female suffrage-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nothing　of　the
politician　in　her　nature。　She　would　rather　any　day　read　a　fine　poem
than　the　best　political　speech　of　the　hour。　What　she　does　know　of
politics　reaches　her　through　that　dull　but　worthy　brother　of　hers。　It　is
only　occasionally　that　we　meet　women　with　an　inherent　bias　for
politics；　and　those　are　not；　as　a　rule；　the　highest　type　of　the　sexit
is　only　occasionally　that　they　are　so。　The　interest　most　women　feel
in　politics　is　secondary；　factitious；　engrafted　on　them　by　the　men
nearest　to　them。　Women　are　not　abortive　men；　they　are　a　distinct
creation。　The　eye　and　the　ear；　though　both　belonging　to　the　same
body；　are　each；　in　a　certain　sense；　a　distinct　creation。　A　body
endowed　with　four　ears　might　hear　remarkably　well；　but　without　eyes
it　would　be　of　little　use　in　the　world。　A　body　with　four　eyes　would
have　a　fourfold　power　of　vision；　and　would　consequently　become
nearly　as　sharp…sighted　as　a　spider；　but　without　hearing　its　powers
of　sight　would　avail　little。　In　both　cases；　half　the　functions　of　the
human　being；　whether　physical　or　mental；　would　be　very　imperfectly
performed。　Thus　it　is　with　men　and　women；　each　has　a　distinct
position　to　fill　in　the　great　social　body；　and　is　especially　qualified　for
it。　These　distinct　positions　are　each　highly　important。　And　it　is
reasonable　to　believe　that；　by　filling　their　own　peculiar　position
thoroughly　well；　women　can　best　serve　their　Creator；　their　fellow…
creatures；　and　themselves。　No　doubt　you　may；　if　you　choose；　by
especial　education　from　childhood　upward；　make　your　girls　very
respectable　politicians；　as　much　so　as　the　majority　of　your　sons。　But
in　that　case　you　must　give　up　your　womanly　daughtersyou　must　be
content　with　manly　daughters。　This　essential　difference　between　the
sexes　is　a　very　striking　fact；　yet　the　advocates　of　female　suffrage
constantly　lose　sight　of　it；　they　talk　and　write　as　if　it　had　no
existence。　It　is　not　lack　of　intellect　on　the　part　of　women；　but
difference　of　intellect；　or　rather　a　difference　of　organization　and
affinities　giving　a　different　bias　to　the　intellect；　which　is　the　cause　of
their　distinct　mental　character　as　a　sex。　And；　owing　to　this　essential
difference；　the　great　majority　of　women　are　naturally　disinclined　to
politics；　and　partially　unfitted　for　action　in　that　field。




FEMALE　SUFFRAGE。
A　LETTER　TO　THE　CHRISTIAN　WOMEN　OF　AMERICA。
Part　II。

LET　us　now　look　for　a　moment　at　the　actual　condition　of　women　in
America；　in　connection　with　the　predicted　elevation。　We　are　told　they
are　to　be　elevated　by　the　suffrageand　that　by　hanging　on　to　the
election　tickets　in　the　hands　of　their　wives；　the　men　are　to　be
elevated　with　them。　What；　therefore；　is　the　ground　women　now
occupy；　and　from　whence　they　are　to　soar　upward　on　the　paper　wings
of　the　ballot？　The　principal　facts　connected　with　that　position　are
self…evident；　there　is　nothing　vague　or　uncertain　here；　we　have　but
to　look　about　us　and　the　question　is　answered。　We　already　know；　for
instance；　from　daily　observation　and　actual　experience；　that；　as　a
general　rule；　the　kindness　and　consideration　of　American　men　have
been　great；　both　in　public　and　in　private　life。　We　know　that　in
American　society　women　have　been　respected；　they　have　been
favored；　they　have　been　protected；　they　have　been　beloved。　There
has　been　a　readiness　to　listen　to　their　requests；　to　redress
grievances；　to　make　changes　whenever　these　have　become　necessary
or　advisable。　Such；　until　very　recently；　has　been　the　general　current
of　public　feeling；　the　general　tendency　of　public　action；　in　America。　If
there　appear　to…day　occasional　symptoms　of　a　change　in　the　tone　of
men　on　this　point；　it　is　to　be　attributed　to　the　agitation　of　the　very
