Female Suffrage.docx

Female Suffrage.docx

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FemaleSuffrage

FemaleSuffragebySusanFenimoreCooperALETTERTOTHECHRISTIANWOMENOFAMERICA.

PartI.

Thenaturalpositionofwomanisclearly,toalimiteddegree,asubordinateone.Suchithasalwaysbeenthroughouttheworld,inallages,andinmanywidelydifferentconditionsofsociety.Therearethreeconclusivereasonswhyweshouldexpectittocontinuesoforthefuture.

FIRST.Womaninnaturalphysicalstrengthissogreatlyinferiortomanthatsheisentirelyinhispower,quiteincapableofself-

defense,trustingtohisgenerosityforprotection.Insavagelifethisgreatsuperiorityofphysicalstrengthmakesmantheabsolutemaster,womantheabjectslave.And,althougheverysuccessivestepincivilisationlessensthedistancebetweenthesexes,andrendersthesituationofwomansaferandeasier,still,innostateofsociety,howeverhighlycultivated,hasperfectequalityyetexisted.

Thisdifferenceinphysicalstrengthmust,initself,alwayspreventsuchperfectequality,sincewomaniscompelledeverydayofherlifetoappealtomanforprotection,andforsupport.

SECONDLY.Womanisalso,thoughinaverymuchlessdegree,inferiortomaninintellect.Thedifferenceinthisparticularmayveryprobablybeonlyaconsequenceofgreaterphysicalstrength,givinggreaterpowerofenduranceandincreaseofforcetotheintellectualfacultyconnectedwithit.Inmanycases,asbetweenthebestindividualmindsofbothsexes,thedifferenceisnodoubtveryslight.

Therehavebeenwomenofaveryhighorderofgenius;therehavebeenverymanywomenofgreattalent;and,asregardswhatiscommonlycalledcleverness,ageneralquicknessandclearnessofmindwithinlimitedbounds,thenumberofcleverwomenmaypossiblyhavebeenevenlargerthanthatofclevermen.But,takingtheoneinfallibleruleforourguide,judgingofthetreebyitsfruits,wearemetbythefactthatthegreatestachievementsoftheraceineveryfieldofintellectualculturehavebeentheworkofman.Itistruethattheadvantagesofintellectualeducationhavebeen,untilrecently,verygenerallyonthesideofman;hadthoseadvantagesbeenalwaysequal,womenwouldnodoubthavehadmuchmoreofsuccesstorecord.Butthissamefactofinferiorityofeducationbecomesinitselfoneproofoftheexistenceofacertaindegreeofmentalinequality.Whathasbeenthecauseofthisinferiorityofeducation?

Whyhasnotwomaneducatedherselfinpastages,asmanhasdone?

Isittheoppositionofman,andthepowerwhichphysicalstrengthgiveshim,whichhavebeentheimpediments?

Hadthesebeentheonlyobstacles,andhadthatgeneralandentireequalityofintellectexistedbetweenthesexes,whichwefindproclaimedto-daybysomewriters,andbymanytalkers,thegeniusofwomenwouldhaveopenedaroadthroughtheseandallotherdifficultiesmuchmorefrequentlythanithasyetdone.Atthisveryhour,insteadofdefendingtheintellectofwomen,justhalfourwritingandtalkingwouldberequiredtodefendtheintellectofmen.But,solongaswoman,asasex,hasnotprovidedforherselfthesameadvancedintellectualeducationtothesameextentasmen,andsolongasinferiorityofintellectinmanhasneveryetinthousandsofyearsbeengravelydiscussed,whiletheinferiorityofintellectinwomanhasbeenduringthesameperiodgenerallyadmitted,wearecompelledtobelievethereissomefoundationforthislastopinion.Theextentofthisdifference,theintervalthatexistsbetweenthesexes,theprecisedegreeofinferiorityonthepartofwomen,willprobablyneverbesatisfactorilyproved.

Believingtheninthegreaterphysicalpowersofman,andinhissuperiority,toalimitedextent,inintellectalso,astwosufficientreasonsforthenaturalsubordinationofwomanasasex,wehaveyetathirdreasonforthissubordination.Christianitycanbeprovedtobethesafestandhighestallyofman'snature,physical,moral,andintellectual,thattheworldhasyetknown.Itprotectshisphysicalnatureateverypointbyplain,stringentrulesofgeneraltemperanceandmoderation.Tohismoralnatureitgivesthepervadingstrengthofhealthfulpurity.Tohisintellectualnature,whileononehanditenjoinsfulldevelopmentandvigorousaction,holdingouttothespiritthehighestconceivableaspirations,ontheotheritteachestheinvaluablelessonsofawisehumility.Thisgrandandholyreligion,whosewholeactionishealthful,whoserestraintsareallblessings--thisgraciousreligion,whosechiefpreceptsaretheloveofGodandtheloveofman--thissameChristianityconfirmsthesubordinatepositionofwoman,byallottingtomantheheadshipinplainlanguageandbypositiveprecept.NosystemofphilosophyhaseveryetworkedoutinbehalfofwomanthepracticalresultsforgoodwhichChristianityhasconferredonher.Christianityhasraisedwomanfromslaveryandmadeherthethoughtfulcompanionofman;

