middle is a
woman who is starving after some
thlng-notoriety | suspect.
Twenty one States now have
municipal woman suffrage, two
States have tu!l woman suffrage,
and the terrible evil, decrease in
population, has not come upon
them.
Woman suffrage will no more affect
the motherhood than manhood
suffrage has affected the fatherho0d
OF the race. What il the race does
groa less in quantity; if it improve
in quality 1T were consummation
devoutedly to be wished" and no
device could more surely bring
about this desirable result than the
conterrlng OF suffrage upon the sex
to whom 1t is now partially denied.
The same arguments which are
now being advanced against womans
enfranchisement in this country are
being used, and have been used for
centuries in the old world monarch
les against universal manhood
suffrage.
Have woman the inherent quail
ties to fill these offices to the salts
faction of ali concerned2 she asks,
hysteriCally. Now, Mr.. Editor, in
your short and eventful life, did
you ever know any man to fill any
office to the full andscomplete salts
faction of all concerned, especially
the office of President? Is the
present incumbent OF the Presiden-
tial chair fulfilling the incumbent's
duties 10 the Satisfaction Of all con-
cerned?
Woman to gain anything by enfran
chisement would have to use it, have
to go on the field of battle and meet
men on their own ground. Women
are already in the arena In vain
their keepers shout pack to your
old dens OF ignorance and servitude.
As well shout that cry to the tiger
that has tasted the blood. Woman
are already, as we have said, en-
listed in The oncoming battle for
hnman rights, which is even now
rending the air with the din of COM
ing strife.
Woman are no longer the mere
slaves OF mems passions and pre-
IudlceS. Our great system of tree
public education which has operated
alike upon the minds and char
acters Of both sexes, has made it
impossible that the subserviency of
woman to man because ofintelectual
superiority, can continue any
longer
Women are distinguishing them
selves IN every State, as lawyers,
doctors, teachers, ministers. Wo
mans intellectual enfranchisment has
come She has scaled the walls OF
selfish predjudice which man had for
centuries sought to make impregE-
able. around the fountains OF learning
and knowledge. And who dares
to say that she will now ia!ter and
iall back? "On to light, and on to
freedom" lis the universal cry
OF the winds that sweep the ocean
and the storms that smite the sky.
"Tis the old, old cry that led
from Edom Out of darkness, out
of bondage, On to light and on
to freedom, from the souls OF all
things bound; still. oh, still, that cry
doth come, and ye cannot, aye We
dare not, bid the pleading lips be
dumb!
My brothers such women as
"Isober' do not speak from the
heart they do not utter the cry that
is in their inmost soul. AS surely
as woman in many a hard fought
battle has gained the moral and
intellectual freedom, which she now
enjoys in this land, SO surely will she
advance one step further, and every
Just reform will advance with her.
The safety Of the republic demands
the enfranchisement of her daughters.
Our wisest statesmen see this, and
are aiding with tongue and pen the
political enfranchisement of woman.
Isober' seems to labor under
the delusion that, Immediately upon
obtaining the ballot, every woman
will become politician and an office
seeker, Ignoring the claims OF
marriage aud motherhood.
Womans enfranchisement will no
more cause her to ignore these
claims than mans enfranchisement
has cause him to ignore the claims
of marriage and fatherhood.
Ii we would harken to such voices
as that OF "Isobel" we would at once
begin an iconoclastic crusade.
All the university annexes and
women's colleges, all the coeducat-
ional institutions, including our
free public schools, the pride and
| olorv of Our land. would have to be