,,female ,,suffrage   by  ,susan        
,fenimore ,cooper     7,this e-text has 
been prepared from the original two-part
 magazine article1 ,female ,suffrage3 ,a
 ,letter to the ,christian ,women of    
,america1 by ,susan ,fenimore ,cooper1  
which appeared in ,harper's ,new ,weekly
 ,magazine1 ,vol4 ,,xli                 
7,june-,november1 #ahgj71 pp4 #dch-ddf1 
#eid-fjj4 ,the author is identified only
 in the ,table of ,contents1 p4 v1 where
 she is listed as ,susan ,f4 ,cooper4   
,because vanilla text does not permit of
 accents or italics1 accents have been  
ignored1 and both all-capital and       
italicized words transcribed as ,,all   
,,capitals4 ,paragraphs are separated by
 a blank line1 but not indented4        
,footnotes by ,susan ,fenimore ,cooper  
are inserted as paragraphs 7duly        
identified7 as indicated by her         
asterisks4 ,all insertions by the       
transcriber are enclosed in brackets4   
,for readers wishing to know the exact  
location of specific passages1 the page 

breaks from ,harper's are identified by 
a blank line at the end of each page1   
followed by the original page number at 
the beginning of the next4  ,a ,brief   
,introduction to ,susan ,fenimore       
,cooper's article3  ,the question of    
female suffrage has long been resolved  
in the ,united ,states1 and--though     
sometimes more recently--in other       
democratic societies as well4 ,for most 
people1 certainly in the so-called      
,western world1 the right of women to   
vote on a basis of equality with men    
seems obvious4 ,a century ago this was  
not the case1 even in ,america1 and it  
required a long1 arduous1 and sometimes 
painful struggle before the ,nineteenth 
,amendment to the ,united ,states       
,constitution was ratified on ,august   
#ah1 #aibj4  ,why then1 take steps to   
make available through the ,gutenberg   
,project an article arguing ,,against   
the right of women to vote--an article  
written by a woman8  ,there are two     
reasons for doing so4 ,the first is that

 ,susan ,fenimore ,cooper 7#ahac-ahid7  
was no ordinary woman4 ,she was educated
 in ,europe and extremely well read2 she
 was the daughter and literary assistant
 of ,james ,fenimore ,cooper1 ,america's
 first internationally recognized       
novelist2 and she was a naturalist and  
essayist of great talent whose nature   
diary of her home village at            
,cooperstown1 published as ,rural ,hours
 in #ahej1 has become a classic of early
 ,american environmental literature4    
,yet ,susan ,fenimore ,cooper argued    
eloquently1 bringing to her task not    
only her deep religious feelings but    
also her very considerable knowledge of 
world history and of ,american society1 
that women should not be given the vote6
 ,hers was not a simple defense of male 
dominion2 her case is combined with     
equally eloquent arguments in favor of  
higher education for women1 and for     
equal wages for equal work4 ,female     
,suffrage1 is thus of considerable      
biographic importance1 throwing         

important light on her views of ,god1 of
 society1 and of ,american culture4  ,at
 the same time1 ,female ,suffrage       
demonstrates that no social             
argument--however popular or politically
 correct today--can be considered as    
self-evident4 ,those who favor full     
legal and social equality of the sexes  
at the ballot box and elsewhere 7as ,i  
believe ,i do71 should be prepared to   
examine and answer ,susan ,fenimore     
,cooper's arguments to the contrary4    
,many of those arguments are still heard
 daily in the press and on ,,tv talk    
shows--not indeed to end women's right  
to vote1 but as arguments against       
further steps towards gender equality4  
,unlike many modern commentators1 ,susan
 ,fenimore ,cooper examines these       
arguments in detail1 both as to their   
roots and their possible effects1 rather
 than expressing them as simplistic     
sound-bites4 ,she asks her readers to   
examine whether gender equality is      
compatible with ,christian teachings2   

whether universal suffrage can ever     
resolve social problems2 whether the    
political sphere is as significant to   
human life as politicians believe4 ,one 
need not agree with her answers1 but one
 can only be grateful that she forces us
 to ask questions4  ,hugh ,c4           
,mac,dougall1 ,secretary1 ,james        
,fenimore ,cooper ,society--,august     
#aiii      ,,female ,,suffrage4  ,a     
,,letter ,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,women 
,,of ,,america4    ,part ,i4            
,publisher's ,note ,,note4--,we have    
printed this ,letter1 which will be     
continued in our next ,number1 not as an
 expression of our own views1 but simply
 as the plea of an earnest and          
thoughtful ,christian woman addressed to
 her fellow-countrywomen4--,,editor ,,of
 ,,harper4    ,the natural position of  
woman is clearly1 to a limited degree1 a
 subordinate one4 ,such it has always   
been throughout the world1 in all ages1 
and in many widely different conditions 
of society4 ,there are three conclusive 

reasons why we should expect it to      
continue so for the future4  ,,first4   
,woman in natural physical strength is  
so greatly inferior to man that she is  
entirely in his power1 quite incapable  
of self-defense1 trusting to his        
generosity for protection4 ,in savage   
life this great superiority of physical 
strength makes man the absolute master1 
woman the abject slave4 ,and1 although  
every successive step in civilisation   
lessens the distance between the sexes1 
and renders the situation of woman safer
 and easier1 still1 in no state of      
society1 however highly cultivated1 has 
perfect equality yet existed4 ,this     
difference in physical strength must1 in
 itself1 always prevent such perfect    
equality1 since woman is compelled every
 day of her life to appeal to man for   
protection1 and for support4            
,,secondly4 ,woman is also1 though in a 
very much less degree1 inferior to man  
in intellect4 ,the difference in this   
particular may very probably be only a  

consequence of greater physical         
strength1 giving greater power of       
endurance and increase of force to the  
intellectual faculty connected with it4 
,in many cases1 as between the best     
individual minds of both sexes1 the     
difference is no doubt very slight4     
,there have been women of a very high   
order of genius2 there have been very   
many women of great talent2 and1 as     
regards what is commonly called         
cleverness1 a general quickness and     
clearness of mind within limited bounds1
 the number of clever women may possibly
 have been even larger than that of     
clever men4 ,but1 taking the one        
infallible rule for our guide1 judging  
of the tree by its fruits1 we are met by
 the fact that the greatest achievements
 of the race in every field of          
intellectual culture have been the work 
of man4 ,it is true that the advantages 
of intellectual education have been1    
until recently1 very generally on the   
side of man2 had those advantages been  

always equal1 women would no doubt have 
had much more of success to record4 ,but
 this same fact of inferiority of       
education becomes in itself one proof of
 the existence of a certain degree of   
mental inequality4 ,what has been the   
cause of this inferiority of education8 
,why has not woman educated herself in  
past ages1 as man has done8 ,is it the  
opposition of man1 and the power which  
physical strength gives him1 which have 
been the impediments8 ,had these been   
the only obstacles1 and had that general
 and entire equality of intellect       
existed between the sexes1 which we find
 proclaimed to-day by some writers1 and 
by many talkers1 the genius of women    
would have opened a road through these  
and all other difficulties much more    
frequently than it has yet done4 ,at    
this very hour1 instead of defending the
 intellect of women1 just half our      
writing and talking would be required to
 defend the intellect of men4 ,but1 so  
long as woman1 as a sex1 has not        

provided for herself the same advanced  
intellectual education to the same      
extent as men1 and so long as           
inferiority of intellect in man has     
never yet in thousands of years been    
gravely discussed1 while the inferiority
 of intellect in woman has been during  
the same period generally admitted1 we  
are compelled to believe there is some  
foundation for this last opinion4 ,the  
extent of this difference1 the interval 
that exists between the sexes1 the      
precise degree of inferiority on the    
part of women1 will probably never be   
satisfactorily proved4  ,believing then 
in the greater physical powers of man1  
and in his superiority1 to a limited    
extent1 in intellect also1 as two       
sufficient reasons for the natural      
subordination of woman as a sex1 we have
 yet a third reason for this            
subordination4 ,christianity can be     
proved to be the safest and highest ally
 of man's nature1 physical1 moral1 and  
intellectual1 that the world has yet    

known4 ,it protects his physical nature 
at every point by plain1 stringent rules
 of general temperance and moderation4  
,to his moral nature it gives the       
pervading strength of healthful purity4 
,to his intellectual nature1 while on   
one hand it enjoins full development and
 vigorous action1 holding out to the    
spirit the highest conceivable          
aspirations1 on the other it teaches the
 invaluable lessons of a wise humility4 
,this grand and holy religion1 whose    
whole action is healthful1 whose        
restraints are all blessings--this      
gracious religion1 whose chief precepts 
are the love of ,god and the love of    
man--this same ,christianity confirms   
the subordinate position of woman1 by   
allotting to man the headship in plain  
language and by positive precept4 ,no   
system of philosophy has ever yet worked
 out in behalf of woman the practical   
results for good which ,christianity has
 conferred on her4 ,christianity has    
raised woman from slavery and made her  

the thoughtful companion of man2 finds  
her the mere toy1 or the victim of his  
passions1 and it places her by his side1
 his truest friend1 his most faithful   
counselor1 his helpmeet in every worthy 
and honorable task4 ,it protects her far
 more effectually than any other system4
 ,it cultivates1 strengthens1 elevates1 
purifies all her highest endowments1 and
 holds out to her aspirations the most  
sublime for that future state of        
existence1 where precious rewards are   
promised to every faithful discharge of 
duty1 even the most humble4 ,but1 while 
conferring on her these priceless       
blessings1 it also enjoins the          
submission of the wife to the husband1  
and allots a subordinate position to the
 whole sex while here on earth4 ,no     
woman calling herself a ,christian1     
acknowledging her duties as such1 can1  
therefore1 consistently deny the        
obligation of a limited subordination   
laid upon her by her ,lord and ,his     
,church4  ,from these three chief       

considerations--the great inferiority of
 physical strength1 a very much less and
 undefined degree of inferiority in     
intellect1 and the salutary teachings of
 the ,christian faith--it follows that1 
to a limited degree1 varying with       
circumstances1 and always to be marked  
out by sound reason and good feeling1   
the subordination of woman1 as a sex1 is
 inevitable4  ,this subordination once  
established1 a difference of position1  
and a consequent difference of duties1  
follow as a matter of course4 ,there    
must1 of necessity1 in such a state of  
things1 be certain duties inalienably   
connected with the position of man1     
others inalienably connected with the   
position of woman4 ,for the one to      
assume the duties of the other becomes1 
first1 an act of desertion1 next1 an act
 of usurpation4 ,for the man to         
discharge worthily the duties of his own
 position becomes his highest merit4    
,for the woman to discharge worthily the
 duties of her own position becomes her 

