Blurb

Passage 1 is adapted from a speech delivered in 1848 by Elizabeth Cady Stanton at the Seneca Falls Convention. Passage 2 is adapted froma speech delivered in 1893 by Frances E W. Harper, "Woman's Political Future." In Passage 1, Stanton speaks on behalf of women's rights activists. Harper was an author and civil rights activist. At the times Stanton and Harper spoke, women had not yet secured the right to vote In the United States.?

Passage 1

We have no objection to discuss the question of equality [of men and women], for we feel that the weight of argument lies wholly with us, but we wish the question of equality kept distinct from the question of rights, for the proof of the one does not determine the truth of the other. All white men in this country have the same rights however they may differ in mind, body or estate. The right is ours. The question now is, how shall we get possession of what rightfully belongs to us. We should not feel so sorely grieved if no man who had not attained the full stature of a Webster, Clay, Van Buren,?or Gerrit Smith?could claim the right of the elective franchise [right to vote]. But to have the rights of...idiots.. and silly boys fully recognized, while we ourselves are thrust out from all the rights that belong to citizens, it is too grossly insulting to the dignity of woman to belonger quietly submitted to. The right is ours. Have it, we must. Use it, we will. The pens, the tongues, the fortunes, the indomitable will of many women are already pledged to secure this right. The great truth, that no just government can be formed without the consent of the governed, we shall echo and re-echo in the ears of the unjust judge, until by continual coming we shall weary him.?

我們不反對(duì)討論兩性平等的問題，我們覺得這個(gè)重?fù)?dān)完全在我們身上，但我們希望把平等和選舉權(quán)這兩個(gè)問題區(qū)分開來(lái)，因?yàn)槠渲幸粋€(gè)的證據(jù)不能證明另一個(gè)。（理解：我們希望有些人在財(cái)富或者知識(shí)上不平等，但并不決定他們?cè)谶x舉權(quán)上有不同。）這個(gè)國(guó)家的所有白人都有同樣的權(quán)利，盡管他們的思想、身體或財(cái)產(chǎn)可能有所不同。這權(quán)利也是我們的。現(xiàn)在的問題是，我們?nèi)绾尾拍艿玫奖緦儆谖覀兊臇|西。就算沒人能達(dá)到韋伯斯特、克萊、范布倫或格里特·史密斯那樣的地位可以去要求選舉權(quán)，我們也不必如此悲痛。但是看到那些蠢人們都有完整的權(quán)利，而我們自己被剝奪了屬于公民的所有權(quán)利時(shí)，這對(duì)女性的尊嚴(yán)是個(gè)極大的侮辱，休想讓我們安靜的順從。權(quán)利是我們的。我們必須擁有它，使用它。我們誓將投入文章、言辭、財(cái)產(chǎn)和不屈的意志來(lái)爭(zhēng)取選舉權(quán)。任何不經(jīng)被統(tǒng)治者同意的統(tǒng)治都是不義的，這是一個(gè)大真理。我們將在不義的法官耳旁不厭其煩的重復(fù)、再重復(fù)這個(gè)真理。

But, say some, would you have woman vote??What, refined, delicate woman at the polls, mingling in such scenes of violence and vulgarity? Most certainly. Where there is so much to be feared for the pure, the innocent, the noble, the mother surely should be there to watch and guard her sons, who must encounter such stormy dangerous scenes at the tender age of twenty-one. Much is said of woman's influence, might not her presence do much towards softening down this violence,?refining this vulgarity??Depend upon it, the places that by their impure atmosphere,?are unfit for women, cannot but be dangerous to her sires and sons.

但是，有人說(shuō)，你會(huì)讓女性投票嗎? 讓優(yōu)雅、精致的女人在投票站，混雜在這種暴力和粗俗的場(chǎng)景中? 當(dāng)然！在那些純潔、天真、高尚的人有如此多的恐懼的地方，母親肯定會(huì)在那里注視和保護(hù)她的兒子，他們必然會(huì)在21歲的幼小年齡遇到這樣暴風(fēng)雨般的危險(xiǎn)場(chǎng)面。女性的影響已經(jīng)眾所周知，難道她的存在不能緩和這種暴力，改善這種粗俗嗎??可以肯定的是，那些不適合女人居住的骯臟的地方，對(duì)她的父輩和子代來(lái)說(shuō)，也必定是危險(xiǎn)的。

