Mary Upton Ferrin: Earliest Massachusetts Pioneer in Woman Suffrage by S. M. Smoller
My Hero | Early Days | Memorial of the Female Signers |  Address to the Judiciary Committee | Charitable Benevolent Association | A Women's Defence | Later Life & Obituary Sketches | There's a Good Time Coming Girls | Notes

Women's Rights

In November, 1869, the Peabody Press published an article entitled "Women's Rights".  It exhibits the same question and answer style of Upton Ferrin's pro-suffrage tract.  The article appears to be out takes for the tract.

"I never will sign a petition for women to vote until she wears my hat and coat, and pants and shirt."
This is indeed suggestive - and runs for dear life, as did one of the great renown from his peers; in full attire, saving the boots.  It is not for the privilege of voting merely that woman asks for the 'elective franchise', but that she may be enabled the more efficiently to aid in the advancement of civilization, and the abolishment of existing evils, (subjects vitally important to all people in whose welfare woman has a special interest) and that when required she may be enabled to give an acceptable account of her 'stewardship'.

"By eating of the forbidden fruit, woman brought sin into the world and death and damnation upon her."
Were this true then is woman justified in adopting every laudable method of counteracting the evil.  It is not true; therefore is she more than justified in dis-abusing the public mind regarding the false aspersion that still rests so heavily upon her, having stood falsely condemned before the whole world's tribunal during the eighteen hundred years and more, for the greatest crime of which the human mind was ever capable of conceiving.

No fruit was ever forbidden to woman.  So far from this she was expressly bidden, by her Creator, go eat of the fruit of every tree....Man tells woman that religion has made her what she is, that through this alone, she is rescued from barbarism.

Being such an elevator, he cannot complain if she takes this into her own hands, and by its aid, lifts herself and her race out of the ever lasting horrible pit to which he had so inhumanely assigned her.  His position is untenable.  His exclusive dominion, false accusation, premature judgment and condemnation have gone hand-in-hand, treading unmercifully, rough-shod, iron-heeled, over woman's lacerated, bleeding heart.

This wonder is not that she is so much his inferior that she cannot fight, but that, with such an incubus she is enabled to proclaim her innocence, assert her rights and assume the responsibility pertaining thereto.

It is hoped that the day is not far distant when fighting will be numbered with the past.  Certain it is when woman votes, a peace element more potent than man has yet called to his aid, will be ready, and brought to bear for his security and salvation.

With the ballot in hand, which is power, the Bible at heart, which is religion, woman, with her race, must advance; she knows and accepts no retrograde movement.

"I never will sign a petition for woman to have any of man's rights."
Nor will she seek it of you; such as in no case transferable.

All that woman asks is that you take your heavy hand from off her weary shoulders, so that she may be enabled to exercise her own natural, just, inalienable and incontrovertible rights, which are the same as man's, with the same freedom that he exercises his; then, indeed, will she honor him as a true brother; and be enabled to walk with him hand in hand and heart in heart, through all the vicissitudes of life's experiences."