female suffrage-第3章

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there　are　restrictions　upon　the　suffrage　in　every　State。　Those
restrictions　vary　in　character。　They　are　either　national；　relating　to
color；　political；　mental；　educational；　connected　with　a　property
qualification；　connected　with　sex；　connected　with　minority　of　years；
or　they　are　moral　in　their　nature。*

＇FOOTNOTE　by　SFC｝　*In　connection　with　this　point　of　moral
qualification　we　venture　to　ask　a　question。　Why　not　enlarge　the
criminal　classes　from　whom　the　suffrage　is　now　withheld？　Why　not
exclude　every　man　convicted　of　any　degrading　legal　crime；　even　petty
larceny？　And　why　not　exclude　from　the　suffrage　all　habitual
drunkards　judicially　so　declared？　These　are　changes　which　would　do
vastly　more　of　good　than　admitting　women　to　vote。　｛END
FOOTNOTE｝

This　restriction　connected　with　sex　is；　in　fact；　but　one　of　many　other
restrictions；　considered　more　or　less　necessary　even　in　a　democracy。
Manhood　suffrage　is　a　very　favorite　term　of　the　day。　But；　taken　in
the　plain　meaning　of　those　words；　such　fullness　of　suffrage　has　at
the　present　hour　no　actual　existence　in　any　independent　nation；　or　in
any　extensive　province。　It　does　not　exist；　as　we　have　just　seen；
even　among　the　men　of　America。　And；　owing　to　the　conditions　of
human　life；　we　may　well　believe　that　unrestricted　fullness　of
manhood　suffrage　never　can　exist　in　any　great　nation　for　any　length
of　time。　In　those　States　of　the　American　Union　which　approach
nearest　to　a　practical　manhood　suffrage；　unnaturalized　foreigners；
minors；　and　certain　classes　of　criminals；　are　excluded　from　voting。
And　why　so？　What　is　the　cause　of　this　exclusion？　Here　are　men　by
tens　of　thousandsmen　of　widely　different　classes　and　conditions
peremptorily　deprived　of　a　privilege　asserted　to　be　a　positive
inalienable　right　universal　in　its　application。　There　is　manifestly
some　reason　for　this　apparently　contradictory　state　of　things。　We
know　that　reason　to　be　the　good　of　society。　It　is　for　the　good　of
society　that　the　suffrage　is　withheld　from　those　classes　of　men。　A
certain　fitness　for　the　right　use　of　the　suffrage　is　therefore　deemed
necessary　before　granting　it。　A　criminal；　an　unnaturalized　foreigner；　a
minor；　have　not　that　fitness；　consequently　the　suffrage　is　withheld
from　them。　The　worthy　use　of　the　vote　is；　then；　a　qualification　not
yet　entirely　overlooked　by　our　legislators。　The　State　has　had；　thus
far；　no　scruples　in　withholding　the　suffrage　even　from　men；　whenever
it　has　believed　that　the　grant　would　prove　injurious　to　the　nation。

Here　we　have　the　whole　question　clearly　defined。　The　good　of　society
is　the　true　object　of　all　human　government。　To　this　principle　suffrage
itself　is　subordinate。　It　can　never　be　more　than　a　means　looking　to
the　attainment　of　good　government；　and　not　necessarily　its　corner…
stone。　Just　so　far　is　it　wise　and　right。　Move　one　step　beyond　that
point；　and　instead　of　a　benefit　the　suffrage　may　become　a　cruel
injury。　The　governing　power　of　our　own　countrythe　most　free　of　all
great　nationspractically　proclaims　that　it　has　no　right　to　bestow　the
suffrage　wherever　its　effects　are　likely　to　become　injurious　to　the
whole　nation；　by　allotting　different　restrictions　to　the　suffrage　in
every　State　of　the　Union。　The　right　of　suffrage　is；　therefore；　most
clearly　not　an　absolutely　inalienable　right　universal　in　its　application。
It　has　its　limits。　These　limits　are　marked　out　by　plain　justice　and
common…sense。　Women　have　thus　far　been　excluded　from　the
suffrage　precisely　on　the　same　principlesfrom　the　conviction　that　to
grant　them　this　particular　privilege　would；　in　different　ways；　and
especially　by　withdrawing　them　from　higher　and　more　urgent　duties；
and　allotting　to　them　other　duties　for　which　they　are　not　so　well
fitted；　become　injurious　to　the　nation；　and；　we　add；　ultimately
injurious　to　themselves；　also；　as　part　of　the　nation。　If　it　can　be
proved　that　this　conviction　is　sound　and　just；　founded　on　truth；　the
assumed　inalienable　right　of　suffrage；　of　which　we　have　been　hearing
so　much　lately；　vanishes　into　the　〃baseless　fabric　of　a　vision。〃　If　the
right　were　indeed　inalienable；　it　should　be　granted；　without　regard　to
consequences；　as　an　act　of　abstract　justice。　But；　happily　for　us；
none　but　the　very　wildest　theorists　are　prepared　to　take　this　view　of
the　question　of　suffrage。　The　advocates　of　female　suffrage　must；
therefore；　abandon　the　claim　of　inalienable　right。　Such　a　claim　can
not　logically　be　maintained　for　one　moment　in　the　face　of　existing
facts。　We　proceed　to　the　third　point。

