Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
III. Woman brings to public affairs peculiar qualities,
aspirations, and affections which society needs. I have had
persons say to me, "Would you, now, take your daughter and your
wife, and walk down to the polls with them?" If I were to take my
daughter and my wife, and walk down to the polls with them, and
there was a squirming crowd of bloated, loud-mouthed, blattering
men, wrangling like so many maggots on cheese, what would take
place, but that, at the moment I appeared with my wife and
daughter walking by my side with conscious dignity and veiled
modesty, the lane would open, and I should pass through the red
sea unharmed? [Great applause]. Where is there a mob such that
the announcement that a woman is present does not bring down the
loudest of them? Nothing but the sorcery of rum prevents a man
from paying unconscious, instant respect to the presence of a
woman....
IV. The history of woman's co-operative labors thus far justifies
the most sanguine anticipations, such as I have alluded to.
Allusion has been made to the purification of literature. The
influence of women has been a part of the cause of this,
unquestionably; but I would not ascribe such a result to any one
cause. God is a great workman, and has a chest full of tools, and
never uses one tool, but always many; and in the purification of
literature, the elevation of thought, the advancement of the
public sentiment of the world in humanity, God has employed more
than that which has been wrought in their departments. And that
which the family has long ago achieved--that, in more eminence
and more wondrous and surprising beauty, the world will achieve
for itself in public affairs, when man and woman co-operate
there, as now they are co-operating in all other spheres of
taste, intellection, and morality....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account