hat they will, as a
general rule, be governed by others in its exercise. But we do
not admit that this is true of women. We see no reason to believe
that women will not be as likely to retain their independence of
political judgment, as they now retain their independence of
opinion in regard to the questions which divide religious sects
from one another. These questions deeply excite the feelings of
mankind, yet experience shows that the influence of the wife is
at least as great as that of the husband in determining the
religious opinion of the household. The natural influence exerted
by members of the same family upon each other would doubtless
operate to bring about similarity of opinion on political
questions as on others. So far as this tends to increase the
influence of the family in the State, as compared with that of
unmarried men, we deem it an advantage. Upon all questions which
touch public morals, public education, all which concern the
interest of the household, such a united exertion of political
influence cannot be otherwise than beneficial.

Our conclusion, then, is that the American people must extend the
right of suffrage to woman or abandon the idea that suffrage is a
birthright. The claim that universal suffrage will work mischief
in practice is simply a claim that justice will work mischief in
practice. Many honest and excellent persons, while admitting the
force of the arguments above stated, fear that taking part in
politics will destroy those feminine traits which are the charm
of woman, and are the chief comfort and delight of the household.
If we thought so we should agree with the majority of the
committee in withholding assent to the prayer of the petitioners.
This fear is the result of treating the abuses of the political
function as essential to its exercise. The study of political
questions, the forming an estimate of the character of public men
or public measures, the casting a vote, which is the result of
that study and estimate, certainly have in themselves nothing to
degrade the most delicate and refined nature. The violence, the
fraud, the crime, the chicanery, which, so far as they have
attended masculine struggles for political power, tend to prove,
if they prove anything, the unfitness of men for the suff