findsherthemeretoy,orthevictimofhispassions,anditplacesherbyhisside,histruestfriend,hismostfaithfulcounselor,hishelpmeetineveryworthyandhonorabletask.Itprotectsherfarmoreeffectuallythananyothersystem.Itcultivates,strengthens,elevates,purifiesallherhighestendowments,andholdsouttoheraspirationsthemostsublimeforthatfuturestateofexistence,wherepreciousrewardsarepromisedtoeveryfaithfuldischargeofduty,eventhemosthumble.But,whileconferringonherthesepricelessblessings,italsoenjoinsthesubmissionofthewifetothehusband,andallotsasubordinatepositiontothewholesexwhilehereonearth.NowomancallingherselfaChristian,acknowledgingherdutiesassuch,can,therefore,consistentlydenytheobligationofalimitedsubordinationlaiduponherbyherLordandHisChurch.

>Fromthesethreechiefconsiderations--thegreatinferiorityofphysicalstrength,averymuchlessandundefineddegreeofinferiorityinintellect,andthesalutaryteachingsoftheChristianfaith--itfollowsthat,toalimiteddegree,varyingwithcircumstances,andalwaystobemarkedoutbysoundreasonandgoodfeeling,thesubordinationofwoman,asasex,isinevitable.

Thissubordinationonceestablished,adifferenceofposition,andaconsequentdifferenceofduties,followasamatterofcourse.Theremust,ofnecessity,insuchastateofthings,becertaindutiesinalienablyconnectedwiththepositionofman,othersinalienablyconnectedwiththepositionofwoman.Fortheonetoassumethedutiesoftheotherbecomes,first,anactofdesertion,next,anactofusurpation.Forthemantodischargeworthilythedutiesofhisownpositionbecomeshishighestmerit.Forthewomantodischargeworthilythedutiesofherownpositionbecomesherhighestmerit.

Tobenoblethemanmustbemanly.Tobenoblethewomanmustbewomanly.Independentlyofthevirtuesrequiredequallyofbothsexes,suchastruth,uprightness,candor,fidelity,honor,welookinmanforsomewhatmoreofwisdom,ofvigor,ofcourage,fromnaturalendowment,combinedwithenlargedactionandexperience.Inwomanwelookmoreespeciallyforgreaterpurity,modesty,patience,grace,sweetness,tenderness,refinement,astheconsequencesofafinerorganization,inaprotectedandshelteredposition.Thatstateofsocietywillalwaysbethemostrational,thesoundest,thehappiest,whereeachsexconscientiouslydischargesitsownduties,withoutintrudingonthoseoftheother.

ItistruethattheworldhasoftenseenindividualwomencalledbythemanifestwillofProvidencetopositionsofthehighestauthority,tothethronesofrulersandsovereigns.Andmanyofthesewomenhavedischargedthosedutieswithgreatintellectualabilityandgreatsuccess.ItisratherthefashionnowamongliterarymentodepreciateQueenElizabethandhergovernment.Butitisclearthat,440

whatevermayhavebeenhererrors--andnodoubttheyweregrave--

shestillappearsintherollofhistoryasoneofthebestsovereignsnotonlyofherownhouse,butofallthedynastiesofEngland.

Certainlyshewasineverywayabetterandamoresuccessfulrulerthanherownfatherorherownbrother-in-law,andbetteralsothantheStuartswhofilledherthroneatalaterday.CatherineofRussia,thoughmostunworthyasawoman,hadaforceofintellectualabilityquitebeyonddispute,andwhichmadeitselffeltineverydepartmentofhergovernment.IsabellaI.ofSpaingaveproofoflegislativeandexecutiveabilityoftheveryhighestorder;shewasnotonlyoneofthepurestandnoblest,butalso,consideringtheagetowhichshebelonged,andtheobstaclesinherway,oneofthemostskillfulsovereignstheworldhaseverseen.Hernaturewasfullofclearintelligence,withthehighestmoralandphysicalcourage.Shewasineverywayabetterrulerthanherownhusband,towhomsheprovedneverthelessanadmirablewife,actingindependentlyonlywhereclearprinciplewasatstake.Thetwogreeterrorsofherreign,theintroductionoftheInquisitionandthebanishmentoftheJews,mustbechargedtotheconfessorratherthantotheQueen,andthesewereerrorsinwhichherhusbandwasascloselyinvolvedasherself.

Ontheotherhand,someofthebestreformsofherreignoriginatedinherownmind,andwerepracticallycarriedoutunderherownclosepersonalsupervision.Manyotherskillfulfemalerulersmightbenamed.AnditisnotonlyincivilizedlifeandinChristendomthatwomanhasshownherselfwiseingoverning;evenamongthewildestsavagetribestheyhaveappeared,occasionally,asleadersandrulers.Thisisasingularfact.Itmaybeprovedfromthehistoryofthiscontinent,andnotonlyfromtheearlyrecordsofMexicoandCubaandHayti,butalsofromthereportsoftheearliestnavigatorsonourown