Page:The rights of women and the sexual relations.djvu/200

184 In practice, this point will receive due attention of its own accord; in theory we have only to establish the principle, pure and simple, and I am sorry to say, we are still occupied with the mere theory. The question then is simply this: are we women human beings, as well as the men, and have we, accordingly, the same human rights, or no? Do we exist for our own sake, or do we exist only as the slaves of men? Are we therefore entitled to participate in the making of the laws, which we are to obey in human society, or must we allow men to dictate these laws to us? Have we a right to assert our wishes and interests in the social institutions, or must we, without choice, be content with the institutions which men alone have created? Is our intelligence, our opposition, our voice, to direct our fate, or are we, in blind submission, to recognize and acknowledge men as our providence and our gods?

Only after these questions, whose consequences will then present themselves as a matter of course, have been answered, a consideration of the practical difficulties, which never yet have killed a correct principle, will be in order.

You are in favor of the emancipation of the negro slaves, and will not deny them a hair's breadth of the rights which you claim for yourself. But is there any question which presents greater practical difficulties than this? You can change a monarchy into a republic over night, but it will take a whole lifetime to change negro slaves into beings who will