female suffrage-第4章

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already　honest　and　just　and　wise　and　enlightened；　the　vote　he　holds
can　not　make　him　so。　We　know　that　if　he　is　dishonest；　he　will　sell
his　vote；　if　he　is　dull　and　ignorant；　he　is　misled；　for　selfish　purposes
of　their　own；　by　designing　men。　As　regards　man；　at　least；　the　vote
can　be　too　easily　proved　to　be　no　talisman。　It　is　very　clear　that　for
man　the　ballot…box　needs　to　be　closely　guarded　on　one　side　by
common…sense；　on　the　other　by　honesty。　A　man　must　be　endowed
with　a　certain　amount　of　education　and　of　principle；　before　he
receives　the　vote；　to　fit　him　for　a　worthy　use　of　it。　And　if　the　vote　be
really　no　infallible　talisman　for　man；　why　should　we　expect　it　to　work
magical　wonders　in　the　hands　of　woman？

But　let　us　drop　the　play　of　metaphor；　appropriate　though　it　be　when
facing　the　visions　of　political　theorists。　Let　us　look　earnestly　and
clearly　at　the　positive　facts　before　us。　We　are　gravely　told　that　to
grant　the　suffrage　to　woman　would　be　a　step　inevitably　beneficial
and　elevating　to　the　whole　sex；　and；　through　their　influence；　to　the
entire　race；　and　that；　on　this　ground　alone；　the　proposed　change　in
the　constitution　should　be　made。　Here；　so　far　at　least　as　the
concluding　proposition　goes；　we　must　all　agree。　If　it　can　be　clearly
proved　that　this　particular　change　in　our　institutions　is　one　so
fraught　with　blessings；　we　are　bound　to　make　it　at　every　cost。　The
true　elevation　of　the　whole　race：　that　is　what　we　are　all　longing　for；
praying　for。　And　is　it　indeed　true　that　this　grand　work　can　effectually
be　brought　about　by　the　one　step　we　are　now　urged　to　take？　What
says　actual　experience　on　this　point？　The　whole　history　of　mankind
shows　clearly　that；　as　yet；　no　one　legislative　act　has　ever
accomplished　half　of　what　is　claimed　by　the　advocates　of　woman's
suffrage　as　the　inevitable　result　of　the　change　they　propose。　No　one
legislative　act　has　ever　been　so　widely　comprehensive　in　its　results
for　good　as　they　declare　that　this　act　shall　be。　No　one　legislative　act
has　ever　raised　the　entire　race　even　within　sight　of　the　point　of
elevation　predicted　by　the　champions　of　what　is　called　the
emancipation　of　woman。　Hear　them　speak　for　themselves：　〃It　is
hardly　possible；　with　our　present　experience；　to　raise　our
imaginations　to　the　conception　of　so　great　a　change　for　the　better　as
would　be　made　by　its　removal〃the　removal　of　the　principle　of　the
subordination　of　the　wife　to　the　husband；　and　the　establishment　of
the　entire　independence　of　women；　to　be　obtained　by　female
suffrage。　These　are　not　the　words　of　some　excited　woman　making　a
speech　at　a　public　meeting。　The　quotation　is　from　the　writings　of　Mr。
Stuart　Mill。　The　subordination　of　the　wife　to　the　husband　is　declared
by　Mr。　Mill　to　be　〃the　citadel　of　the　enemy。〃　Storm　the　citadel；
proclaim　the　entire　independence　of　the　wife；　and　our　feeble
imaginations；　we　are　told；　are　utterly　incapable　of　conceiving　the
glorious　future　of　the　race　consequent　upon　this　one　step。　This　is　a
very　daring　assertion。　It　is　so　bold；　indeed；　as　to　require　something
of　positive　proof　ere　we　can　yield　to　it　our　implicit　belief。　The　citadel
we　are　urged　to　storm　was　built　by　the　hand　of　God。　The　flag　waving
over　that　citadel　is　the　flag　of　the　Cross。　When　the　Creator　made
one　entire　sex　so　much　more　feeble　in　physical　powers　than　the
other；　a　degree　of　subordination　on　the　part　of　the　weaker　sex
became　inevitable；　unless　it　were　counteracted　by　increase　of　mental
ability；　strengthened　by　special　precept。　But　the　mental　ability；　so
far　as　there　is　a　difference；　and　the　precept；　are　both　on　the　side　of
the　stronger　sex。　The　whole　past　history　of　the　race　coincides　so