Passage 2

Today women hold in their hands influence and opportunity, and with these they have already opened doors which have been closed to others. By opening doors of labor woman has become a rival claimant for at least some of the wealth monopolized by her stronger brother. In the home she is the priestess, in society the queen,?in literature she is a power, in legislative hall law-makers have responded to her appeals, and for her sake have humanized and liberalized their laws. The press has felt the impress of her hand.?In the pews of the church she constitutes the majority; the pulpit has welcomed her, and in the school she has the blessed privilege of teaching children and youth. To her is apparently coming the added responsibility of political power; and what she now possesses should only be the means of preparing her to use the coming power for the glory of God and the good of mankind; for power without?righteousness is one of the most dangerous forces in the world.

今天，女性手中掌握著影響和機(jī)會(huì)，她們已經(jīng)打開了曾經(jīng)對(duì)別人關(guān)閉的大門。?通過打開勞動(dòng)的大門，女性可以和她強(qiáng)大的兄弟爭(zhēng)奪至少一部分之前由他們壟斷的財(cái)富。在家庭中她是女神，在社會(huì)中她是女王，在文學(xué)中她代表一種勢(shì)力，在立法大廳里，立法者回應(yīng)了她的呼吁，并為了她將法律人性化和自由化。 媒體也發(fā)表了一些女性寫的文章。?在教堂的長(zhǎng)凳上，她占了大多數(shù);?講壇歡迎她，她在學(xué)校里有幸教兒童和青少年。（也就是女牧師走上講壇，中小學(xué)也有女性教師了。）顯然，女性也將擁有政治權(quán)力的責(zé)任; 女性應(yīng)該將其目前在各行各業(yè)擁有的影響力，使她能夠利用即將到來(lái)的力量，為上帝的榮耀和人類的福祉服務(wù)（即用于為自己享有投票權(quán)來(lái)做準(zhǔn)備和鋪墊）;?因?yàn)闆]有正義的權(quán)力是世界上最危險(xiǎn)的力量之一。 （言下之意就是，女性要是用非正義的方式使用投票權(quán)將會(huì)非常危險(xiǎn)。）

Political life in our country has plowed in muddy channels, and needs the infusion of clearer and cleaner waters. I am not sure that women are naturally so much better than men that they will clear the stream by the virtue of their womanhood;?it is not through sex but through character that the best influence of women upon the life of the nation must be exerted.

我國(guó)的政治生活是在泥濘的渠道上耕耘的，需要注入清澈的水源。我不確定女性天生就比男性好得多，以至于她們會(huì)憑借女性的美德來(lái)清流；女性對(duì)國(guó)家生活的最好影響一定是通過性格而不是通過性別來(lái)施加的。?

I do not believe in unrestricted and universal suffrage for either men or women....I do not believe that the most ignorant and brutal man is better prepared to add value to the strength and durability of the government than the most cultured, upright,?and intelligent woman. I do not think that willful ignorance should swamp earnest intelligence at the ballot-box, nor that educated wickedness, violence, and fraud should cancel the votes of honest men.... The ballot in the hands of woman means power added to influence. How well she will use that powerl can not foretell. Great evils stare us in the face that need to be throttled by the combined power of an upright manhood and an enlightened womanhood; and I know that no nation can gain its full measure of enlightenment and happiness if one-half of it is free and the other half is fettered.

我不相信無(wú)限制的投票權(quán)，無(wú)論是男性還是女性....?我不相信最無(wú)知和最野蠻的男人會(huì)比最有文化、最正直和最聰明的女人更能增加政府的力量和長(zhǎng)久。我不認(rèn)為故意的無(wú)知會(huì)淹沒投票箱中真誠(chéng)的智慧，也不認(rèn)為有教養(yǎng)的邪惡、暴力和欺詐會(huì)抵消誠(chéng)實(shí)人的選票....?女性手中的選票意味著女性的（社會(huì)）影響力之外增加了（政治）權(quán)力。我們無(wú)法預(yù)測(cè)她會(huì)如何運(yùn)用那力量。我們面臨著強(qiáng)大的邪惡勢(shì)力，需要正直的男性和開明的女性聯(lián)合起來(lái)加以遏制；我知道，如果一個(gè)國(guó)家的一半人是自由的，另一半人是受束縛的，那么，沒有一個(gè)國(guó)家能夠獲得充分的開化和幸福。