highest merit4 ,to be noble the man must
 be manly4 ,to be noble the woman must  
be womanly4 ,independently of the       
virtues required equally of both sexes1 
such as truth1 uprightness1 candor1     
fidelity1 honor1 we look in man for     
somewhat more of wisdom1 of vigor1 of   
courage1 from natural endowment1        
combined with enlarged action and       
experience4 ,in woman we look more      
especially for greater purity1 modesty1 
patience1 grace1 sweetness1 tenderness1 
refinement1 as the consequences of a    
finer organization1 in a protected and  
sheltered position4 ,that state of      
society will always be the most         
rational1 the soundest1 the happiest1   
where each sex conscientiously          
discharges its own duties1 without      
intruding on those of the other4  ,it is
 true that the world has often seen     
individual women called by the manifest 
will of ,providence to positions of the 
highest authority1 to the thrones of    
rulers and sovereigns4 ,and many of     

these women have discharged those duties
 with great intellectual ability and    
great success4 ,it is rather the fashion
 now among literary men to depreciate   
,queen ,elizabeth and her government4   
,but it is clear that1 whatever may have
 been her errors--and no doubt they were
 grave--she still appears in the roll of
 history as one of the best sovereigns  
not only of her own house1 but of all   
the dynasties of ,england4 ,certainly   
she was in every way a better and a more
 successful ruler than her own father or
 her own brother-in-law1 and better also
 than the ,stuarts who filled her throne
 at a later day4 ,catherine of ,russia1 
though most unworthy as a woman1 had a  
force of intellectual ability quite     
beyond dispute1 and which made itself   
felt in every department of her         
government4 ,isabella ,i4 of ,spain gave
 proof of legislative and executive     
ability of the very highest order2 she  
was not only one of the purest and      
noblest1 but also1 considering the age  

to which she belonged1 and the obstacles
 in her way1 one of the most skillful   
sovereigns the world has ever seen4 ,her
 nature was full of clear intelligence1 
with the highest moral and physical     
courage4 ,she was in every way a better 
ruler than her own husband1 to whom she 
proved nevertheless an admirable wife1  
acting independently only where clear   
principle was at stake4 ,the two greet  
errors of her reign1 the introduction of
 the ,inquisition and the banishment of 
the ,jews1 must be charged to the       
confessor rather than to the ,queen1 and
 these were errors in which her husband 
was as closely involved as herself4 ,on 
the other hand1 some of the best reforms
 of her reign originated in her own     
mind1 and were practically carried out  
under her own close personal            
supervision4 ,many other skillful female
 rulers might be named4 ,and it is not  
only in civilized life and in           
,christendom that woman has shown       
herself wise in governing2 even among   

the wildest savage tribes they have     
appeared1 occasionally1 as leaders and  
rulers4 ,this is a singular fact4 ,it   
may be proved from the history of this  
continent1 and not only from the early  
records of ,mexico and ,cuba and ,hayti1
 but also from the reports of the       
earliest navigators on our own coast1   
who here and there make mention         
incidentally of this or that female     
chief or sachem4 ,but a fact far more   
impressive and truly elevating to the   
sex also appears on authority entirely  
indisputable4 ,while women are enjoined 
by the ,word of ,god to refrain from    
public teaching in the ,church1 there   
have been individual women included     
among the ,prophets1 speaking under the 
direct influence of the ,most ,holy     
,spirit of ,god1 the highest dignity to 
which human nature can attain4 ,but all 
these individual cases1 whether         
political or religious1 have been       
exceptional4 ,the lesson to be learned  
from them is plain4 ,we gather naturally

 from these facts1 what may be learned  
also from other sources1 that1 while the
 positions of the two sexes are as such 
distinct1 the one a degree superior1 the
 other a degree inferior1 the difference
 between them is limited--it is not     
impassable in individual cases4 ,the two
 make up but one species1 one body      
politic and religious4 ,there are many  
senses besides marriage in which the two
 are one4 ,it is the right hand and the 
left1 both belonging to one body1 moved 
by common feeling1 guided by common     
reason4 ,the left hand may at times be  
required to do the work of the right1   
the right to act as the left4 ,even in  
this world there are occasions when the 
last are first1 the first last1 without 
disturbing the general order of things4 
,these exceptional cases temper the     
general rule1 but they can not abrogate 
that rule as regards the entire sex4    
,man learns from them not to exaggerate 
his superiority--a lesson very often    
needed4 ,and woman learns from them to  

connect self-respect and dignity with   
true humility1 and never1 under any     
circumstances1 to sink into the mere    
tool and toy of man--a lesson equally   
important4  ,such until the present day 
has been the general teaching and       
practice of ,christendom1 where1 under a
 mild form1 and to a limited point1 the 
subordination of woman has been a fact  
clearly established4 ,but this teaching 
we are now called upon to forget1 this  
practice we are required to abandon4 ,we
 have arrived at the days foretold by   
the ,prophet1 when knowledge shall be   
increased1 and many shall run to and    
fro4 ,the intellectual progress of the  
race during the last half century has   
indeed been great4  ,but admiration is  
not the only feeling of the thoughtful  
mind when observing this striking       
advance in intellectual acquirement4 ,we
 see that man has not yet fully mastered
 the knowledge he has acquired4 ,he runs
 to and fro4 ,he rushes from one extreme
 to the other4 ,how many chapters of    

modern history1 both political and      
religious1 are full of the records of   
this mental vacillation of our race1 of 
this illogical and absurd tendency to   
pass from one extreme to the point      
farthest from it6  ,an adventurous party
 among us1 weary of the old paths1 is   
now eagerly proclaiming theories and    
doctrines entirely novel on this        
important subject4 ,the ,,emancipation  
,,of ,,woman is the name chosen by its  
advocates for this movement4 ,they      
reject the idea of all subordination1   
even in the mildest form1 with utter    
scorn4 ,they claim for woman absolute   
social and political equality with man4 
,and they seek to secure these points by
 conferring on the whole sex the right  
of the elective franchise1 female       
suffrage being the first step in the    
unwieldy revolutions they aim at        
bringing about4 ,these views are no     
longer confined to a small sect4 ,they  
challenge our attention at every turn4  
,we meet them in society2 we read them  

in the public prints2 we hear of them in
 grave legislative assemblies1 in the   
,congress of the ,republic1 in the      
,imperial ,parliament of ,great         
,britain4 ,the time has come when it is 
necessary that all sensible and         
conscientious men and women should make 
up their minds clearly on a subject     
bearing upon the future condition of the
 entire race4  ,there is generally more 
than one influence at work in all public
 movements of importance4 ,the motive   
power in such cases is very seldom      
simple4 ,so it has been with the        
question of female suffrage4 ,the abuses
 inflicted on woman by legislation1 the 
want of sufficient protection for her   
interests when confided to man1 are     
generally asserted by the advocates of  
female suffrage as the chief motives for
 a change in the laws which withhold    
from her the power of voting4 ,but it is
 also considered by the friend of the   
new movement that to withhold the       
suffrage from half the race is an       

inconsistency in ,american politics2    
that suffrage is an inalienable right1  
universal in its application2 that women
 are consequently deprived of a great   
natural right when denied the power of  
voting4 ,a third reason is also given   
for this proposed change in our         
political constitution4 ,it is asserted 
that the entire sex would be greatly    
elevated in intellectual and moral      
dignity by such a course2 and that the  
effect on the whole race would therefore
 be most advantageous1 as the increased 
influence of woman in public affairs    
would purify politics1 and elevate the  
whole tone of political life4 ,here we  
have the reason for this movement as    
advanced by its advocates4 ,these are   
the points on which they lay the most   
stress3  ,,first4 ,the abuse of         
legislative power in man1 by oppressing 
the sex4  ,,secondly4 ,the inalienable  
natural right of woman to vote2 and     
imperatively so in a country where      
universal suffrage is a great political 

principle4  ,,thirdly4 ,the elevation of
 the sex1 and the purification of       
politics through their influence4  ,let 
us consider each of these points        
separately4   ,,first4 ,,the ,,abuse    
,,of ,,legislative ,,power ,,by ,,man   
,,in ,,the ,,oppression ,,of ,,women4   
,in some countries of ,europe much of   
wrong is still done to woman1 at the    
present day1 by old laws owing their    
existence to a past state of things1 and
 which have not yet been repealed or    
modified to suit existing circumstances4
 ,but we are writing now to ,american   
women1 and1 instead of the evils        
existing in the other hemisphere1 we are
 looking at a very different state of   
society4 ,let us confine ourselves1     
therefore1 to the subject as it affects 
ourselves4  ,to go into all the details 
which might be drawn together from the  
statute books of the different ,states  
of the ,union bearing on this point1 and
 to do them full justice1 would require 
volumes4 ,such a course is not          

necessary4 ,the question can be decided 
with truth and justice on general       
principles--on generally admitted facts4
 ,we admit1 then1 that in some          
,states--perhaps in all--there may be   
laws in which the natural and acquired  
rights of woman have not been fairly    
considered2 that in some cases she has  
needed more legal protection and more   
privileges than she has yet received4   
,but while this admission is made1      
attention is at the same time demanded  
for a fact inseparably connected with   
it2 namely1 the marked and generous     
liberality which ,american men have thus
 far shown in the considerate care and  
protection they have1 as a general rule1
 given to the interests of women4 ,in no
 country1 whether of ancient or modern  
times1 have women had less to complain  
of in their treatment by man than in    
,america4 ,this is no rhetorical        
declamation2 it is the simple statement 
of an undeniable fact4 ,it is a matter  
of social history4 ,since the days of   

early colonial life to the present      
hour--or1 in other words1 during the    
last two hundred and fifty years--such  
has been the general course of things in
 this country4 ,the hardest tasks have  
been taken by man1 and a generous       
tenderness has been shown to women in   
many of the details of social life1     
pervading all classes of society1 to a  
degree beyond what is customary even in 
the most civilized countries of ,europe4
 ,taking these two facts together--that 
certain abuses still exist1 that certain
 laws and regulations need changing and 
that1 as a general rule1 ,american women
 have thus far been treated by their    
countrymen with especial consideration1 
in a legal and in a social sense--the   
inference becomes perfectly plain4 ,a   
formidable and very dangerous social    
revolution is not needed to correct     
remaining abuses4 ,any revolution aiming
 at upsetting the existing relations of 
the sexes--relations going back to the  
earliest records and traditions of the  

