their sisters for
discontent with the laws as they are, have their prototype in
those men of America who, in our revolutionary struggle with
England, vehemently denounced and stigmatized as fanatics and
rebels the leaders and malcontents of that day. But neither their
patriotism nor wisdom have ever been much admired by the American
people, perhaps not even by the English.

The objection urged against female suffrage with the greatest
confidence and by the greatest number, is that such a right is
incompatible with the refinement and delicacy of the sex. That it
would make them harsh and disputative, like male voters. This
objection loses most, if not all of its force, when it is
compared with the well-established usages of society as relates
to woman. She already fills places and discharges duties with the
approbation of most men, which are, to say the least, quite as
dangerous to her refinement and retiring modesty, as the act of
voting or even holding office would be. In our political
campaigns all parties are anxious to secure the co-operation of
women. They are urged to attend our political meetings, and even
in our mass meetings, when whole acres of men are assembled, they
are importunately urged to take a conspicuous part, sometimes as
the representatives of the several States, and sometimes as the
donors of banners and flags, accompanied with patriotic speeches
by the fair donors. And in great moral questions, such as
temperance, for example, in the right disposition of which woman
is more interested than man, she often discharges a large
amount of the labor of the campaign; but yet, when it comes
to the crowning act of voting, she must stand aside--delicacy
forbids--that is too masculine, too public, too exposing, though
it could be done, in most cases, with as little difficulty and
exposure as a letter can be taken out or put in the post-office.

Then there is that large class of concert singers and readers of
the drama, who are eulogized and petted by those who are most
shocked at the idea of women submitting themselves to the
exposure of voting. In fact, the whole question of publicity is
settled to the fullest extent; at least every man must be silent
who acquiesces in the concert, the drama, or the opera. We need
not dwell on the exposures of the stage or the indelicacies of
the ballet, but if Jenny Lind was "an angel of purity and
benevolence" for consenting to stand, chanting and enchanting,
before