Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
It is said by those who have examined the question closely that
the largest number of divorces is now found in the communities
where the advocates of female suffrage are most numerous, and
where the _individuality_ of woman as related to her husband,
which such a doctrine inculcates, is increased to the greatest
extent.[50] ...
Senator Brown then introduced a long quotation from the
"Chimney-Corner," covering so exactly the ground of his speech and in
so nearly the same language as to suggest, if not collusion, at least
"two souls with but a single thought," which he thus emphasized in
closing:
The woman with the infant at the breast is in no condition to
plow on the farm, labor hard in the workshop, discharge the
duties of a juryman, conduct cases as an advocate in court,
preside in important cases as a judge, command armies as a
general, or bear arms as a private. These duties, and others of
like character, belong to the male sex; while the more important
duties of home, to which I have already referred, devolve upon
the female sex. We can neither reverse the physical nor the moral
laws of our nature, and as this movement is an attempt to reverse
these laws, and to devolve upon the female sex important and
laborious duties for which they are not by nature physically
competent, I am not prepared to support this bill.
He was followed by Senator Dolph, who said:
Mr. President, I shall not detain the Senate long. I do not feel
satisfied, when a measure so important to the people of this
country and to humanity is about to be submitted to a vote of the
Senate, to remain wholly silent.
Fortunately for the perpetuity of our institutions and the
prosperity of the people, the Federal Constitution contains a
provision for its own amendment. The framers of that instrument
foresaw that time and experience, the growth of the country and
the consequent expansion of the Government, would develop the
necessity for changes in it. Under this provision, at the first
session of the First Congress, ten amendments were submitted to
the Legislatures of the several States, in due time ratified by
the constitutional number, and thus became a part of the
Constitution. Since then there have been added to the
Constitution by the same process five different articles. To
secure an amendment requires the concurrent action of two-thirds
of both branches of Congress and the affirmative action of
three-fourths of the States. The question as to whether this
resolution shall be submitted to the Legislatures for
ratification does not involve the right or policy of the proposed
amendment....
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