The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-06
FEMALE SUFFRAGE.
THE SUBJECT FULLY DISCUSSED IN
THE CONVENTION.

Earnest and Able Speeches on Both Sides
The Advocates of the Ballot For Women
Lose The Fight.
COLUMBIA, Oct. 2S.-Special. The
fight over the matter of female suf-
frage began in the Convention today,
when section of the suffrage article
came up. Mr.. Clayton of Florence
offered the following amendment:
Amend in line after the word it
and before the word shall" insert the
words land every female citizen of
this State and of the United States Il
years of age and upwards, not LABOR
ing under the disabilities named In
this Constitution and who, in her own
right owns taxable property of the
value of $780,"
Mr.. Clayton stated that the amend
ment Just offered placed the conven-
ton face to face with female suffrage.
He had to attack prejudice in doing
SO. But he would not hesitate to make
the charge. He hoped the members
would rise superior to prejudice. The
women of the State had rights that
should be preserved. Give them the
right to preserve their rights. The
women once had no legal status what
ever. They never had no political exis-
tence. 1t was their political and not
to their social existence that they were
now to apply themselves: >,
They now have the right to hold
property. The right to hold property
is given. Then they should have the
right to protect their rights. But it
has been claimed that she does not
want that right. Who makes that as
sumption9 What right has any man
on this floor to make that assump.
tion9 We have here able women who
have addressed your body. We have
received and there is on that desk pc
tition after petition asking for the
right, and if my memory serves me
right, there has not been petition
asking that she be denied the right to
vote. Then who has the right to say
that she does not want it,
It has been said that if she wanted
it she would get it. That very admis-
sion establishes her right before this
body and it is our duty to give it to
her on the evidence before us that she
does wantit.
The next question is: Will the ex-
ercise of that right degrade here Does
the right to vote degrade your man
hoods Do you feel that the right of
suffrage has lowered you2 If it cannot
lower you it cannot lower her.
It has been argued that she would
come into the canvass and 60 upon
the hustings, and that she will seek
Office. Iadmit all that. If she does
she has the right. Are we denying it
because we fear that she will exercise
that right2 lido not think that there
is any man who will ask that we
should not give her the right for that
reason.
. It has also been said that she could
not do jury duty or road duty, or
militia duty, or other duties that have
to be performed by citizens. That is
absurd! Look at the State of Wyom-
ing and see if they do not perform
Jury duty there. I was reading some
time ago the statement of a Wyoming
Judge, who said that he had never seen
better jurors. That question is not
worth debating. Now, the next ques-
ton: Will she do military duty.
understand that one of the delegates,
a member of the committee on suffrage
asked that question. Upon inquiry l
have found that he was very young
man, who had not been in the civil
war, or he would nothave asked such a
question.
Didn't she do it in the war just
passed2 know by personal knowledge
one or two instances when young men
who refused to go to the war were
presented with a full suit of women's
apparel and told if you won't take up
arms, take to skirts" They did do
military duty. To those men who
were old soldiers there is no music so
encnanting; no music carried men to
a career that will ever be remembered
as did 1.-THE Girl, Left Behind Me. "
Every company and every regiment
that marched from its native town to
the field of glory did so to the strains
of that inspiring song.
, 1t may not be known to those who
are carried away by classical music,
but that tune carried more men to
glory than any other tune ever
known.
She will domilitary duty. She was
an angel in the hospitals during the
late war and she made all the clothes
that the soldiers needed. and exhibited
a spirit of sef-denial that has
never been surpassed by women
in any country. Who does
not remember how they took
the palmetto and the shucks and
plated them into hats, and how they
-wove their own homespun dresses9
And mean no reflection upon the
women of the present day when I say
that there were and never will be falrer
faces than those of the women who
wore the palmetto hats and homes
spun dresses. Yes, gentlemen, she
has done military duty and she will
continue doing it. .,
Now then comes the question, is it
expedient to give her the ballot9
We are confronted, gentlemen OF
the convention, with a grave and seri-
.ous problem. We have Charryblds on
one side and Scylia on the other, and
we are trying to steer between them
It is great task and we should take
advantage of every chance that offers
itself.
The learned gentleman from Char
lesion, in discussing the legal aspects