race--can not be called less than       
formidable and dangerous4 ,let women    
make full use of the influences already 
at their command1 and all really needed 
changes may be effected by means both   
sure and safe--means already thoroughly 
tried4 ,let them use all the good sense1
 all the information1 all the eloquence1
 and1 if they please1 all the wit1 at   
their command when talking over these   
abuses in society4 ,let them state their
 views1 their needs1 their demands1 in  
conscientiously written papers4 ,let    
them appeal for aid to the best1 the    
wisest1 the most respected men of the   
country1 and the result is certain4     
,choose any one real1 existing abuse as 
a test of the honesty and the liberality
 of ,american men toward the women of   
the country1 and we all know before-hand
 what shall be the result4#a            
,,footnote by ,,sfc #a ,there is an     
injustice in the present law of         
guardianship in the ,state of ,new      
,york1 which may be named as one of     

those abuses which need reformation4 ,a 
woman can not now1 in the ,state of ,new
 ,york1 appoint a guardian for her      
child1 even though its father be dead4  
,the authority for appointing a guardian
 otherwise than by the courts is derived
 from the ,revised statutes1 p4 #a1     
title #c1 chapter #h1 part #b1 and that 
passage gives the power to the father   
only4 ,the mother is not named4 ,it has 
been decided in the courts that a mother
 can not make this appointment--#ab     
,howard's ,practical ,reports1 #ecb4    
,this is certainly very unjust and very 
unwise4 ,but let any dozen women of     
respectability take the matter in hand1 
and1 by the means already at their      
command1 from their own chimney-corners1
 they can readily procure the insertion 
of the needful clause4 ,and so with any 
other real abuse4 ,men are now ready to 
listen1 and ready to act1 when          
additional legislation is prudently and 
sensibly asked for by their wives and   
mothers4 ,how they may act when women   

stand before them1 armed ,,cap-,a-,,pie1
 and prepared to demand legislation at  
the point of the bayonet1 can not yet be
 known4 ,,end ,,footnote    ,if         
husbands1 fathers1 brothers1 are ready  
any day to shed their heart's blood for 
our personal defense in the hour of     
peril1 we may feel perfectly assured    
that they will also protect us1 when    
appealed to1 by legislation4 ,when they 
lay down their arms and refuse to fight 
for us1 it will then be time to ask them
 to give up legislation also4 ,but until
 that evil hour arrives let men make the
 laws1 and let women be content to fill 
worthily1 to the very best of their     
abilities1 the noble position which the 
,heavenly ,father has already marked out
 for them4 ,there is work to be done in 
that position reaching much higher1     
going much farther1 and penetrating far 
deeper1 than any mere temporary         
legislation can do4 ,of that work we    
shall speak more fully a moment later4  
,,secondly4 ,,the ,,inalienable         

,,natural ,,right ,,of ,,woman ,,to     
,,vote2 ,,and ,,imperatively ,,so ,,in  
,a ,,country ,,where ,,universal        
,,suffrage ,,is ,a ,,great ,,political  
,,principle4  ,this second proposition  
of the advocates of female suffrage is  
of a general character4 ,it does not    
point to particular abuses1 it claims   
the right of woman to vote as one which 
she should demand1 whether practically  
needed or not4 ,it is asserted that to  
disqualify half the race from voting is 
an abuse entirely inconsistent with the 
first principles of ,american politics4 
,the answer to this is plain4 ,the      
elective franchise is not an end2 it is 
only a means4 ,a good government is     
indeed an inalienable right4 ,just so   
far as the elective franchise will      
conduce to this great end1 to that point
 it becomes also a right1 but no        
farther4 ,a male suffrage wisely free1  
including all capable of justly         
appreciating its importance1 and        
honestly discharging its                

responsibilities1 becomes a great       
advantage to a nation4 ,but universal   
suffrage1 pushed to its extreme limits1 
including all men1 all women1 all minors
 beyond the years of childhood1 would   
inevitably be fraught with evil4 ,there 
have been limits to the suffrage of the 
freest nations4 ,such limits have been  
found necessary by all past political   
experience4 ,in this country1 at the    
present hour1 there are restrictions    
upon the suffrage in every ,state4      
,those restrictions vary in character4  
,they are either national1 relating to  
color1 political1 mental1 educational1  
connected with a property qualification1
 connected with sex1 connected with     
minority of years1 or they are moral in 
their nature4#b    7,,footnote by ,,sfc 
#b ,in connection with this point of    
moral qualification we venture to ask a 
question4 ,why not enlarge the criminal 
classes from whom the suffrage is now   
withheld8 ,why not exclude every man    
convicted of any degrading legal crime1 

even petty larceny8 ,and why not exclude
 from the suffrage all habitual         
drunkards judicially so declared8 ,these
 are changes which would do vastly more 
of good than admitting women to vote4   
,,end ,,footnote    ,this restriction   
connected with sex is1 in fact1 but one 
of many other restrictions1 considered  
more or less necessary even in a        
democracy4 ,manhood suffrage is a very  
favorite term of the day4 ,but1 taken in
 the plain meaning of those words1 such 
fullness of suffrage has at the present 
hour no actual existence in any         
independent nation1 or in any extensive 
province4 ,it does not exist1 as we have
 just seen1 even among the men of       
,america4 ,and1 owing to the conditions 
of human life1 we may well believe that 
unrestricted fullness of manhood        
suffrage never can exist in any great   
nation for any length of time4 ,in those
 ,states of the ,american ,union which  
approach nearest to a practical manhood 
suffrage1 unnaturalized foreigners1     

minors1 and certain classes of          
criminals1 are excluded from voting4    
,and why so8 ,what is the cause of this 
exclusion8 ,here are men by tens of     
thousands--men of widely different      
classes and conditions--peremptorily    
deprived of a privilege asserted to be a
 positive inalienable right universal in
 its application4 ,there is manifestly  
some reason for this apparently         
contradictory state of things4 ,we know 
that reason to be the good of society4  
,it is for the good of society that the 
suffrage is withheld from those classes 
of men4 ,a certain fitness for the right
 use of the suffrage is therefore deemed
 necessary before granting it4 ,a       
criminal1 an unnaturalized foreigner1 a 
minor1 have not that fitness2           
consequently the suffrage is withheld   
from them4 ,the worthy use of the vote  
is1 then1 a qualification not yet       
entirely overlooked by our legislators4 
,the ,state has had1 thus far1 no       
scruples in withholding the suffrage    

even from men1 whenever it has believed 
that the grant would prove injurious to 
the nation4  ,here we have the whole    
question clearly defined4 ,the good of  
society is the true object of all human 
government4 ,to this principle suffrage 
itself is subordinate4 ,it can never be 
more than a means looking to the        
attainment of good government1 and not  
necessarily its corner-stone4 ,just so  
far is it wise and right4 ,move one step
 beyond that point1 and instead of a    
benefit the suffrage may become a cruel 
injury4 ,the governing power of our own 
country--the most free of all great     
nations--practically proclaims that it  
has no right to bestow the suffrage     
wherever its effects are likely to      
become injurious to the whole nation1 by
 allotting different restrictions to the
 suffrage in every ,state of the ,union4
 ,the right of suffrage is1 therefore1  
most clearly not an absolutely          
inalienable right universal in its      
application4 ,it has its limits4 ,these 

limits are marked out by plain justice  
and common-sense4 ,women have thus far  
been excluded from the suffrage         
precisely on the same principles--from  
the conviction that to grant them this  
particular privilege would1 in different
 ways1 and especially by withdrawing    
them from higher and more urgent duties1
 and allotting to them other duties for 
which they are not so well fitted1      
become injurious to the nation1 and1 we 
add1 ultimately injurious to themselves1
 also1 as part of the nation4 ,if it can
 be proved that this conviction is sound
 and just1 founded on truth1 the assumed
 inalienable right of suffrage1 of which
 we have been hearing so much lately1   
vanishes into the baseless fabric of a  
vision4 ,if the right were indeed       
inalienable1 it should be granted1      
without regard to consequences1 as an   
act of abstract justice4 ,but1 happily  
for us1 none but the very wildest       
theorists are prepared to take this view
 of the question of suffrage4 ,the      

advocates of female suffrage must1      
therefore1 abandon the claim of         
inalienable right4 ,such a claim can not
 logically be maintained for one moment 
in the face of existing facts4 ,we      
proceed to the third point4   ,,thirdly4
 ,,the ,,elevation ,,of ,,the ,,entire  
,,sex1 ,,the ,,general ,,purification   
,,of ,,politics ,,through ,,the         
,,influence ,,of ,,women1 ,,and ,,the   
,,consequent ,,advance ,,of ,,the       
,,whole ,,race4 ,such1 we are told1 must
 be the inevitable results of what is   
called the emancipation of woman1 the   
entire independence of woman through the
 suffrage4  ,here we find ourselves in a
 peculiar position4 ,while considering  
the previous points of this question we 
have been guided by positive facts1     
clearly indisputable in their character4
 ,actual1 practical experience1 with the
 manifold teachings at her command1 has 
come to our aid4 ,but we are now called 
upon1 by the advocates of this novel    
doctrine1 to change our course entirely4

