Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
I shall enter into no labored argument to prove that woman does
not occupy the position in society to which her capacity justly
entitles her. The rights of mankind emanate from their natural
wants and emotions. Are not the natural wants and emotions of
humanity common to, and shared equally by, both sexes? Does man
hunger and thirst, suffer cold and heat more than woman? Does he
love and hate, hope and fear, joy and sorrow more than woman?
Does his heart thrill with a deeper pleasure in doing good? Can
his soul writhe in more bitter agony under the consciousness of
evil or wrong? Is the sunshine more glorious, the air more quiet,
the sounds of harmony more soothing, the perfume of flowers more
exquisite, or forms of beauty more soul-satisfying to his senses,
than to hers? To all these interrogatories every one will answer,
No!
Where then did man get the authority that he now claims over
one-half of humanity? From what power the vested right to place
woman--his partner, his companion, his helpmeet in life--in an
inferior position? Came it from nature? Nature made woman his
superior when she made her his mother; his equal when she fitted
her to hold the sacred position of wife. Does he draw his
authority from God, from the language of holy writ? No! For it
says that "Male and female created he _them_, and gave _them_
dominion." Does he claim it under law of the land? Did woman meet
with him in council and voluntarily give up all her claim to be
her own law-maker? Or did the majesty of might place this power
in his hands?--The power of the strong over the weak makes man
the master! Yes, there, and there only, does he gain his
authority.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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