Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
The majority of the committee claim that suffrage is not a right
but a privilege to be guarded by those who have it, and to be by
them doled out to those who shall become worthy. That every
extension of suffrage has been granted in some form or other by
those already holding it is probably true. In some countries,
however, it has been extended upon the simple basis of
expediency, and in others in obedience to a claim of right. If
suffrage be a right, if it be true that no man has a claim to
govern any other man except to the extent that the other man has
a right to govern him, then there can be no discussion of the
question of Woman Suffrage. No reason on earth can be given by
those who claim suffrage as a right of manhood which does not
make it a right of womanhood also. If the suffrage is to be given
man to protect him in his life, liberty and property, the same
reasons urge that it be given to woman, for she has the same
life, liberty and property to protect. If it be urged that her
interests are so bound up in those of man that they are sure to
be protected, the answer is that the same argument was urged as
to the merging in the husband of the wife's right of property,
and was pronounced by the judgment of mankind fallacious in
practice and in principle. If the natures of men and women are so
alike that for that reason no harm is done by suppressing women,
what harm can be done by elevating them to equality? If the
natures be different, what right can there be in refusing
representation to those who might take juster views about many
social and political questions?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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