 ,we are under orders to sail out into  
unknown seas1 beneath skies unfamiliar1 
with small light from the stars1 without
 chart1 without pilot1 the port to which
 we are bound being one as yet unvisited
 by mortal man--or woman6 ,heavy mist1  
and dark cloud1 and threatening storm   
appear to us brooding over that doubtful
 sea4 ,but something of prophetic vision
 is required of us4 ,we are told that   
all perils which seem to threaten the   
first stages of our course are entirely 
illusive--that they will vanish as we   
approach--that we shall soon arrive in  
halcyon waters1 and regions where       
wisdom1 peace1 and purity reign supreme4
 ,if we cautiously inquire after some   
assurance of such results1 we are told  
that to those sailing under the flag of 
progress triumph is inevitable1 failure 
is impossible2 and that many of the     
direst evils hitherto known on earth    
must vanish at the touch of the talisman
 in the hand of woman--and that talisman
 is the vote4  ,now1 to speak           

frankly--and being as yet untrammeled by
 political aspirations1 we fearlessly do
 so--as regards this flag of progress1  
we know it to be a very popular bit of  
bunting2 but to the eye of common-sense 
it is grievously lacking in consistency4
 ,the flag of our country means         
something positive4 ,we all love it2 we 
all honor it4 ,it represents to us the  
grand ideas by which the nation lives4  
,it is the symbol of constitutional     
government1 of law and order1 of union1 
of a liberty which is not license4 ,it  
is to us the symbol of all that may be  
great and good and noble in the         
,christian republic4 ,but this vaunted  
flag of progress1 so alluring to many   
restless minds1 is vague in its colors1 
unstable1 too often illusive1 in web and
 woof4 ,many of its most prominent      
standard-bearers are clad in the motley 
garb of theorists4 ,their flag may be   
seen wandering to and fro1 hither and   
thither1 up and down1 swayed by every   
breath of popular caprice2 so it move to

 the mere cry of ,progress6 its         
followers are content4 ,to-day1 in the  
hands of the skeptical philosopher1 it  
assaults the heavens4 ,tomorrow it may3 
float over the mire of ,mormonism1 or   
depths still more vile4 ,it was under   
the flag of progress that1 in the       
legislative halls of ,france1 the name  
of the ,holy ,lord ,god of ,hosts1 who  
inhabiteth eternity1 was legally        
blasphemed4 ,it was under the flag of   
progress that1 on the #ajth of          
,november1 #agic1 ,therese ,momoro1     
,goddess of ,reason1 and wife of the    
printer ,momoro1 was borne in triumph1  
by throngs of worshipers1 through the   
streets of ,paris1 and enthroned in the 
house of ,god4  ,beyond all doubt1 there
 is now1 as there ever has been1 an     
onward progress toward truth on earth4  
,but that true progress is seldom rapid1
 excepting perhaps in the final stages  
of some particular movement4 ,it is1    
indeed1 often so slow1 so gradual1 as to
 be imperceptible at the moment to      

common observation4 ,it is often silent1
 wonderful1 mysterious1 sublime4 ,it is 
the grand movement toward the ,divine   
,will1 working out all things for       
eventual good4 ,in looking back1 there  
are for every generation way-marks by   
which the course of that progress may be
 traced4 ,in looking forward no mortal  
eye can foresee its immediate course4   
,the ultimate end we know1 but the next 
step we can not foretell4 ,the mere     
temporary cry of progress from human    
lips has often been raised in direct    
opposition to the true course of that   
grand1 mysterious movement4 ,it is like 
the roar of the rapids in the midst of  
the majestic stream1 which1 in the end1 
shall yield their own foaming waters to 
the calm current moving onward to the   
sea4 ,we ask1 then1 for something       
higher1 safer1 more sure1 to guide us   
than the mere popular cry of ,progress6 
,we dare not blindly follow that cry1   
nor yield thoughtless allegiance to     
every flag it upholds4  ,then1 again1 as

 regards that talisman1 the vote1 we    
have but one answer to make4 ,we do not 
believe in magic4 ,we have a very firm  
and unchangeable faith in free          
institutions1 founded on just           
principles4 ,we entirely believe that a 
republican form of government in a      
,christian country may be the highest1  
the noblest1 and the happiest that the  
world has yet seen4 ,still1 we do not   
believe in magic4 ,and we do not believe
 in idolatry4 ,we ,americans are just as
 much given to idolatry as any other    
people4 ,our idols may differ from those
 of other nations2 but they are1 none   
the less1 still idols4 ,and it strikes  
the writer that the ballot-box is       
rapidly becoming an object of idolatry  
with us4 ,is it not so8 ,from the vote  
alone we expect all things good4 ,from  
the vote alone we expect protection     
against all things evil4 ,of the vote   
,americans can never have too much--of  
the vote they can never have enough4    
,the vote is expected by its very touch1

 suddenly and instantaneously1 to       
produce miraculous changes2 it is       
expected to make the foolish wise1 the  
ignorant knowing1 the weak strong1 the  
fraudulent honest4 ,it is expected to   
turn dross into gold4 ,it is held to be 
the great educator1 not only as regards 
races1 and under the influence of time1 
which is in a measure true1 but as      
regards individuals and classes of men1 
and that in the twinkling of an eye1    
with magical rapidity4 ,were this theory
 practically sound1 the vote would      
really prove a talisman4 ,in that case  
we should give ourselves no rest until  
the vote were instantly placed in the   
hands of every ,chinaman landing in     
,california1 and of every ,indian roving
 over the plains4 ,but1 in opposition to
 this theory1 what is the testimony of  
positive facts known to us all8 ,are all
 voters wise8 ,are all voters honest8   
,are all voters enlightened8 ,are all   
voters true to their high               
responsibilities8 ,are all voters       

faithful servants of their country8 ,is 
it entirely true that the vote has      
necessarily and really these inherent   
magical powers of rapid education for   
individuals and for classes of men1     
fitting them1 in default of other       
qualifications1 for the high            
responsibilities of suffrage8 ,alas6 we 
know only too well that when a man is   
not already honest and just and wise and
 enlightened1 the vote he holds can not 
make him so4 ,we know that if he is     
dishonest1 he will sell his vote2 if he 
is dull and ignorant1 he is misled1 for 
selfish purposes of their own1 by       
designing men4 ,as regards man1 at      
least1 the vote can be too easily proved
 to be no talisman4 ,it is very clear   
that for man the ballot-box needs to be 
closely guarded on one side by          
common-sense1 on the other by honesty4  
,a man must be endowed with a certain   
amount of education and of principle1   
before he receives the vote1 to fit him 
for a worthy use of it4 ,and if the vote

 be really no infallible talisman for   
man1 why should we expect it to work    
magical wonders in the hands of woman8  
,but let us drop the play of metaphor1  
appropriate though it be when facing the
 visions of political theorists4 ,let us
 look earnestly and clearly at the      
positive facts before us4 ,we are       
gravely told that to grant the suffrage 
to woman would be a step inevitably     
beneficial and elevating to the whole   
sex1 and1 through their influence1 to   
the entire race1 and that1 on this      
ground alone1 the proposed change in the
 constitution should be made4 ,here1 so 
far at least as the concluding          
proposition goes1 we must all agree4 ,if
 it can be clearly proved that this     
particular change in our institutions is
 one so fraught with blessings1 we are  
bound to make it at every cost4 ,the    
true elevation of the whole race3 that  
is what we are all longing for1 praying 
for4 ,and is it indeed true that this   
grand work can effectually be brought   

about by the one step we are now urged  
to take8 ,what says actual experience on
 this point8 ,the whole history of      
mankind shows clearly that1 as yet1 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   
propose4 ,no one legislative act has    
ever been so widely comprehensive in its
 results for good as they declare that  
this act shall be4 ,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 woman4 ,hear 
them speak for themselves3 ,it is hardly
 possible1 with our present experience1 
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   
husband1 and the establishment of the   
entire independence of women1 to be     

obtained by female suffrage4 ,these are 
not the words of some excited woman     
making a speech at a public meeting4    
,the quotation is from the writings of  
,mr4 ,stuart ,mill4 ,the subordination  
of the wife to the husband is declared  
by ,mr4 ,mill to be the citadel of the  
enemy4 ,storm the citadel1 proclaim the 
entire independence of the wife1 and our
 feeble imaginations1 we are told1 are  
utterly incapable of conceiving the     
glorious future of the race consequent  
upon this one step4 ,this is a very     
daring assertion4 ,it is so bold1       
indeed1 as to require something of      
positive proof ere we can yield to it   
our implicit belief4 ,the citadel we are
 urged to storm was built by the hand of
 ,god4 ,the flag waving over that       
citadel is the flag of the ,cross4 ,when
 the ,creator made one entire sex so    
much more feeble in physical powers than
 the other1 a degree of subordination on
 the part of the weaker sex became      
inevitable1 unless it were counteracted 

by increase of mental ability1          
strengthened by special precept4 ,but   
the mental ability1 so far as there is a
 difference1 and the precept1 are both  
on the side of the stronger sex4 ,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 citadel4 ,common-sense might teach 
them something of caution1 something of 
humility1 when running counter to the   
whole past experience of the race4 ,as  
for those who have a living belief in   
the doctrines of ,christianity1 when    
they find that revealed religion1 from  
the first of the ,prophets to the last  
of the ,apostles1 allots a subordinate  
position to the wife1 they are compelled
 to believe ,moses and ,st4 ,paul in the
 right1 and the philosophers of the     
present day1 whether male or female1 in 
the wrong4 ,to speak frankly1 the       
excessive boldness of these new         

theories1 the incalculable and          
inconceivable benefits promised us from 
this revolution from the natural        
condition of things in ,christendom--and
 throughout the world indeed--would lead
 us to suspicion4 ,guides who appeal to 
the imagination when discussing         
practical questions are not generally   
considered the safest4 ,and the         
champions of female suffrage are        
necessarily compelled to take this      
course4 ,they have no positive          
foundation to rest on4 ,mr4 ,stuart     
,mill has said in ,parliament1 in       
connection with this subject1 that the  
tyranny of established custom has       
entirely passed away4 ,nothing can be   
more true than this assertion4 ,as a    
rule1 the past is now looked upon with  
doubt1 with suspicion1 often with a     
certain sort of contempt1 very far from 
being always consistent with sound      
reason4 ,the tyranny of the present     
day--and it may be just as much a       
tyranny as the other--is radically      

opposite in character4 ,it is the       
tyranny of novelty to which we are most 
exposed at present4 ,the dangers lie    
chiefly in that direction4 ,there will  
be little to fear from the old until the
 hour of reaction arrives1 as it        
inevitably must1 if the human mind be   
strained too far in a new direction4 ,at
 present the more startling an          
assertion1 the farther it wanders from  
all past experience1 the greater are its
 chances of attracting attention1 of    
gaining adherents1 of achieving at least
 a partial and temporary success4 ,in   
the age and in the country which has    
seen the development of ,mormonism as a 
successful religious1 social1 and       
political system1 nothing should        
surprise us4 ,such is the restlessness  
of human nature that it will often1 from
 mere weak hankering after change1 hug  
to its bosom the wildest theories1 and  
yield them a temporary allegiance4  ,let
 us suppose that to-day the proposed    
revolution were effected2 all women1    

without restriction1 even the most vile1
 would be summoned to vote in accordance
 with their favorite theory of          
inalienable right4 ,that class of women1
 and other degraded classes of the      
ignorant and unprincipled1 will always  
be ready to sell their votes many times 
over--to either party1 to both parties1 
to the highest bidder1 in short4 ,they  
will sell their vote much more readily  
than the lowest classes of men now do4  
,they will hold it with greater levity4 
,they will trifle with it4 ,they will   
sell their vote any day for a yard of   
ribbon or a tinsel brooch--unless they  
are offered two yards of ribbon or two  
brooches4 ,they will vote over again    
every hour of every election day1 by    
cunning disguises and trickery4 ,and    
thus1 so far as women are concerned1 the
 most degraded element in society will1 
in fact1 represent the whole sex4 ,nay1 
they will probably not unfrequently     
command the elections1 as three colored 
women are said once to have done in ,new

