female suffrage-第4部分

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to　our　aid。　But　we　are　now　called　upon；　by　the　advocates　of　this
novel　doctrine；　to　change　our　course　entirely。　We　are　under　orders　to
sail　out　into　unknown　seas；　beneath　skies　unfamiliar；　with　small
light　from　the　stars；　without　chart；　without　pilot；　the　port　to　which
we　are　bound　being　one　as　yet　unvisited　by　mortal　manor　woman！
Heavy　mist；　and　dark　cloud；　and　threatening　storm　appear　to　us
brooding　over　that　doubtful　sea。　But　something　of　prophetic　vision　is
required　of　us。　We　are　told　that　all　perils　which　seem　to　threaten　the
first　stages　of　our　course　are　entirely　illusivethat　they　will　vanish
as　we　approachthat　we　shall　soon　arrive　in　halcyon　waters；　and
regions　where　wisdom；　peace；　and　purity　reign　supreme。　If　we
cautiously　inquire　after　some　assurance　of　such　results；　we　are　told
that　to　those　sailing　under　the　flag　of　progress　triumph　is　inevitable；
failure　is　impossible；　and　that　many　of　the　direst　evils　hitherto
known　on　earth　must　vanish　at　the　touch　of　the　talisman　in　the　hand
of　womanand　that　talisman　is　the　vote。

Now；　to　speak　franklyand　being　as　yet　untrammeled　by　political
aspirations；　we　fearlessly　do　soas　regards　this　flag　of　progress；　we
know　it　to　be　a　very　popular　bit　of　bunting；　but　to　the　eye　of
common…sense　it　is　grievously　lacking　in　consistency。　The　flag　of　our
country　means　something　positive。　We　all　love　it；　we　all　honor　it。　It
represents　to　us　the　grand　ideas　by　which　the　nation　lives。　It　is　the
symbol　of　constitutional　government；　of　law　and　order；　of　union；　of　a
liberty　which　is　not　license。　It　is　to　us　the　symbol　of　all　that　may　be
great　and　good　and　noble　in　the　Christian　republic。　But　this　vaunted
flag　of　progress；　so　alluring　to　many　restless　minds；　is　vague　in　its
colors；　unstable；　too　often　illusive；　in　web　and　woof。　Many　of　its
most　prominent　standard…bearers　are　clad　in　the　motley　garb　of
theorists。　Their　flag　may　be　seen　wandering　to　and　fro；　hither　and
thither；　up　and　down；　swayed　by　every　breath　of　popular　caprice；　so
it　move　to　the　mere　cry　of　〃Progress！〃　its　followers　are　content。　To…
day；　in　the　hands　of　the　skeptical　philosopher；　it　assaults　the
heavens。　Tomorrow　it　may：　float　over　the　mire　of　Mormonism；　or
depths　still　more　vile。　It　was　under　the　flag　of　progress　that；　in　the
legislative　halls　of　France；　the　name　of　the　Holy　Lord　God　of　Hosts；
〃who　inhabiteth　eternity；〃　was　legally　blasphemed。　It　was　under　the
flag　of　progress　that；　on　the　10th　of　November；　1793；　Therese
Momoro；　Goddess　of　Reason；　and　wife　of　the　printer　Momoro；　was
borne　in　triumph；　by　throngs　of　worshipers；　through　the　streets　of
Paris；　and　enthroned　in　the　house　of　God。

Beyond　all　doubt；　there　is　now；　as　there　ever　has　been；　an　onward
progress　toward　truth　on　earth。　But　that　true　progress　is　seldom
rapid；　excepting　perhaps　in　the　final　stages　of　some　particular
movement。　It　is；　indeed；　often　so　slow；　so　gradual；　as　to　be
imperceptible　at　the　moment　to　common　observation。　It　is　often
silent；　wonderful；　mysterious；　sublime。　It　is　the　grand　movement
toward　the　Divine　Will；　working　out　all　things　for　eventual　good。　In
looking　back；　there　are　for　every　generation　way…marks　by　which　the
course　of　that　progress　may　be　traced。　In　looking　forward　no　mortal
eye　can　foresee　its　immediate　course。　The　ultimate　end　we　know；
but　the　next　step　we　can　not　foretell。　The　mere　temporary　cry　of
progress　from　human　lips　has　often　been　raised　in　direct　opposition
to　the　true　course　of　that　grand；　mysterious　movement。　It　is　like　the
roar　of　the　rapids　in　the　midst　of　the　majestic　stream；　which；　in　the
end；　shall　yield　their　own　foaming　waters　to　the　calm　current　moving
onward　to　the　sea。　We　ask；　then；　for　something　higher；　safer；　more
sure；　to　guide　us　than　the　mere　popular　cry　of　〃Progress！〃　We　dare
not　blindly　follow　that　cry；　nor　yield　thoughtless　allegiance　to　every
flag　it　upholds。