THIRDLY。　THE　ELEVATION　OF　THE　ENTIRE　SEX；　THE　GENERAL
PURIFICATION　OF　POLITICS　THROUGH　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　WOMEN；
AND　THE　CONSEQUENT　ADVANCE　OF　THE　WHOLE　RACE。　Such；　we　are
told；　must　be　the　inevitable　results　of　what　is　called　the
emancipation　of　woman；　the　entire　independence　of　woman　through
the　suffrage。

Here　we　find　ourselves　in　a　peculiar　position。　While　considering　the
previous　points　of　this　question　we　have　been　guided　by　positive
facts；　clearly　indisputable　in　their　character。　Actual；　practical
experience；　with　the　manifold　teachings　at　her　command；　has　come
to　our　aid。　But　we　are　now　called　upon；　by　the　advocates　of　this
novel　doctrine；　to　change　our　course　entirely。　We　are　under　orders　to
sail　out　into　unknown　seas；　beneath　skies　unfamiliar；　with　small
light　from　the　stars；　without　chart；　without　pilot；　the　port　to　which
we　are　bound　being　one　as　yet　unvisited　by　mortal　manor　woman！
Heavy　mist；　and　dark　cloud；　and　threatening　storm　appear　to　us
brooding　over　that　doubtful　sea。　But　something　of　prophetic　vision　is
required　of　us。　We　are　told　that　all　perils　which　seem　to　threaten　the
first　stages　of　our　course　are　entirely　illusivethat　they　will　vanish
as　we　approachthat　we　shall　soon　arrive　in　halcyon　waters；　and
regions　where　wisdom；　peace；　and　purity　reign　supreme。　If　we
cautiously　inquire　after　some　assurance　of　such　results；　we　are　told
that　to　those　sailing　under　the　flag　of　progress　triumph　is　inevitable；
failure　is　impossible；　and　that　many　of　the　direst　evils　hitherto
known　on　earth　must　vanish　at　the　touch　of　the　talisman　in　the　hand
of　womanand　that　talisman　is　the　vote。

Now；　to　speak　franklyand　being　as　yet　untrammeled　by　political
aspirations；　we　fearlessly　do　soas　regards　this　flag　of　progress；　we
know　it　to　be　a　very　popular　bit　of　bunting；　but　to　the　eye　of
common…sense　it　is　grievously　lacking　in　consistency。　The　flag　of　our
country　means　something　positive。　We　all　love　it；　we　all　honor　it。　It
represents　to　us　the　grand　ideas　by　which　the　nation　lives。　It　is　the
symbol　of　constitutional　government；　of　law　and　order；　of　union；　of　a
liberty　which　is　not　license。　It　is　to　us　the　symbol　of　all　that　may　be
great　and　good　and　noble　in　the　Christian　republic。　But　this　vaunted
flag　of　progress；　so　alluring　to　many　restless　minds；　is　vague　in　its
colors；　unstable；　too　often　illusive；　in　web　and　woof。　Many　of　its
most　prominent　standard…bearers　are　clad　in　the　motley　garb　of
theorists。　Their　flag　may　be　seen　wandering　to　and　fro；　hither　and
thither；　up　and　down；　swayed　by　every　breath　of　popular　caprice；　so
it　move　to　the　mere　cry　of　〃Progress！〃　its　followers　are　content。　To…
day；　in　the　hands　of　the　skeptical　philosopher；　it　assaults　the
heavens。　Tomorrow　it　may：　float　over　the　mire　of　Mormonism；　or
depths　still　more　vile。　It　was　under　the　flag　of　progress　that；　in　the
legislative　halls　of　France；　the　name　of　the　Holy　Lord　God　of　Hosts；
〃who　inhabiteth　eternity；〃　was　legally　blasphemed。　It　was　under　the
flag　of　progress　that；　on　the　10th　of　November；　1793；　Therese
Momoro；　Goddess　of　Reason；　and　wife　of　the　printer　Momoro；　was
borne　in　triumph；　by　throngs　of　worshipers；　through　the　streets　of
Paris；　and　enthroned　in　the　house　of　God。