 ,jersey4 ,a hundred honest and         
intelligent women can have but one vote 
each1 and at least fifty of these will  
generally stay at home4 ,if1 which ,god 
forbid1 it actually comes to female     
voting1 a very small proportion of the  
sex will1 at common elections1 appear at
 the polls4 ,avocations more urgent1    
more natural to them1 and in which they 
are more deeply interested1 will keep   
them away4 ,the degraded women will be  
there by the scores1 as tools of men1   
enjoying both the importance of the     
hour1 the fun1 and ,,the ,,pay4 ,fifty  
women1 known to be thieves and          
prostitutes1 will hold1 at a moderate   
calculation1 say two hundred votes4     
,and1 as women form the majority of the 
resident population in some ,states1    
that wretched element of society will1  
in fact1 govern those ,states1 or those 
who bribe them will do so4              
,massachusetts1 very favorable to female
 suffrage now1 will probably come round 
to the opinion of ,new ,jersey in former

 days4 ,great will be the consumption of
 cheap ribbons1 and laces1 and          
artificial flowers1 and feathers1 and   
tinsel jewelry1 in every town and       
village about election time1 after      
emancipation is achieved4 ,we are       
compelled to believe so1 judging from   
our knowledge of human nature1 and of   
the use already made of bribery at many 
elections4 ,the demagogues will be more 
powerful than ever4 ,their work will be 
made easy for them4 ,it seems1 indeed1  
probable that under the new era our     
great elections shall become a sort of  
grand national gift concerns1 of which  
the most active demagogues of all       
parties will be the managers4 ,not that 
women are more mercenary1 or more       
unprincipled than men4 ,god forbid6     
,that would be saying too much4 ,we     
entirely believe the reverse to be true4
 ,but the great mass of women can never 
be made to take a deep1 a sincere1 a    
discriminating1 a lasting interest in   
the thousand political questions ever   

arising to be settled by the vote4 ,they
 very soon weary of such questions4 ,on 
great occasions they can work themselves
 up to a state of frenzied excitement   
over some one political question4 ,at   
such times they can parade a degree of  
unreasoning prejudice1 of passionate    
hatred1 of blind fury1 even beyond what 
man can boast of4 ,but1 in their natural
 condition1 in everyday life1 they do   
not take instinctively to politics as   
men do4 ,men are born politicians2 just 
as they are born masons1 and carpenters1
 and soldiers1 and sailors4 ,not so     
women4 ,their thoughts and feelings are 
given to other matters4 ,the current of 
their chosen avocations runs in another 
channel than that of politics--a channel
 generally quite out of sight of        
politics2 it is an effort for them to   
turn from one to the other4 ,with men1  
on the contrary1 politics1 either       
directly or indirectly1 are closely1    
palpably1 inevitably blended with their 
regular work in life4 ,they give their  

attention unconsciously1 spontaneously2 
to politics4 ,look at a family of       
children1 half boys1 half girls2 the    
boys take instinctively to whips and    
guns and balls and bats and horses1 to  
fighting and wrestling and riding2 the  
girls fondle their dolls1 beg for a     
needle and thread1 play at housekeeping1
 at giving tea-parties1 at nursing the  
sick baby1 at teaching school4 ,that    
difference lasts through life4 ,give    
your son1 as he grows up1 a gun and a   
vote2 he will delight in both4 ,give    
your daughter1 as she grows up1 a gun   
and a vote1 and1 unless she be an       
exceptional woman1 she will make a      
really good use of neither4 ,your son   
may be dull2 but he will make a good    
soldier1 and a very tolerable voter4    
,your daughter may be very clever2 but  
she would certainly run away on the     
battle-held1 and very probably draw a   
caricature on the election ticket4      
,there is the making of an admirable    
wife and mother1 and a valuable member  

of society1 in that clever young woman4 
,she is highly intelligent1 thoroughly  
well educated1 reads ,greek and ,latin1 
and has a wider range of knowledge and  
thought than ninety-nine in a hundred of
 the voters in the same district2 but   
there is nothing of the politician in   
her nature4 ,she would rather any day   
read a fine poem than the best political
 speech of the hour4 ,what she does know
 of politics reaches her through that   
dull but worthy brother of hers4 ,it is 
only occasionally that we meet women    
with an inherent bias for politics2 and 
those are not1 as a rule1 the highest   
type of the sex--it is only occasionally
 that they are so4 ,the interest most   
women feel in politics is secondary1    
factitious1 engrafted on them by the men
 nearest to them4 ,women are not        
abortive men2 they are a distinct       
creation4 ,the eye and the ear1 though  
both belonging to the same body1 are    
each1 in a certain sense1 a distinct    
creation4 ,a body endowed with four ears

 might hear remarkably well2 but without
 eyes it would be of little use in the  
world4 ,a body with four eyes would have
 a fourfold power of vision1 and would  
consequently become nearly as           
sharp-sighted as a spider2 but without  
hearing its powers of sight would avail 
little4 ,in both cases1 half the        
functions of the human being1 whether   
physical or mental1 would be very       
imperfectly performed4 ,thus it is with 
men and women2 each has a distinct      
position to fill in the great social    
body1 and is especially qualified for   
it4 ,these distinct positions are each  
highly important4 ,and it is reasonable 
to believe that1 by filling their own   
peculiar position thoroughly well1 women
 can best serve their ,creator1 their   
fellow-creatures1 and themselves4 ,no   
doubt you may1 if you choose1 by        
especial education from childhood       
upward1 make your girls very respectable
 politicians1 as much so as the majority
 of your sons4 ,but in that case you    

must give up your womanly daughters--you
 must be content with manly daughters4  
,this essential difference between the  
sexes is a very striking fact2 yet the  
advocates of female suffrage constantly 
lose sight of it2 they talk and write as
 if it had no existence4 ,it is not lack
 of intellect on the part of women1 but 
difference of intellect1 or rather a    
difference of organization and          
affinities giving a different bias to   
the intellect1 which is the cause of    
their distinct mental character as a    
sex4 ,and1 owing to this essential      
difference1 the great majority of women 
are naturally disinclined to politics1  
and partially unfitted for action in    
that field4     ,,female ,,suffrage4  ,a
 ,,letter ,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,women
 ,,of ,,america4    ,part ,,ii4  ,,let  
us now look for a moment at the actual  
condition of women in ,america1 in      
connection with the predicted elevation4
 ,we are told they are to be elevated by
 the suffrage--and that by hanging on to

 the election tickets in the hands of   
their wives1 the men are to be elevated 
with them4 ,what1 therefore1 is the     
ground women now occupy1 and from whence
 they are to soar upward on the paper   
wings of the ballot8 ,the principal     
facts connected with that position are  
self-evident2 there is nothing vague or 
uncertain here2 we have but to look     
about us and the question is answered4  
,we already know1 for instance1 from    
daily observation and actual experience1
 that1 as a general rule1 the kindness  
and consideration of ,american men have 
been great1 both in public and in       
private life4 ,we know that in ,american
 society women have been respected1 they
 have been favored1 they have been      
protected1 they have been beloved4      
,there has been a readiness to listen to
 their requests1 to redress grievances1 
to make changes whenever these have     
become necessary or advisable4 ,such1   
until very recently1 has been the       
general current of public feeling1 the  

general tendency of public action1 in   
,america4 ,if there appear to-day       
occasional symptoms of a change in the  
tone of men on this point1 it is to be  
attributed to the agitation of the very 
question we are now discussing4         
,whenever women make ill-judged1        
unnatural1 extravagant demands1 they    
must prepare to lose ground4 ,yes1 even 
where the particular points in dispute  
are conceded to their reiterated        
importunity1 they must still eventually 
lower their general standing and        
consideration by every false step4      
,there are occasions where victory is   
more really perilous than a timely      
defeat2 a temporary triumph may lead to 
ground which the victors can not        
permanently hold to their own true and  
lasting advantage4 ,on the other hand1  
every just and judicious demand women   
may now make with the certainty of      
successful results4 ,this is1 indeed1   
the great fact which especially         
contributes to render the birthright of 

,american women a favorable one4 ,if the
 men of the country are already disposed
 to redress existing grievances1 where  
women are concerned1 as we know them to 
be1 and if they are also ready1 as we   
know them to be1 to forward all needful 
future development of true womanly      
action1 what more1 pray1 can we         
reasonably ask of them8 ,where lies this
 dim necessity of thrusting upon women  
the burdens of the suffrage8 ,and why   
should the entire nation be thrown into 
the perilous convulsions of a revolution
 more truly formidable than any yet     
attempted on earth8 ,bear in mind that  
this is a revolution which1 if          
successful in all its aims1 can scarcely
 fail to sunder the family roof-tree1   
and to uproot the family hearth-stone4  
,it is the avowed determination of many 
of its champions that it shall do so2   
while with another class of its leaders1
 to weaken and undermine the authority  
of the ,christian faith in the household
 is an object if not frankly avowed yet 

scarcely concealed4 ,the great majority 
of the women enlisted in this           
movement--many of them1 it is needless  
to say1 very worthy persons as          
individuals--are little aware of all the
 perils into which some of their most   
zealous male allies would lead them4    
,degradation for the sex1 and not true  
and lasting elevation1 appear to most of
 us likely to be the end to which this  
movement must necessarily tend1 unless  
it be checked by the latent good sense1 
the true wisdom1 and the religious      
principle of women themselves1 aroused1 
at length1 to protest1 to resist4 ,if we
 are called upon for proof of the       
assertion1 that ,american men are       
already prepared to redress actual      
grievances1 we find that proof in their 
course at the present moment4 ,observe  
the patience with which our legislative 
bodies are now considering the petitions
 of a clamorous minority demanding the  
redress of a fictitious grievance--a    
minority demanding a political position 

which the majority of their sex still   
utterly reject--a position repugnant to 
the habits1 the feelings1 the tastes1   
and the principles of that majority4 ,if
 men are willing to give their attention
 to these querulous demands of a small  
minority of our sex1 how much more      
surely may we rely on their sympathy1   
and their efficient support1 when some  
measure in which the interests of the   
whole sex are clearly involved shall be 
brought before them by all their wives  
and mothers8  ,and again3 they are not  
only already prepared to redress        
grievances1 but also to forward all     
needed development of true womanly      
action4 ,take1 in proof of this1        
assertion1 the subject of education4    
,this is1 beyond all doubt the vital    
question of the age1 embracing within   
its limits all others4 ,education is of 
far more importance than the suffrage1  
which is eventually subject to it1      
controlled by it4 ,this is1 indeed1 a   
question altogether too grave1 too      

