ganic, and progressive.
Recognize the fact. But if "governments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed"--if "taxation without representation is
tyranny"--and "on these two commandments hang all the (Republican) law
and the prophets"--then these propositions are as applicable to women
as to negroes. "Consistency is a jewel." The principle is so broad
that, if you accept it in its entirety, you can afford to lead--not
follow.

The population of the late slave States is about 12,000,000; 8,000,000
white, 4,000,000 black. The radicals demand suffrage for the black men
on the ground named above. Very good. Say to them, as Mr. Cowan said
to the advocates of negro male suffrage in the District, "Apply your
principle! Give suffrage to all men and women of mature age and sound
mind, and we will accept it as the basis of State and National
reconstruction."

Consider the result from the Southern standpoint. Your 4,000,000 of
Southern white women will counterbalance your 4,000,000 of negro men
and women, and thus the political supremacy of your white race will
remain unchanged.

Think well of this. It is a calculation of the relative political
influences of white women and of negroes which perhaps your people
have not yet considered. Let us make the statement in figures.
Estimating one male voter to every five persons, your present vote is:

White males 1,600,000
Add white females 1,600,000
---------
Total white voters 3,200,000

Negro males 800,000
Negro females 800,000
---------
Total negro voters 1,600,000

Suppose all the negroes vote one way and all the whites the other,
your white majority would be 1,600,000--equal to your present total
vote. Thus you would control your own State legislation. Meanwhile,
your influence in the councils of the nation will be greater than ever
before, because your emancipated slaves will be counted in the basis
of representation, instead of as formerly, in the ratio of five for
three. In the light of the history of your Confederacy, can any
Southerner fear to trust the women of the South with the ballot?

But the propriety of your making the proposal lies deeper than any
consideration of sectional expediency. If you must try the Republican
experiment, try it fully and fairly. Since you are compelled to union
with the North, remove every seed