clearly　with　these　facts　that　we　should　suppose　that　even　those　who
are　little　under　the　influence　of　Christian　faith　might　pause　era　they
attacked　that　citadel。　Common…sense　might　teach　them　something　of
caution；　something　of　humility；　when　running　counter　to　the　whole
past　experience　of　the　race。　As　for　those　who　have　a　living　belief　in
the　doctrines　of　Christianity；　when　they　find　that　revealed　religion；
from　the　first　of　the　Prophets　to　the　last　of　the　Apostles；　allots　a
subordinate　position　to　the　wife；　they　are　compelled　to　believe
Moses　and　St。　Paul　in　the　right；　and　the　philosophers　of　the　present
day；　whether　male　or　female；　in　the　wrong。　To　speak　frankly；　the
excessive　boldness　of　these　new　theories；　the　incalculable　and
inconceivable　benefits　promised　us　from　this　revolution　from　the
natural　condition　of　things　in　Christendomand　throughout　the　world
indeedwould　lead　us　to　suspicion。　Guides　who　appeal　to　the
imagination　when　discussing　practical　questions　are　not　generally
considered　the　safest。　And　the　champions　of　female　suffrage　are
necessarily　compelled　to　take　this　course。　They　have　no　positive
foundation　to　rest　on。　Mr。　Stuart　Mill　has　said　in　Parliament；　in
connection　with　this　subject；　that　〃the　tyranny　of　established　custom
has　entirely　passed　away。〃　Nothing　can　be　more　true　than　this
assertion。　As　a　rule；　the　past　is　now　looked　upon　with　doubt；
with　suspicion；　often　with　a　certain　sort　of　contempt；　very　far　from
being　always　consistent　with　sound　reason。　The　tyranny　of　the
present　dayand　it　may　be　just　as　much　a　tyranny　as　the　otheris
radically　opposite　in　character。　It　is　the　tyranny　of　novelty　to　which
we　are　most　exposed　at　present。　The　dangers　lie　chiefly　in　that
direction。　There　will　be　little　to　fear　from　the　old　until　the　hour　of
reaction　arrives；　as　it　inevitably　must；　if　the　human　mind　be　strained
too　far　in　a　new　direction。　At　present　the　more　startling　an　assertion；
the　farther　it　wanders　from　all　past　experience；　the　greater　are　its
chances　of　attracting　attention；　of　gaining　adherents；　of　achieving　at
least　a　partial　and　temporary　success。　In　the　age　and　in　the　country
which　has　seen　the　development　of　Mormonism　as　a　successful
religious；　social；　and　political　system；　nothing　should　surprise　us。
Such　is　the　restlessness　of　human　nature　that　it　will　often；　from
mere　weak　hankering　after　change；　hug　to　its　bosom　the　wildest
theories；　and　yield　them　a　temporary　allegiance。

Let　us　suppose　that　to…day　the　proposed　revolution　were　effected；
all　women；　without　restriction；　even　the　most　vile；　would　be
summoned　to　vote　in　accordance　with　their　favorite　theory　of
inalienable　right。　That　class　of　women；　and　other　degraded　classes
of　the　ignorant　and　unprincipled；　will　always　be　ready　to　sell　their
votes　many　times　overto　either　party；　to　both　parties；　to　the
highest　bidder；　in　short。　They　will　sell　their　vote　much　more　readily
than　the　lowest　classes　of　men　now　do。　They　will　hold　it　with　greater
levity。　They　will　trifle　with　it。　They　will　sell　their　vote　any　day　for　a
yard　of　ribbon　or　a　tinsel　broochunless　they　are　offered　two　yards
of　ribbon　or　two　brooches。　They　will　vote　over　again　every　hour　of
every　election　day；　by　cunning　disguises　and　trickery。　And　thus；　so
far　as　women　are　concerned；　the　most　degraded　element　in　society
will；　in　fact；　represent　the　whole　sex。　Nay；　they　will　probably　not
unfrequently　command　the　elections；　as　three　colored　women　are
said　once　to　have　done　in　New　Jersey。　A　hundred　honest　and
intelligent　women　can　have　but　one　vote　each；　and　at　least　fifty　of
these　will　generally　stay　at　home。　If；　which　God　forbid；　it　actually
comes　to　female　voting；　a　very　small　proportion　of　the　sex　will；　at
common　elections；　appear　at　the　polls。　Avocations　more　urgent；