Beyond　all　doubt；　there　is　now；　as　there　ever　has　been；　an　onward
progress　toward　truth　on　earth。　But　that　true　progress　is　seldom
rapid；　excepting　perhaps　in　the　final　stages　of　some　particular
movement。　It　is；　indeed；　often　so　slow；　so　gradual；　as　to　be
imperceptible　at　the　moment　to　common　observation。　It　is　often
silent；　wonderful；　mysterious；　sublime。　It　is　the　grand　movement
toward　the　Divine　Will；　working　out　all　things　for　eventual　good。　In
looking　back；　there　are　for　every　generation　way…marks　by　which　the
course　of　that　progress　may　be　traced。　In　looking　forward　no　mortal
eye　can　foresee　its　immediate　course。　The　ultimate　end　we　know；
but　the　next　step　we　can　not　foretell。　The　mere　temporary　cry　of
progress　from　human　lips　has　often　been　raised　in　direct　opposition
to　the　true　course　of　that　grand；　mysterious　movement。　It　is　like　the
roar　of　the　rapids　in　the　midst　of　the　majestic　stream；　which；　in　the
end；　shall　yield　their　own　foaming　waters　to　the　calm　current　moving
onward　to　the　sea。　We　ask；　then；　for　something　higher；　safer；　more
sure；　to　guide　us　than　the　mere　popular　cry　of　〃Progress！〃　We　dare
not　blindly　follow　that　cry；　nor　yield　thoughtless　allegiance　to　every
flag　it　upholds。

Then；　again；　as　regards　that　talisman；　the　vote；　we　have　but　one
answer　to　make。　We　do　not　believe　in　magic。　We　have　a　very　firm
and　unchangeable　faith　in　free　institutions；　founded　on　just
principles。　We　entirely　believe　that　a　republican　form　of　government
in　a　Christian　country　may　be　the　highest；　the　noblest；　and　the
happiest　that　the　world　has　yet　seen。　Still；　we　do　not　believe　in
magic。　And　we　do　not　believe　in　idolatry。　We　Americans　are　just　as
much　given　to　idolatry　as　any　other　people。　Our　idols　may　differ　from
those　of　other　nations；　but　they　are；　none　the　less；　still　idols。　And　it
strikes　the　writer　that　the　ballot…box　is　rapidly　becoming　an　object　of
idolatry　with　us。　Is　it　not　so？　From　the　vote　alone　we　expect　all
things　good。　From　the　vote　alone　we　expect　protection　against　all
things　evil。　Of　the　vote　Americans　can　never　have　too　muchof　the
vote　they　can　never　have　enough。　The　vote　is　expected　by　its　very
touch；　suddenly　and　instantaneously；　to　produce　miraculous　changes；
it　is　expected　to　make　the　foolish　wise；　the　ignorant　knowing；　the
weak　strong；　the　fraudulent　honest。　It　is　expected　to　turn　dross　into
gold。　It　is　held　to　be　the　great
educator；　not　only　as　regards　races；　and　under　the　influence　of　time；
which　is　in　a　measure　true；　but　as　regards　individuals　and　classes　of
men；　and　that　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　with　magical　rapidity。　Were
this　theory　practically　sound；　the　vote　would　really　prove　a　talisman。
In　that　case　we　should　give　ourselves　no　rest　until　the　vote　were
instantly　placed　in　the　hands　of　every　Chinaman　landing　in　California；
and　of　every　Indian　roving　over　the　plains。　But；　in　opposition　to　this
theory；　what　is　the　testimony　of　positive　facts　known　to　us　all？　Are
all　voters　wise？　Are　all　voters　honest？　Are　all　voters　enlightened？
Are　all　voters　true　to　their　high　responsibilities？　Are　all　voters
faithful　servants　of　their　country？　Is　it　entirely　true　that　the　vote　has
necessarily　and　really　these　inherent　magical　powers　of　rapid
education　for　individuals　and　for　classes　of　men；　fitting　them；　in
default　of　other　qualifications；　for　the　high　responsibilities　of
suffrage？　Alas！　we　know　only　too　well　that　when　a　man　is　not
already　honest　and　just　and　wise　and　enlightened；　the　vote　he　ho