comprehensive1 and too complicated in   
some of its bearings to be more than    
briefly alluded to here4 ,but let us    
consider education for a moment as the  
mere acquirement of intellectual        
knowledge4 ,this is but one of its      
phases1 and that one not the most       
important2 but such is the popular1     
though very inadequate1 idea of the     
subject in ,america4 ,observe how much  
has already been done in this sense for 
the instruction of the woman of our     
country4 ,in the common district        
schools1 and even in the high schools of
 the larger towns1 the same facilities  
are generally offered to both sexes2 in 
the public schools brother and sister   
have1 as a rule1 the same books and the 
same teachers4 ,and we may go much      
further and say that every woman in the 
country may already--,,if ,,she ,,is    
,,determined ,,to ,,do ,,so--obtain very
 much the same intellectual instruction 
which her own brother receives4 ,if that
 education is a highly advanced one she 

will1 no doubt1 have some special       
difficulties to contend against2 but    
those difficulties are not              
insurmountable4 ,the doors of most      
colleges and universities are closed1 it
 is true1 against women1 and we can not 
doubt that this course is taken for     
sound reasons1 pointed out by good sense
 and true sagacity4 ,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 classes4 ,at that  
age of vivid impressions and awakening  
passions1 the two sexes are sufficiently
 thrown together in family life and in  
general society for all purposes of     
mutual influence and improvement4 ,let  
them chat1 walk1 sing1 dance together1  
at that period of their lives2 but if   
you wish to make them good scholars1 let
 them study apart4 ,let their loves and 
jealousies be carried on elsewhere than 

in the college halls4 ,but already      
female colleges1 exclusively adapted to 
young women1 are talked of--nay1 here   
and there one or two such colleges now  
exist4 ,there is nothing in which       
,american men more delight1 nothing more
 congenial to their usual modes of      
thought and action1 than to advance the 
intellectual instruction of the whole   
nation1 daughters as well as sons4 ,we  
may rest assured that they will not fail
 to grant all needful development in    
this direction4 ,one female college1 of 
the very highest intellectual standard1 
would probably be found sufficient for a
 population of some millions4 ,the      
number of women desiring a full college 
education will always1 for many         
different reasons1 be much smaller than 
the number of male students4 ,but there 
is no good reason why such colleges1    
when found desirable1 should not enter  
into our future ,american civilization4 
,individual ,american women may yet1 by 
these means1 make high progress in      

science1 and render good service to the 
country and the race4 ,every branch of  
study which may be carried on thoroughly
 and successfully1 without impairing    
womanly modesty of mind and manner1     
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 needed4 ,but as regards  
those studies which are intended to open
 the way to professions essentially bold
 and masculine in character1 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     
prerogatives--without1 in short1        
unsexing themselves4  ,the really       
critical point with regard to the       
present position of women in ,america is
 the question of work and wages4 ,here  
the pocket of man is touched4 ,and the  
pocket is the most sensitive point with 
many men1 not only in ,america1 but all 

the world over4 ,there can be no doubt  
whatever that women are now driven away 
from certain occupations1 to which they 
are well adapted1 by the selfishness of 
some men4 ,and in many departments where
 they are day-laborers for commercial   
firms they are inadequately paid1 and   
compelled to provide food1 lodging1     
fuel1 and light out of scanty wages4    
,yes1 we have here one of the few real  
grievances of which ,american women have
 a just right to complain4 ,but even    
here--even where the pocket is directly 
touched1 we still believe that women may
 obtain full justice in the end1 by     
pursuing the right course4 ,only let the
 reality of the grievance be clearly    
proved1 and redress will follow1 ere    
long4 ,providence has the power of      
bringing good out of evil2 and therefore
 we believe that the movement now going 
on will here1 at least1 show some       
lasting results for good4 ,the ,song of 
the ,shirt shall1 we trust1 ere long    
become an obsolete lay in our country4  

,our women1 twenty years hence1 shall be
 better paid in some of their old fields
 of labor2 and new openings1 appropriate
 to their abilities1 mental and         
physical1 shall also be made for them4  
,and here they are much more likely to  
succeed without the suffrage than with  
it4 ,it is not by general law-making    
that they can better themselves in these
 particulars4 ,individual fitness for   
this or that branch of work is what is  
required for success4 ,and if1 by       
thorough preparation1 women can         
discharge this or that task1 not        
essentially masculine in its            
requirements1 as well as men1 they may  
rest assured that in the end their wages
 will be the same as those of their     
fathers and brothers in the same field  
of work4  ,and how is it with our       
homes--how fares it with ,american women
 in the family circle8 ,to all          
right-minded women the duties connected 
with home are most imperative1 most     
precious1 most blessed of all1 partaking

 as they do of the spirit of religious  
duty4 ,to women this class of duties is 
by choice1 and by necessity1 much more  
absorbing than it is to men4 ,it is the 
especial field of activity to which     
,providence has called them2 for which  
their ,maker has qualified them by      
peculiar adaptation of body and mind4   
,to the great majority of ,american     
women these duties are especially       
absorbing1 owing to the difficulty of   
procuring paid subordinates1 well       
qualified for the tasks they undertake4 
,the task of positive labor1 and the    
task of close supervision1 are both     
particularly burdensome to ,american    
wives and mothers4 ,thus far1 or at     
least until very recently1 those duties 
of wife and mother have been generally  
performed conscientiously4 ,the heart of
 every worthy ,american woman is in her 
home4 ,that home1 with its manifold     
interests1 is especially under her      
government4 ,the good order1 the        
convenience1 the comfort1 the           

pleasantness1 the whole economy of the  
house1 in short1 depend in a very great 
measure on her4 ,the food of the family 
is prepared by her1 either directly or  
by close supervision4 ,the clothing of  
the family passes through her hands or  
under her eye4 ,the health of the family
 is included within the same tender1    
watchful1 loving oversight4 ,the        
education of the children is chiefly    
directed by her--in many families almost
 exclusively so4 ,whether for evil or   
for good1 by careless neglect or by     
patient1 thoughtful1 prayerful guidance1
 she marks out their future course4     
,this is even too much the case4        
,american fathers love their children   
fondly2 no fathers more affectionate    
than they are2 they pet their children2 
they toil ceaselessly for them2 but     
their education they leave almost       
entirely to the mother4 ,it may be said1
 with perfect truth1 that in the great  
majority of ,american families the      
educational influences come chiefly from

 the mother2 they are tacitly made over 
to her as a matter of course4 ,the      
father has too often very little to do  
with them4 ,his work lies abroad1 in the
 world of business or politics1 where   
all his time and attention are fully    
absorbed4 ,in this way the ,american    
mother rules the very heart of her      
family4 ,if at all worthy she has great 
influence with her husband2 she has     
great influence over her daughters2 and 
as regards her sons1 there are too many 
cases in which hers is the only         
influence for good to which they yield4 
,is there so little of true elevation   
and dignity in this position that       
,american women should be in such hot   
haste to abandon it for a position as   
yet wholly untried1 entirely theoretical
 and visionary8  ,it will be said that  
all women are not married1 that all     
wives are not mothers1 that there are   
childless widows and many single women  
in the country4 ,quite true1 but in a   
rapid sketch one looks at the chief     

features only2 and home life1 with its  
varied duties1 is1 of course1 the       
principal point in every ,christian     
country4 ,the picture is essentially    
correct1 without touching on lesser     
details4 ,we pause here to observe also 
that almost every single woman has a    
home somewhere4 ,she makes a home for   
herself1 or she is ingrafted on the home
 of others1 and wherever she may        
be--even in that wretched kind of       
existence1 boarding-house life--she may1
 if she choose1 carry something of the  
home spirit with her4 ,in fact1 every   
true woman instinctively does so1       
whatever be the roof that covers her    
head4 ,she thinks for others1 she plans 
for others1 she serves others1 she loves
 and cherishes others1 she unconsciously
 throws something of the web of home    
feeling and home action over those near 
her1 and over the dwelling she inhabits4
 ,she carries the spirit of home and its
 duties into the niche allotted to      
her--a niche with which she is generally

 far more contented than the world at   
large believes--a niche which is never  
so narrow but that it provides abundant 
material for varied work--often very    
pleasant work too4 ,let it be           
understood1 once for all1 that the      
champions of widows and single women are
 very much given to talking and writing 
absurdly on this point4 ,their premises 
are often wholly false4 ,they often     
fancy discontent and disappointment and 
inaction where those elements have no   
existence4 ,certainly it is not in the  
least worth while to risk a tremendous  
social revolution in behalf of this     
minority of the sex4 ,every widow and   
single woman can1 if she choose1 already
 find abundance of the most noble       
occupation for heart1 mind1 body1 and   
soul4 ,carry the vote into her niche1   
she certainly will be none the happier  
or more truly respectable for that bit  
of paper4 ,it is also an error to       
suppose that among the claimants for    
suffrage single women are the most      

numerous or the most clamorous4 ,the    
great majority of the leaders in this   
movement appear to be married women4  ,a
 word more on the subject of home life1 
as one in which the interests of the    
whole sex are most closely involved4 ,it
 is clear that those interests are      
manifold1 highly important to the       
welfare of the race1 unceasing in their 
recurrence1 urgent and imperative in    
their nature1 requiring for their       
successful development such devotion of 
time1 labor1 strength1 thought1 feeling1
 that they must necessarily leave but   
little leisure to the person who        
faithfully discharges them4 ,the        
comfort1 health1 peace1 temper1         
recreation1 general welfare1            
intellectual1 moral1 and religious      
training of a family make up1 indeed1 a 
charge of the very highest dignity1 and 
one which must tax to the utmost every  
faculty of the individual to whom it is 
intrusted4 ,the commander of a regiment 
at the head of his men1 the member of   