Then；　again；　as　regards　that　talisman；　the　vote；　we　have　but　one
answer　to　make。　We　do　not　believe　in　magic。　We　have　a　very　firm
and　unchangeable　faith　in　free　institutions；　founded　on　just
principles。　We　entirely　believe　that　a　republican　form　of　government
in　a　Christian　country　may　be　the　highest；　the　noblest；　and　the
happiest　that　the　world　has　yet　seen。　Still；　we　do　not　believe　in
magic。　And　we　do　not　believe　in　idolatry。　We　Americans　are　just　as
much　given　to　idolatry　as　any　other　people。　Our　idols　may　differ　from
those　of　other　nations；　but　they　are；　none　the　less；　still　idols。　And　it
strikes　the　writer　that　the　ballot…box　is　rapidly　becoming　an　object　of
idolatry　with　us。　Is　it　not　so？　From　the　vote　alone　we　expect　all
things　good。　From　the　vote　alone　we　expect　protection　against　all
things　evil。　Of　the　vote　Americans　can　never　have　too　muchof　the
vote　they　can　never　have　enough。　The　vote　is　expected　by　its　very
touch；　suddenly　and　instantaneously；　to　produce　miraculous　changes；
it　is　expected　to　make　the　foolish　wise；　the　ignorant　knowing；　the
weak　strong；　the　fraudulent　honest。　It　is　expected　to　turn　dross　into
gold。　It　is　held　to　be　the　great
educator；　not　only　as　regards　races；　and　under　the　influence　of　time；
which　is　in　a　measure　true；　but　as　regards　individuals　and　classes　of
men；　and　that　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　with　magical　rapidity。　Were
this　theory　practically　sound；　the　vote　would　really　prove　a　talisman。
In　that　case　we　should　give　ourselves　no　rest　until　the　vote　were
instantly　placed　in　the　hands　of　every　Chinaman　landing　in　California；
and　of　every　Indian　roving　over　the　plains。　But；　in　opposition　to　this
theory；　what　is　the　testimony　of　positive　facts　known　to　us　all？　Are
all　voters　wise？　Are　all　voters　honest？　Are　all　voters　enlightened？
Are　all　voters　true　to　their　high　responsibilities？　Are　all　voters
faithful　servants　of　their　country？　Is　it　entirely　true　that　the　vote　has
necessarily　and　really　these　inherent　magical　powers　of　rapid
education　for　individuals　and　for　classes　of　men；　fitting　them；　in
default　of　other　qualifications；　for　the　high　responsibilities　of
suffrage？　Alas！　we　know　only　too　well　that　when　a　man　is　not
already　honest　and　just　and　wise　and　enlightened；　the　vote　he　holds
can　not　make　him　so。　We　know　that　if　he　is　dishonest；　he　will　sell
his　vote；　if　he　is　dull　and　ignorant；　he　is　misled；　for　selfish　purposes
of　their　own；　by　designing　men。　As　regards　man；　at　least；　the　vote
can　be　too　easily　proved　to　be　no　talisman。　It　is　very　clear　that　for
man　the　ballot…box　needs　to　be　closely　guarded　on　one　side　by
common…sense；　on　the　other　by　honesty。　A　man　must　be　endowed
with　a　certain　amount　of　education　and　of　principle；　before　he
receives　the　vote；　to　fit　him　for　a　worthy　use　of　it。　And　if　the　vote　be
really　no　infallible　talisman　for　man；　why　should　we　expect　it　to　work
magical　wonders　in　the　hands　of　woman？

But　let　us　drop　the　play　of　metaphor；　appropriate　though　it　be　when
facing　the　visions　of　political　theorists。　Let　us　look　earnestly　and
clearly　at　the　positive　facts　before　us。　We　are　gravely　told　that　to
grant　the　suffrage　to　woman　would　be　a　step　inevitably　beneficial
and　elevating　to　the　whole　sex；　and；　through　their　influence；　to　the
entire　race；　and　that；　on　this　ground　alone；　the　proposed　change　in
the　constitution　should　be　made。　Here；　so　far　at　least　as　the
concluding　proposition　goes；　we　must　all　agree。　If　it　can　be　clearly
proved　that　this　particular　change　in　our　institutions　is　one　so
fraught　with　blessings；　we　are　bound　to　make　it　at　every　cost。　The
true　elevation　of　the　whole　race：　that　is　what　we　are　all　longing　for；
praying　for。　And　is　it　indeed　true　that　this　grand　work　can　effectually
be　brought　about　by　the　one　step　we　are　now　urged　to　take？　What
says　actual　experience　on　this　point？　The　whole　history　of　mankind
shows　clearly　that；　as　yet；　no　one　legislative　act　has　ever
accomplished　half　of　what　is　claimed　by　the　advocates　of　woman's
suffrage　as　the　inevitable　result　of　the　change　they　propose。　No　one
legislative　act　has　ever　been　so　widely　comprehensive　in　its　results
for　good　as　they　declare　that　this　act　shall　be。　No　one　legislative　act
has　ever　raised　the　entire　race　even　within　sight　of　the　point　of
elevation　predicted　by　the　champions　of　what　is　called　the
emancipation　of　woman。　Hear　them　speak　for　themselves：　〃It　is
hardly　possible；　with　our　present　experience；　to　raise　our
imaginations　to　the　conception　of　so　great　a　change　for　the　better　as
would　be　made　by　its　removal〃the　removal　of　the　principle　of　the
subordination　of　the　wife　to　the　husband；　and　the　establishment　of
the　entire　independence　of　women；　to　be　obtained　by　female
suffrage。　These　are　not　the　words　of　some　excited　woman　making　a
speech　at　a　public　meeting。　The　quotation　is　from　the　writings　of　Mr。
Stuart　Mill。　The　subordination　of　the　wife　to　the　husband　is　declared
by　Mr。　Mill　to　be　〃the　citadel　of　the　enemy。〃　Storm　the　citadel；
proclaim　the　entire　independence　of　the　wife；　and　our　feeble
imaginations；　we　are　told；　are　utterly　incapable　of　conceiving　the
glorious　future　of　the　race　consequent　upon　this　one　step。　This　is　a
very　daring　assertion。　It　is　so　bold；　indeed；　as　to　require　something
of　positive　proof　ere　we　can　yield　to　it　our　implicit　belief。　The　citadel
we　are　ur