question　we　are　now　discussing。　Whenever　women　make　ill…judged；
unnatural；　extravagant　demands；　they　must　prepare　to　lose　ground。
Yes；　even　where　the　particular　points　in　dispute　are　conceded　to
their　reiterated　importunity；　they　must　still　eventually　lower　their
general　standing　and　consideration　by　every　false　step。　There　are
occasions　where　victory　is　more　really　perilous　than　a　timely　defeat；
a　temporary　triumph　may　lead　to　ground　which　the　victors　can　not
permanently　hold　to　their　own　true　and　lasting　advantage。　On　the
other　hand；　every　just　and　judicious　demand　women　may　now　make
with　the　certainty　of　successful　results。　This　is；　indeed；　the　great
fact　which　especially　contributes　to　render　the　birthright　of　American
women　a　favorable　one。　　If　the　men　of　the　country　are　already
disposed　to　redress　existing　grievances；　where　women　are
concerned；　as　we　know　them　to　be；　and　if　they　are　also　ready；　as　we
know　them　to　be；　to　forward　all　needful　future　development　of　true
womanly　action；　what　more；　pray；　can　we　reasonably　ask　of　them？
Where　lies　this　dim　necessity　of　thrusting　upon　women　the　burdens
of　the　suffrage？　And　why　should　the　entire　nation　be　thrown　into　the
perilous　convulsions　of　a　revolution　more　truly　formidable　than　any
yet　attempted　on　earth？　Bear　in　mind　that　this　is　a　revolution　which；
if　successful　in　all　its　aims；　can　scarcely　fail　to　sunder　the　family
roof…tree；　and　to　uproot　the　family　hearth…stone。　It　is　the　avowed
determination　of　many　of　its　champions　that　it　shall　do　so；　while
with　another　class　of　its　leaders；　to　weaken　and　undermine　the
authority　of　the　Christian　faith　in　the　household　is　an　object　if　not
frankly　avowed　yet　scarcely　concealed。　The　great　majority　of　the
women　enlisted　in　this　movementmany　of　them；　it　is　needless　to
say；　very　worthy　persons　as　individualsare　little　aware　of　all　the
perils　into　which　some　of　their　most　zealous　male　allies　would　lead
them。　Degradation　for　the　sex；　and　not　true　and　lasting　elevation；
appear　to　most　of　us　likely　to　be　the　end　to　which　this　movement
must　necessarily　tend；　unless　it　be　checked　by　the　latent　good
sense；　the　true　wisdom；　and　the　religious　principle　of　women
themselves；　aroused；　at　length；　to　protest；　to　resist。　If　we　are　called
upon　for　proof　of　the　assertion；　that　American　men　are　already
prepared　to　redress　actual　grievances；　we　find　that　proof　in　their
course　at　the　present　moment。　Observe　the　patience　with　which　our
legislative　bodies　are　now　considering　the　petitions　of　a　clamorous
minority　demanding　the　redress　of　a　fictitious　grievancea　minority
demanding　a　political　position　which　the　majority　of　their　sex　still
utterly　rejecta　position　repugnant　to　the　habits；　the　feelings；　the
tastes；　and　the　principles　of　that　majority。　If　men　are　willing　to　give
their　attention　to　these　querulous　demands　of　a　small　minority　of　our
sex；　how　much　more　surely　may　we　rely　on　their　sympathy；　and　their
efficient　support；　when
some　measure　in　which　the　interests　of　the　whole　sex　are　clearly
involved　shall　be　brought　before　them　by　all　their　wives　and
mothers？

And　again：　they　are　not　only　already　prepared　to　redress　grievances；
but　also　to　forward　all　needed　development　of　true　womanly　action。
Take；　in　proof　of　this；　assertion；　the　subject　of　education。　This　is；
beyond　all　doubt　the　vital　question　of　the　age；　embracing　within　its
limits　all　others。　Education　is　of　far　more　importance　than　the
suffrage；　which　is　eventually　subject　to　it；　controlled　by　it。　This　is；
indeed；　a　question　altogether　too　grave；　too　comprehensive；　and　too
complicated　in　some　of　its　bearings　to　be　more　than　briefly　alluded
to　here。　But　let　us　consider　education　for　a　moment　as　the　mere
acquirement　of　intellectual　knowledge。　This　is　but　one　of　its　phases；