,congress in his seat1 the judge on his 
bench1 scarcely holds a position so     
important1 so truly honorable1 as that  
of the intelligent1 devoted1 faithful   
,american wife and mother1 wisely       
governing her household4 ,and what are  
the interests of the merchant1 the      
manufacturer1 the banker1 the broker1   
the speculator1 the selfish politician1 
when compared with those confided to the
 ,christian wife and mother8 ,they are  
too often simply contemptible--a        
wretched1 feverish1 maddening struggle  
to pile up lucre1 which is any thing but
 clean4 ,where is the superior merit of 
such a life1 that we should hanker after
 it1 when placed beside that of the     
loving1 unselfish1 ,christian wife and  
mother--the wife1 standing at her       
husband's side1 to cheer1 to aid1 to    
strengthen1 to console1 to counsel1     
amidst the trials of life2 the mother1  
patiently1 painfully1 and prayerfully   
cultivating every higher faculty of her 
children for worthy action through time 

and eternity8 ,which of these positions 
has the most of true elevation connected
 with it8  ,and then1 again1 let as look
 at the present position of ,american   
women in society4 ,in its best aspects  
social life may be said to be the       
natural outgrowth of the ,christian     
home4 ,it is something far better than  
the world1 than ,vanity ,fair1 than the 
,court of ,mammon1 where all selfish    
passions meet and parade in deceptive   
masquerade4 ,it is the selfish element  
in human nature which pervades what we  
call the world2 self-indulgence1        
enjoyment1 the lust of the flesh1 the   
lust of the eye1 the pride of life1     
receive1 in that arena1 their full      
development4 ,society1 on the contrary1 
in its highest meaning1 becomes the     
practical development of the second     
great commandment1 loving and serving   
our neighbor4 ,in every ,christian      
country there are many individuals1     
especially among women1 to whom social  
life practically bears that meaning4    

,public worship itself is a social act1 
the highest of all1 blending in one the 
spirit of the two great                 
commandments--the love of ,god and the  
love of man4 ,and whatever of social    
action or social enjoyment is not       
inconsistent with those two great       
commandments becomes the ,christian's   
heritage1 makes a part1 more or less    
important1 of his education1 enters into
 the great stream of the better         
civilization4 ,and it is here that we   
reach what may be called the more public
 duties of woman4 ,from all duties      
entirely public she is now1 or she may  
be if she choose1 relieved by man4      
,these more public duties of hers are   
still but the outgrowth of her home     
life1 and more or less closely          
interwoven with it4 ,they are very      
important1 never to be neglected with   
impunity4 ,the really unsocial woman is 
in great danger of becoming also        
un-christian4 ,every friend crossing the
 threshold brings social life into the  

home4 ,the genial smile1 the kindly     
greeting1 the cheering word1 all these  
and a thousand other gracious impulses1 
are1 of course1 but the first           
instinctive movements of the social     
feeling4 ,and from these we move onward 
over a vast field of action1 to the very
 farthest point reached by the higher   
charities of ,christianity4 ,there can  
be no doubt that the charm1 the grace1  
and the happy cheerfulness of society   
are chiefly due to women2 and it is also
 true that the whole unwritten          
common-law of society is1 in a great    
measure1 under their control4 ,the world
 is constantly encroaching here1        
enervating and corrupting social life4  
,to oppose wisely1 skillfully1 and      
effectually these treacherous           
encroachments1 these alluring           
temptations1 is one of the most         
difficult tasks possible4 ,to contribute
 her full share toward purifying and    
brightening the social atmosphere about 
her1 in accordance with the spirit of   

true ,christian civilization1 such is   
one great and essential part of woman's 
work in life4 ,it is a work more        
especially her own4 ,man1 without his   
helpmeet1 can do but little here4 ,his  
faculties are absorbed by other tasks1  
not more important1 but more engrossing 
and essentially different4 ,the finer   
tact1 the more graceful manner1 the     
quicker wit1 the more tender conscience1
 are all needed here4 ,every woman in   
the country has her own share of this   
work to do4 ,each individual woman is   
responsible for the right use of all her
 own social influences1 whether for good
 or for evil4  ,to keep up the standard 
of female purity becomes emphatically   
one of the most stringent duties of     
every ,christian woman4 ,for her own    
sake1 for the sake of all she loves1 for
 the sake of her country1 for the       
service of ,christ and ,his ,church1 she
 is bound to uphold this standard at a  
high point--a point entirely above      
suspicion4 ,this task is of importance  

incalculable4 ,but1 owing to the        
frivolity of some women1 and the very   
loose ideas of many men1 it is no easy  
task4 ,undoubtedly1 the very great      
majority of women are born modest at    
heart4 ,their nature is by many degrees 
less coarse than that of man4 ,and their
 conscience is more tender4 ,but there  
is one temptation to which they too     
often yield4 ,with them the great       
dangers are vanity and the thirst for   
admiration1 which often become a sort of
 diseased excitement--what drinking or  
gambling is to men4 ,here is the weak   
point4 ,yielding chiefly to this        
temptation1 scores of women are falling 
every day4 ,vanity leads them to wear   
the extravagant1 the flashy1 the        
immodest1 the unhealthy dress1 to dance 
the immodest dance1 to adopt the        
alluring manner1 to carry flirting to   
extremes4 ,vanity leads them1 in short1 
to forget true self-respect1 to enjoy   
the very doubtful compliment of a       
miserably cheap admiration4 ,they become

 impatient of the least appearance of   
neglect or indifference1 they become    
eager in pursuit of attention1 while men
 always attribute that pursuit to       
motives of the coarsest kind4 ,it is    
generally vanity alone which leads a    
married woman to receive the first      
disgraceful flattery of dissolute men4  
,probably nine out of ten of those      
,american women who have trifled with   
honor and reputation1 whose names are   
spoken with the sneer of contempt1 have 
been led on1 step by step1 in the path  
of sin by vanity as the chief motive4   
,where one woman falls from low and     
coarse passions1 a hundred fall from    
sheer levity and the love of admiration4
  ,to counteract this fatal influence   
young women must be taught to respect   
themselves1 to be on their guard against
 vanity and its enticements1 to cherish 
personal modesty in every way4 ,the     
married woman who is quietly working by 
example or by precept among the young   
girls nearest to her1 seeking to cherish

 and foster among them this vital       
principle of pure personal modesty in   
dress1 in language1 in reading1 in tone 
of voice1 in countenance1 in manner--the
 natural outward expression of true     
modesty of heart--is doing far more for 
her country than if she were to mount   
the rostrum to-morrow and make a        
political speech eloquent as any of     
,webster's4  ,sensible women may always 
have a good measure of political        
influence of the right sort1 if they    
choose4 ,and it is in one sense a duty  
on their part to claim this influence1  
and to exert it1 but always in the true 
womanly way4 ,the influence of good     
sense1 of a sound judgment1 of good     
feeling may always he theirs4 ,let us   
see that we preserve this influence1 and
 that we use it wisely4 ,but let us     
cherish our happy immunities as women by
 keeping aloof from all public personal 
action in the political field4 ,there is
 much higher work for us to do4 ,our    
time1 our thoughts1 our efforts may be  

given to labors far more important than 
any mere temporary electing1 or         
law-making1 passed today1 annulled      
to-morrow1 in obedience to the fickle   
spirit of party politics4   ,,that      
,,work ,,is ,,to ,,promote ,,by ,,all   
,,worthy ,,means ,,the ,,moral          
,,civilization ,,of ,,the ,,country4    
,toward this work legislation1 the mere 
enacting of laws1 can do but little4 ,we
 have all heard of the shrewd mind who  
considered the songs of a people as more
 important than their laws4 ,the moral  
condition of a nation is subject to many
 different influences--of these the     
statute book is but one1 and that not   
the most important4 ,no mere skeleton of
 political constitution can1 of itself1 
produce moral health and strength4 ,it  
is the living heart within which does   
the work4 ,and over that heart women    
have very great influence4 ,the home is 
the cradle of the nation4 ,a sound home 
education is the most important of all  
moral influences4 ,in the very powerful 

influences which affection gives them   
over the home1 by teaching childhood1 by
 guiding youth1 over the men of their   
family1 women have noble means for      
working good1 not only to their own     
households1 not only to the social      
circle about them1 but to the nation at 
large4 ,all these influences they can   
bring into action far more effectually  
by adhering closely to that position    
which is not only natural to them1 but  
also plainly allotted to them by the    
revealed ,word of ,god4 ,in no position 
of their own devising can they do that  
work half so well4  ,political and      
social corruption are clearly the great 
evils to be dreaded for our country4 ,we
 have already gone far enough in the    
path of universal manhood suffrage to   
feel convinced that no mere enlargement 
of the suffrage has power to save us    
from those evils4 ,during half a century
 we have been moving nearer and nearer  
to a suffrage all but universal1 and we 
have1 during the same period1 been      

growing more corrupt4 ,the undisguised  
frauds at elections1 the open           
accusations of bribery in legislative   
assemblies1 the accusations of          
corruption connected with still higher  
offices--of these we read daily in the  
public prints4 ,and these accusations   
are not disproved4 ,they are generally  
believed4 ,it is clear1 therefore1 that 
something more effectual than universal 
manhood suffrage is needed to stem the  
torrent4 ,and it is simply ridiculous to
 suppose that womanhood suffrage can    
effect the same task4 ,who can believe  
that where men1 in their own natural    
field1 have partially failed to preserve
 a healthful political atmosphere1 an   
honest political practice1 that women1  
so much less experienced1 physically so 
much more feeble1 so excitable1 so      
liable to be misled by fancy1 by        
feeling1 are likely1 in a position      
foreign to their nature1 not only to    
stand upright themselves1 but1 like     
,atlas of old1 to bear the weight of the

 whole political world on their         
shoulders--like ,hercules1 to cleanse   
the ,augean stables of the political    
coursers--to do1 in short1 all that man 
has failed to do8 ,no2 it is1 alas6 only
 too clear that something more than the 
ballot-box1 whether in male or female   
hands1 is needed here4 ,and it is the   
same in social life4 ,the public prints1
 under a free press1 must always hold up
 a tolerably faithful mirror to the     
society about them4 ,the picture it     
displays is no better in social life    
than in political life4 ,we say the     
mirror is tolerably faithful1 since     
there are heights of virtue and depths  
of sin alike unreflected by the daily   
press4 ,the very purest and the very    
foulest elements of earthly existence   
are left out of the picture4 ,but the   
general view can scarcely fail to be    
tolerably correct4 ,take1 then1 the     
sketch of social life as it appears in  
some half dozen of the most popular     
prints from week to week4 ,you will be  

