influences already at their command； and all really needed changes
may be effected by means both sure and safemeans already
thoroughly tried。 Let them use all the good sense； all the
information； all the eloquence； and； if they please； all the wit； at
their command when talking over these abuses in society。 Let them
state their views； their needs； their demands； in conscientiously
written papers。 Let them appeal for aid to the best； the wisest； the
most respected men of the country； and the result is certain。 Choose
any one real； existing abuse as a test of the honesty and the
liberality of American men toward the women of the country； and we
all know before…hand what shall be the result。*
｛FOOTNOTE by SFC｝ * There is an injustice in the present law of
guardianship in the State of New York； which may be named as one
of those abuses which need reformation。 A woman can not now； in
the State of New York； appoint a guardian for her child； even though
its father be dead。 The authority for appointing a guardian otherwise
than by the courts is derived from the Revised statutes； p。 1； title 3；
chapter 8； part 2； and that passage gives the power to the father
only。 The mother is not named。 It has been decided in the courts
that a mother can not make this appointment12 Howard's Practical
Reports； 532。 This is certainly very unjust and very unwise。 But let
any dozen women of respectability take the matter in hand； and； by
the means already at their command； from their own chimney…
corners； they can readily procure the insertion of the needful clause。
And so with any other real abuse。 Men are now ready to listen； and
ready to act； when additional legislation is prudently and sensibly
asked for by their wives and mothers。 How they may act when
women stand before them； armed CAP…A…PIE； and prepared to
demand legislation at the point of the bayonet； can not yet be
known。 ｛END FOOTNOTE｝
If husbands； fathers； brothers； are ready any day to shed their
heart's blood for our personal defense in
442
the hour of peril； we may feel perfectly assured that they will also
protect us； when appealed to； by legislation。 When they lay down
their arms and refuse to fight for us； it will then be time to ask them
to give up legislation also。 But until that evil hour arrives let men
make the laws； and let women be content to fill worthily； to the very
best of their abilities； the noble position which the Heavenly Father
has already marked out for them。 There is work to be done in that
position reaching much higher； going much farther； and penetrating
far deeper； than any mere temporary legislation can do。 Of that work
we shall speak more fully a moment later。
SECONDLY。 THE INALIENABLE NATURAL RIGHT OF WOMAN TO VOTE；
AND IMPERATIVELY SO IN A COUNTRY WHERE UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE
IS A GREAT POLITICAL PRINCIPLE。
This second proposition of the advocates of female suffrage is of a
general character。 It does not point to particular abuses； it claims
the right of woman to vote as one which she should demand；
whether practically needed or not。 It is asserted that to disqualify
half the race from voting is an abuse entirely inconsistent with the
first principles of American politics。 The answer to this is plain。 The
elective franchise is not an end； it is only a means。 A good
government is indeed an inalienable right。 Just so far as the elective
franchise will conduce to this great end； to that point it becomes
also a right； but no farther。 A male suffrage wisely free； including all
capable of justly appreciating its importance； and honestly
discharging its responsibilities； becomes a great advantage to a
nation。 But universal suffrage； pushed to its extreme limits； including
all men； all women； all minors beyond the years of childhood； would
inevitably be fraught with evil。 There have been limits to the
suffrage of the freest nations。 Such limits have been found necessary
by all past political experience。 In this country； at the present hour；
there are restrictions upon the suffrage in every State。 Those
restrictions vary in character。 They are either national； relating to
color； political； mental； educational； connected with a property
qualification； connected with sex； connected with minority of years；
or they are moral in their nature。*
＇FOOTNOTE by SFC｝ *In connection with this point of moral
qualification we venture to ask a question。 Why not enlarge the
criminal classes from whom the suffrage is now withheld？ Why not
exclude every man convicted of any degrading legal crime； even petty
larceny？ And why not exclude from the suffrage all habitual
drunkards judicially so declared？ These are changes which would do
vastly more of good than admitting women to vote。 ｛END
FOOTNOTE｝
This restriction connected with sex is； in fact； but one of many other
restrictions； considered more or less necessary even in a democracy。
Manhood suffrage is a very favorite term of the day。 But； taken in
the plain meaning of those words； such fullness of suffrage has at
the present hour no actual existence in any independent nation； or in
any extensive province。 It does not exist； as we have just seen；
even among the men of America。 And； owing to the conditions of
human life； we may well believe that unrestricted fullness of
manhood suffrage never can exist in any great nation for any length
of time。 In those States of the American Union which approach
nearest to a practical manhood suffrage； unnaturalized foreigners；
minors； and certain classes of criminals； are excluded from voting。
And why so？ What is the cause of this exclusion？ Here are men by
tens of thousandsmen of widely different classes and conditions
peremptorily deprived of a privilege asserted to be a positive
inalienable right universal in its application。 There is manifestly
some reason for this apparently contradictory state of things。 We
know that reason to be the good of society。 It is for the good of
society that the suffrage is withheld from those classes of men。 A
certain fitness for the right use of the suffrage is therefore deemed
necessary before granting it。 A criminal； an unnaturalized foreigner； a
minor； have not that fitness； consequently the suffrage is withheld
from them。 The worthy use of the vote is； then； a qualification not
yet entirely overlooked by our legislators。 The State has had； thus
far； no scruples in withholding the suffrage even from men； whenever
it has believed that the grant would prove injurious to the nation。
Here we have the whole question clearly defined。 The good of society
is the true object of all human government。 To this principle suffrage
itself is subordinate。 It can never be more than a means looking to
the attainment of good government； and not necessarily its corner…
stone。 Just so far is it wise and right。 Move one step beyond that
point； and instead of a benefit the suffrage may become a cruel
injury。 The governing power of our own countrythe most free of all
great nationspractically proclaims that it has no right to bestow the
suffrage wherever its effects are likely to become injurious to the
whole nation； by allotting different restrictions to the suffrage in
every State of the Union。 The right of suffrage is； therefore； most
clearly not an absolutely inalienable right universal in its application。
It has its limits。 These limits are marked out by plain justice and
common…sense。 Women have thus far been excluded from the
suffrage precisely on the same principlesfrom the conviction that to
grant them this particular privilege would； in different ways； and
especially by withdrawing them from higher and more urgent duties；
and allotting to them other duties for which they are not so well
fitted； become injurious to the nation； and； we add； ultimately
injurious to themselves； also； as part of the nation。 If it can be
proved that this conviction is sound and just； founded on truth； the
assumed inalienable right of suffrage； of which we have been hearing
so much lately； vanishes into the 〃baseless fabric of a vision。〃 If the
right were indeed inalienable； it should be granted； without regard to
consequences； as an act of abstract justice。 But； happily for us；
none but the very wildest theorists are prepared to take this view of
the question of suffrage。 The advocates of female suffrage must；
therefore； abandon the claim of inalienable right。 Such a claim can
not logically be maintained for one moment in the face of existing
facts。 We proceed to the third point。
THIRDLY。 THE ELEVATION OF THE ENTIRE SEX； THE GENERAL
PURIFICATION OF POLITICS THROUGH THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN；
AND THE CONSEQUENT ADVANCE OF THE WHOLE RACE。 Such； we are
told； must be the inevitable results of what is called the
emancipation of woman； the entire independence of woman through
the suffrage。
Here we find ourselves in a peculiar position。 While considering the
previous points of this question we have been guided by positive
facts； clearly indisputable in their character。 Actual； practical
experience； with the manifold teachings at her command； has come
to our aid。 But we are now called upon； by the advocates of this
novel doctrine； to change our course entirely。 We ar