more　natural　to　them；　and　in　which　they　are　more　deeply　interested；
will　keep　them　away。　The　degraded　women　will　be　there　by　the
scores；　as　tools　of　men；　enjoying　both　the　importance　of　the　hour；
the　fun；　and　THE　PAY。　Fifty　women；　known　to　be　thieves　and
prostitutes；　will　hold；　at　a　moderate　calculation；　say　two　hundred
votes。　And；　as　women　form　the　majority　of　the　resident　population　in
some　States；　that　wretched　element　of　society　will；　in　fact；　govern
those　States；　or　those　who　bribe　them　will　do　so。　Massachusetts；
very　favorable　to　female　suffrage　now；　will　probably　come　round　to
the　opinion　of　New　Jersey　in　former　days。　Great　will　be　the
consumption　of　cheap　ribbons；　and　laces；　and　artificial　flowers；　and
feathers；　and　tinsel　jewelry；　in　every　town　and　village　about　election
time；　after　emancipation　is　achieved。　We　are　compelled　to　believe
so；　judging　from　our　knowledge　of　human　nature；　and　of　the　use
already　made　of　bribery　at　many　elections。　The　demagogues　will　be
more　powerful　than　ever。　Their　work　will　be　made　easy　for　them。　It
seems；　indeed；　probable　that　under　the　new　era　our　great　elections
shall　become　a　sort　of　grand　national　gift　concerns；　of　which　the
most　active　demagogues　of　all　parties　will　be　the　managers。　Not
that　women　are　more　mercenary；　or　more　unprincipled　than　men。　God
forbid！　That　would　be　saying　too　much。　We　entirely　believe　the
reverse　to　be　true。　But　the　great　mass　of　women　can　never　be　made
to　take　a　deep；　a　sincere；　a　discriminating；　a　lasting　interest　in　the
thousand　political　questions　ever　arising　to　be　settled　by　the　vote。
They　very　soon　weary　of　such　questions。　On　great　occasions　they　can
work　themselves　up　to　a　state　of　frenzied　excitement　over　some　one
political　question。　At　such　times　they　can　parade　a　degree　of
unreasoning　prejudice；　of　passionate　hatred；　of　blind　fury；　even
beyond　what　man　can　boast　of。　But；　in　their　natural　condition；　in
everyday　life；　they　do　not　take　instinctively　to　politics　as　men　do。
Men　are　born　politicians；　just　as　they　are　born　masons；　and
carpenters；　and　soldiers；　and　sailors。　Not　so　women。　Their　thoughts
and　feelings　are　given　to　other　matters。　The　current　of　their　chosen
avocations　runs　in　another　channel　than　that　of　politicsa　channel
generally　quite　out　of　sight　of　politics；　it　is　an　effort　for　them　to　turn
from　one　to　the　other。　With　men；　on　the　contrary；　politics；　either
directly　or　indirectly；　are　closely；　palpably；　inevitably　blended　with
their　regular　work　in　life。　They　give　their　attention　unconsciously；
spontaneously；　to　politics。　Look　at　a　family　of　children；　half　boys；
half　girls；　the　boys　take　instinctively　to　whips　and　guns　and　balls
and　bats　and　horses；　to　fighting　and　wrestling　and　riding；　the　girls
fondle　their　dolls；　beg　for　a　needle　and　thread；　play　at　housekeeping；
at　giving　tea…parties；　at　nursing　the　sick　baby；　at　teaching　school。
That　difference　lasts　through　life。　Give　your　son；　as　he　grows　up；　a
gun　and　a　vote；　he　will　delight　in　both。　Give　your　daughter；　as　she
grows　up；　a　gun　and　a　vote；　and；　unless　she　be　an　exceptional
woman；　she　will　make　a　really　good　use　of　neither。　Your　son　may　be
dull；　but　he　will　make　a　good　soldier；　and　a　very　tolerable　voter。
Your　daughter　may　be　very　clever；　but　she　would　certainly　run　away
on　the　battle…held；　and　very　probably　draw　a　caricature　on　the
election　ticket。　There　is　the　making　of　an　admirable　wife　and　mother；
and　a　valuable　member　of　society；　in　that　clever　young　woman。　She
is　highly　intelligent；　thoroughly　well　educated；　reads　Greek　and
Latin；　and　has　a　wider　range　of　knowledge　and　thought　than　ninety…
nine　in　a　hundred　of　the　voters　in　the　same　district；　but　there　is
nothing　of　the
politician　in　her　nature。　She　would　rather　any　day　read　a　fine　poem
than　the　best　poli