sure to find the better features        
grievously blended with others fearfully
 distorted by evil4 ,there are blots    
black as pitch in that picture4 ,there  
are forms1 more fiend-like than human1  
photographed on those sheets of paper4  
,crimes of worse than brutal violence1  
savage cruelty1 crimes of treachery and 
cowardly cunning and conspiracy1 breach 
of trust1 tyrannical extortion1         
groveling intemperance1 sensuality gross
 and shameless--the heart sickens at the
 record of a week's crime6 ,it is a     
record from which the ,christian woman  
often turns aside appalled4 ,human      
nature can read no lessons of humility  
more powerful than those contained in   
the newspapers of the day4 ,they preach 
what may be called home truths with most
 tremendous force4 ,from this record of 
daily crime it is only too clear that   
universal suffrage has had no power to  
purify the society in which we live4 ,if
 no worse1 we can not claim to be better
 than other nations1 under a different  

political rule4  ,this admission becomes
 the more painful when we reflect that  
in ,america this full freedom of        
fundamental institutions1 this relief   
from all needless shackles1 is combined 
with a well-developed system of         
intellectual education4 ,we are an      
absolutely free nation4 ,we are1 on the 
whole1 and to a certain point1          
intellectually1 an educated nation4 ,yet
 vice and crime exist among us to an    
extent that is utterly disgraceful4 ,it 
is evident1 therefore1 that universal   
manhood suffrage1 even when combined    
with general education1 is still        
insufficient for the task of purifying  
either social or political life4 ,the   
theoretical infidel philosopher may     
wonder at this fact4 ,not so the        
,christian4 ,great intellectual         
activity1 and the abuse of that power   
for evil purposes1 are a spectacle only 
too common in this world4 ,look at the  
present condition of the most civilized 
nations4 ,of all generations that have  

lived on earth1 our own is assuredly the
 most enlightened1 in an intellectual   
sense2 mental culture has never been so 
generally diffused as it is to-day1 nor 
has it ever achieved so many conquests  
as within the last half century2 and yet
 mark how comparatively little has this 
wonderful intellectual progress         
accomplished in the noble work of       
improving the moral condition of the    
most enlightened countries4 ,to the mind
 humbled by ,christian doctrine1 living 
in the light of a holy faith1 these     
facts1 though unspeakably painful1 can  
not cause surprise4 ,we are prepared for
 them4 ,we have already learned that no 
mere legislative enactment and no mere  
intellectual training can suffice to    
purify the human heart thoroughly4 ,an  
element much more powerful than mental  
culture is needed for that great work4  
,for this work light from on high is    
sent4 ,a thorough ,,moral ,,education is
 required1 and the highest form of that 
education can be reached in one way     

only--by walking in the plain path of   
obedience to the will of the ,creator1  
as revealed in ,holy ,scripture4 ,we    
must turn1 not to ,plato and ,aristotle1
 but to inspired ,prophet and ,apostle4 
,we must open our hearts to the spirit  
of the ,decalogue and the ,sermon on the
 ,mount4 ,we must go to ,sinai and to   
,calvary1 and humbly1 on bended knee1   
receive the sublime lessons to be       
learned there4  ,we should never have   
expected moral progress as an inevitable
 consequence of free institutions and   
mere intellectual education1 had it not 
been that1 like other nations1 we       
indulge in idolatries1 and among our    
gods many are the suffrage and mental   
activity4 ,we are gravely told by       
philosophers that1 with the vote in the 
hands of woman1 the moral elevation of  
the race is secured forever6 ,great is  
,diana of the ,ephesians6 ,the feeling  
is common in ,america that to doubt the 
omnipotence of universal suffrage in its
 extreme development is not only        

treason1 but a sort of blasphemy4 ,and  
this feeling is now leading many minds1 
unconsciously1 perhaps1 to shrink from  
opposing the present movement in favor  
of womanhood suffrage4 ,they bow the    
knee to the common idol4 ,they dare not 
believe it possible for the suffrage to 
be carried too far4 ,for ourselves we   
have no sympathies whatever with        
idolatry4 ,we fearlessly declare our    
opinion1 therefore1 that no political   
institutions whatever1 neither despotic1
 nor monarchical1 nor aristocratic1 nor 
yet the most free1 are capable1 in      
themselves1 of achieving moral education
 for a people4 ,neither do we believe it
 more possible for abstract intellectual
 culture to gain this most important of 
all ends4 ,institutions wisely free are 
a very great blessing4 ,let us be       
fervently thankful for them4            
,intellectual education is equally      
important and desirable4 ,these are both
 noble and admirable means to work with1
 provided we still look above and beyond

 them for a further development of the  
race--for fullness of ,,moral           
,,civilization4 ,in fact1 if we wish for
 a vigorous1 healthful1 lasting         
development of republican institutions1 
we must necessarily unite with these not
 only intellectual teaching1 but also a 
sound ,,moral ,,education4 ,this is a   
fact to which men1 in the whirl of their
 political or commercial struggles1 too 
often willfully shut their eyes4 ,they  
are quite ready to acknowledge the truth
 of the assertion in a general way1 but 
they choose to forget its vast          
importance in political or commercial   
practice4 ,they recklessly lower the    
moral standard themselves1 whenever that
 standard is at a height inconvenient   
for the attaining of some particular    
object toward which they are aiming4    
,they are lacking in faith4 ,unlike     
women1 who carry faith with them in     
private life1 men act as if faith were  
not needed in everyday public life4 ,at 
least the great majority of men1 nominal

 ,christians1 fail to carry ,christian  
principle with them into common business
 or politics4 ,faith1 in the heart of   
women1 is connected with love2          
consequently it is less easily stifled4 
,they more frequently carry this        
principle with them in daily            
practice--not to the extent that they   
should do1 but far more so than most men
 do4 ,and here1 ,christian women1 is    
your great advantage4 ,it is the ,lord's
 work to which we would urge you4 ,the  
work of true faith1 however lowly1 is   
sure of a blessing4 ,with faith         
unfeigned in your hearts1 giving purity 
to your lives1 you have it in your power
 to render most effectual service to the
 nation in your own natural sphere1 far 
beyond what you could possibly          
accomplish by the path of common        
politics4 ,you have never1 as yet1 done 
full justice to the advantages of your  
own actual position in this respect4    
,you have overlooked the great work     
immediately before you4 ,we have no     

magic talisman to offer you in carrying 
out that work4 ,we shall not flatter you
 with the promise of unlimited success2 
we shall not attempt to gratify any     
personal ambition of public honors4 ,we 
have no novel theories or brilliant     
illusions with which to dazzle your     
imagination4   ,,fidelity ,,to ,,plain  
,,moral ,,duties--,,this ,,is ,,the     
,,one ,,great ,,principle ,,to ,,which  
,,we ,,would ,,most ,,earnestly ,,call  
,,your ,,attention4  ,there is          
absolutely no principle so sorely needed
 in the civilized world to-day as this4 
,we live in an age of false and inflated
 ambitions4 ,simple moral truths fare   
badly in our time4 ,imposing theories1  
brilliant novelties1 subtle sophistries1
 exaggerated development1 arrogant      
pretensions--these too often crowd      
simple moral truths out of sight1 out of
 mind4 ,and yet1 without that class of  
duties in healthful action1 corruption  
more or less general is inevitable4     
,truth of word1 honesty of action1      

integrity of character1 temperance1     
chastity1 moderation1 sincerity1        
subordination to just authority1        
conjugal fidelity1 filial love and      
honor--these duties1 and others closely 
connected with them1 bear old and homely
 names4 ,but1 ,christian women1 you can 
not ask for a task more noble1 more     
truly elevating1 for yourselves and your
 country1 than to uphold these plain    
moral principles1 first by your own     
personal example1 and then by all pure  
influences in your homes and in the     
society to which you belong4 ,in no     
other mode can you so well forward the  
great work of ,christian civilization as
 by devoting yourselves to the daily    
personal practice1 and to the social    
cultivation1 by example and influence1  
of these plain moral duties4 ,your      
present domestic position is especially 
favorable to this task4 ,you have more  
time for thought on these subjects2 you 
have more frequent opportunities for    
influence over the young nearest to you2

 you have more leisure for prayer1 for  
invoking a blessing on your efforts1    
however humble they may he4 ,it is not  
enough to set a decent example          
yourselves4 ,you must go to the very    
root of the matter4 ,you must carry     
about with you hearts and minds very    
deeply impressed with the incalculable  
importance of a sound morality2 you must
 be clearly convinced of the misery1 the
 shame1 the perils of all immorality4   
,in this nineteenth century the         
civilization of a country must          
necessarily prove either heathen or     
,christian in its spirit4 ,there is no  
neutral ground lying between these      
boundaries4 ,faith or infidelity1 such  
is the choice we must all make1 whether 
as individuals or as nations4 ,thanks be
 to ,god we are not only in name1 but   
also partially in character1 a          
,christian nation4 ,faith is not        
entirely wanting4 ,we all in a measure  
feel its good effects4 ,even the avowed 
infidel living in our midst is far more 

under its influences1 though indirectly 
so1 than he is aware of4 ,and where     
there is life1 there we have hope of    
growth1 of higher development4 ,to      
cherish that growth1 to further that    
higher development by all gracious and  
loving and generous influences1 is a    
work for which women are especially     
adapted4 ,they work from within         
outwardly4 ,men work chiefly by mental  
and physical pressure from without4 ,men
 work by external authority2 women work 
by influences4 ,men seek to control the 
head4 ,women always aim at touching the 
heart4 ,and we have the highest of all  
authority for believing that this last  
is the most efficient mode of working4  
,out of the heart are the issues of     
life4 ,this1 therefore1 ,christian      
women1 is your especial  task4 ,use all 
the happy womanly influences in your    
power to forward the moral education1   
the ,christian civilization1 of the     
country to which you belong4 ,be        
watchful1 with the unfeigned humility of

 the ,christian1 over your own personal 
course1 and the example connected with  
it4 ,aim at keeping up1 on all          
occasions1 a high practical standard of 
sound morality at all points4 ,cultivate
 every germ of true moral principle in  
your own homes1 and in the social circle
 about you4 ,let the holy light of      
truth1 honor1 fidelity1 honesty1 purity1
 piety1 and love brighten the atmosphere
 of your homes4  ,what heathen          
civilization means we know from many    
sources1 more especially from the       
records of ,rome under the empire1 in   
the days of ,st4 ,paul1 when it had     
reached its highest development4  ,what 
,christian civilization means we learn  
from the ,apostle3 ,let him that nameth 
the name of ,christ depart from         
iniquity4 ,whatsoever things are true1  
whatsoever things are honest1 whatsoever
 things are just1 whatsoever things are 
pure1 whatsoever things are lovely1     
whatsoever things are of good           
report--think on these things4