and　that　one　not　the　most　important；　but　such　is　the　popular；
though　very　inadequate；　idea　of　the　subject　in　America。　Observe　how
much　has　already　been　done　in　this　sense　for　the　instruction　of　the
woman　of　our　country。　In　the　common　district　schools；　and　even　in
the　high　schools　of　the　larger　towns；　the　same　facilities　are　generally
offered　to　both　sexes；　in　the　public　schools　brother　and　sister　have；
as　a　rule；　the　same　books　and　the　same　teachers。　And　we　may　go
much　further　and　say　that　every　woman　in　the　country　may　already
IF　SHE　IS　DETERMINED　TO　DO　SOobtain　very　much　the　same
intellectual　instruction　which　her　own　brother　receives。　If　that
education　is　a　highly　advanced　one　she　will；　no　doubt；　have　some
special　difficulties　to　contend　against；　but　those　difficulties　are　not
insurmountable。　The　doors　of　most　colleges　and　universities　are
closed；　it　is　true；　against　women；　and　we　can　not　doubt　that　this
course　is　taken　for　sound　reasons；　pointed　out　by　good　sense　and
true　sagacity。　It　is　impossible　not　to　believe　that　between　the　ages
of　fifteen　and　five…and…twenty　young　men　and　young　women　will
carry　on　their　intellectual　training　far　more　thoroughly　and
successfully　apart　than　thrown　into　the　same　classes。　At　that　age　of
vivid　impressions　and　awakening　passions；　the　two　sexes　are
sufficiently　thrown　together　in　family　life　and　in　general　society　for
all　purposes　of　mutual　influence　and　improvement。　Let　them　chat；
walk；　sing；　dance　together；　at　that　period　of　their　lives；　but　if　you
wish　to　make　them　good　scholars；　let　them　study　apart。　Let　their
loves　and　jealousies　be　carried　on　elsewhere　than　in　the　college
halls。　But　already　female　colleges；　exclusively　adapted　to　young
women；　are　talked　ofnay；　here　and　there　one　or　two　such　colleges
now　exist。　There　is　nothing　in　which　American　men　more　delight；
nothing　more　congenial　to　their　usual　modes　of　thought　and　action；
than　to　advance　the　intellectual　instruction　of　the　whole　nation；
daughters　as　well　as　sons。　We　may　rest　assured　that　they　will　not
fail　to　grant　all　needful　development　in　this　direction。　One　female
college；　of　the　very　highest　intellectual　standard；　would　probably　be
found　sufficient　for　a　population　of　some　millions。　The　number　of
women　desiring　a　full　college　education　will　always；　for　many
different　reasons；　be　much　smaller　than　the　number　of　male
students。　But　there　is　no　good　reason　why　such　colleges；　when　found
desirable；　should　not　enter　into　our　future　American　civilization。
Individual　American　women　may　yet；　by　these　means；　make　high
progress　in　science；　and　render　good　service　to　the　country　and　the
race。　Every　branch　of　study　which　may　be　carried　on　thoroughly　and
successfully；　without　impairing　womanly　modesty　of　mind　and
manner；　should　be　so　far　opened　to　the　sex　as　to　allow　those
individuals　to　whom　Providence　has　given　the　ability　for　deep
research　to　carry　them　to　the　farthest　point　needed。　But　as　regards
those　studies　which　are　intended　to　open　the　way　to　professions
essentially　bold　and　masculine　in　character；　we　do　not　see　how　it　is
within　the　bounds　of　possibility　for　young　women　to　move　onward　in
that　direction　without　losing　some　of　their　most　precious　womanly
prerogativeswithout；　in　short；　unsexing　themselves。

The　really　critical　point　with　regard　to　the　present　position　of　women
in　America　is　the　question　of　work　and　wages。　Here　the　pocket　of
man　is　touched。　And　the　pocket　is　the　most　sensitive　point　with
many　men；　not　only　in　America；　but　all　the　world　over。　There　can　be
no　doubt　whatever　that　women　are　now　driven　away　from　certain
occupations；　to　which　they　are　well　adapted；　by　the　selfishness　of
some　men。　And　in　many　departments　where　they　are　day…laborers　for