Year: 1871

For those who maintain that suffrage is
a universal manhood right, there can be
no logical denial of the same right to wo-
man. Il has been the fashion with large
school Of politicians in America to assert
that the electoral capacity inheres in each
individual by virtue of his being a man !;
that it is to be ranked in the same class
with the rights to life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness: and that government
which refuses its enjoyment to any portion
of its citizens is so far forth tyranny
These views have been earnestly propaga-
ted, and are too generally accepted as true
by the unthinking. 1t does not need
much logic to see that this doctrine must
lead to woman's suffrage. 1t is this teach
ing which has given the cause of woman's
rights all its strength among large masses
of people who. having carelessly admitted
the premises which have stated, find it
impossible to escape from result against
which all their instincts protest. But the
doctrine itself is false, is without the sup
port OF any political or social fact. The
absolute sovereignty in an independent
State or Nation. with the consequent power
to determine the government and institu-
tions of that Nation, does not belong to
the separate individuals who compose the
body polite: it is not divided up and n
portion allotted to each person, nor does
each person possess the whole. Sover-
eighty in State and the power to de-
termine its institutions belong to soc;cty
in its organic capacity, to society as unit,
rs great corporate whole. possessing \
national personality with distinct moral
character and accountability. This single
organic society. being the depository of
all political power, has not only the right,
but is subjected to the duty. to establish
and preserve such forms Of government,
institutions, political capacities and privi-
le.ges as shall best sub>erve the general
welfare. 1t confers and may withdraw
all political rights enjoyed for the time be-
ing by the individual In one country it
may be best that a monarchy be establish
ed in another representative republic !;
IN one the electoral franchise may be
granted to a few; in another, to large clas-
scs of persons. Whatever be the fact. in
each Instance the people. as an indiyisiblc
unit. and by an act of its absolute sover-
eighty. has set up the government. be it
hing or Congress, and has bestowed the
franchise upon the few or upon the MANY,
to be exercised rs u trust created and con-
terred for the good of ALL This principle
lies at the very bottom of our own institu-
tions. and is recognized rs correct by the
prntoundest writers upon pubic law. 1t
hnds an expression in the Declaration of
Independence, in the statement that gov
ernments derive all their just powers from
the consent of the governed. Ii VIC once


abandon it. and substitute in its stead
the doctrine that the individual con-
sent of each person Is the foundation
ofgovernmeut, anarchy must he the inevi-
table logical result.


There is. therefore, no notion Of right
connected with the exercise of the electo-
raj franchise. The absolute right resides
in the one indivisible peeple: the power
of voting as well as of holding Office is a
privilege created and ccntyed upon some
for the public good. Whether this privi-
lccc should be granted to women, becomes
then mere question of cxpediencv In
discussing this question of expcaiency.
we have simply to determine whether ii is
best for the general interests Of mankind
to break up and destroy social organiza-
ton based upon the family as its unit
into this field of discussion | shall not
enter.