Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-18
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

Extract from an address delivered by
Hon. Henry C. Hervey. at Bellevue As
sembly, August 9th, 1901.
Objections to woman suffrage con-
.sidered. 1t is said that woman cannot
fight, and therefore ought not to be al
lowed to vote. The assertion that
woman cannot fight is not true. History
does not record a more heroic de-
tense, or fortitude displayed in the
presence of danger than was displayed
by the women inelosed in the British
legation in the city of Pekin during
the late Chinese war Women have
served in all armies, sometimes in dis
guise, sometimes not Gen. Kelly, at q
reunion OF soldiers held in the city Of
Wheeling, tells this story:
/ A young woman, as pretty as she
could be, belonging to company Of
Confederate cavalry, serving without
being disguised with her sword, &C
coutrements, ana horse, was captured
by some of his men. She was brought
into the presence of the General and
his staff. They wanted to find out from
her where this company was that she
belonged to. The General said to her,
If you will bring us down to this COM
pany that you belong to, or tell us
where they are, you can have any one
of these men of my staff for hus-
band But she was too sharp for Gen.
Kelly and ali his staff officers. She
looked around at his staff and then at
the General, and studied little while,
and. then she said We'll, if l have to
marry any of you, l will take the Gen
eral himself"
There are men that cannot fight;
there are the crippled and infirm among
men that cannot serve in the army,
and yet they vote. We don't want
women to fight. According to the
census of 1890, we have 100000 more
men in this country than women, so
that we could keep an army of 1,5O0, 900
in the field all the time, and still have
one man left for each woman for a
husband, if she wanted one. But, a
nations war power is determinated by
her ability to equip an army and sup
port it in the field; and woman, like
other non-combatants, engaged as she
is in all the gainful occupations, is
AIDING to the national wealth and fur
nishing the sinews of war. 1t is said
that the looms and the spindles of
Manchester, operated by women, sent
Napoleon Bonaparte to st. Helena.
Physical strength and the skill in
handling weapons of war are not the
qualifications Of the voter. Voting is
the authoritative expression of an opin-
ion, and in the voter we want intelli-
gence, conscience and patriotism, and
woman has as much of these as man
| has. Woman originated, and the sani-
tary commission work, during our civil
war-caring for the wounded and sick
soldiers-was conducted by women.
We need the Clara Bartons. and in
time of war, even. ut is not good that
the man should be alone" Clara Bar
ton to the soldiers: When | was
young and strong | labored for you,
now l am weak and you are strong,
| and | ask you to labor for me ana my
| sex, and give us the ballot
Again, it is said that woman suffrage
would be the cause of domestic trouble:
| that there would be social volcanic
| eruption, with the man standing on the
| defensive, and the woman with a
| broomstick in her hand. The papers
| not long since reported the case of a
man and his wife in one of these
] western States. The one was Demo
| crat, the other Republican, both can
| didates for county superintendent OF
schools. The contest was a friendly