塞尼’福爾斯’傷’言’’議
(Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions)
’類’歷’’’部’’對婦’不’傷’’掠奪’歷’’
’’’’中葉’婦’’擁有少數’’’’’’’’’’儘管婦’’國’機關’商’’’’’’場’學’中’’’’數’不’’’’婦’對’’’’’不滿’’國灌輸民’’識’産’’婦’’夠識’’’’’們’讀’’’立’言’’聽’’’奴’’’’’’改革’們’用’關’’’’’’’平等’’由等’眼’’’個’重個’’’’國’裏’不’避’’’有’婦’’’’’’’爲什麽婦’’’’’’’’’’’不平等’’’’
伊’莎白’凱蒂’斯’’(1815’1902)’’’’’婦’’劃’1848’7月19日’20日’’’次’議’“’論’’’公民’’教’’’婦’’’’問’”’’斯’’’領導’’’組’’’’個模仿’’立’言’’’’傷’言’’’’’百’婦’’’’’’’’’’塞尼’福爾斯’’論’’改’接’’’們’’’言’’比’普’蔑視婦’’’’尤’’蔑視婦’投票’’輿論’’’們’’’’’’
1869’’’’’成’’國第’個允’婦’投票’’’首批允’婦’投票’國’’’’蘭(1893’)’’蘭(1906’)’’’(19l 3’)’1920’’’國婦’贏’’投票’’當’批准’對憲’’第19次’正’’
’有關’類’務’’’’’中’當’類’’’’個部’必須’’們之間’照’’’’’’’’’旨’接’’婦’迄今不’’’’’’’’對’類輿論’’重’必須把婦’不’不’樣做’原’予’’’’
我們’爲’面’’’’’不言而喻’’’’’’’生而平等’’’’賦予’們’’不’剝奪’’’’’中’’生’’’’由’’’’’福’’’’爲’’障’’’’’’立’’’而’’’正當’’’’’’’’’’’’而産生’’’’當任’’式’’’對’’目標’有’’’用’’’’’’’民’有’’絕’’它’’’’立’個’’’’’’賴’奠基’原’’’組織’’’方式’務’’民’爲唯有’樣’最’’獲’’們’’’’’福’爲’’重’見’成立’’’’’’’不應當由’輕’’’暫’原’而予’變’’’’’’’切’驗’都說’’任’’難’’’’’’忍’’’類都寧’’忍’而’’爲’本身’’’’’除’們’’習’’’’’’’’’當’’’’目標’’’’濫用職’’’’豪奪’生’證’’’’圖把婦’’’’’統’之’’’那麽’們’有’務推翻’個’’’’爲’們未’’’’’立’’’障’’’’婦’’’’’順’’情’’’’’們’’不’不’’’’’們有’’’’’’’原’’
’類’歷’’’部’’對婦’不’傷’’掠奪’歷’’’’接目’’’婦’之’’立絕對’’暴’’爲’證’’言屬實’’’’’’實公諸’公正’’’’
’’’未允’婦’’’’不’剝奪’選’’’
’’’迫婦’’’那’’’’參’’’’’’’
’’’絕給予婦’’最’’’最’’’’’不論’本國’還’’’’’’都’有’’’’
’剝奪’婦’’爲公民’首’’’’’選’’’’而’’’立’機’中’有任’’’之’’’’’’個方面壓迫婦’’
’旦結’’’’’’’’’’’’’婦’喪失’公民’’’’
’’’奪’婦’’’部’産’’’’’’支’’掙’’’資’’’’
’’’婦’成爲不’’’’任’’’’爲婦’’’犯’’’’而不’’’’’’’’’’當著’’夫’面犯’’’’’立’’’’婦’’迫’’聽’
’’夫’而’夫’’實質’’’成爲’’’’’’’’授’’’’允’’褫奪’’’由’’對’’’’’’’
’’’’離’’’’’准’離’’’種正當’由’’’’旦雙方分離’’’’監’’必須’屬’誰’’’完’’視’婦’’’福’’’任’情’’’它都’’立’’’’’’錯’假’之’’’’有’’’’’’’之手中’
儘管婦’’’’’剝奪’部’’’’’’單身’擁有’産’婦’’’’’課’’支援’’’’而’’’僅僅’婦’’’産對’有’’圖’’候’’’婦’’
’’’’’’’’部有’’圖’職’’’允’婦’’’’職’中’婦’’’’’報’都’’不足’’’
’’’閉’’有’讓婦’’’’’’’望’’’’’’爲’’’’望’’’最體面’’耀’婦’’未’成爲醫學’’學’’學’教’’
’’’絕’婦’提’’面教’’’’’’’有’學’’’都對婦’關閉著’
’’允’婦’’教’’及’’機’任職’’’’’’’屬’’’’’’稱’’據’’教’’婦’不’任’’’除’個’’’’’婦’還不’’公’場’參’’教’務’
’’’’’錯’’公’輿論’’爲’’給予’’’’’’’中’’’未’’視’仁’’據’’’’’婦’排斥’’’之’’錯’不僅僅’’’’’’而’’’爲’’足輕重’’
’’攫’’’’華’’’’’稱’有’爲婦’’劃’’動’’圍’儘管’種’’僅僅屬’’’’’’’’’’’竭盡’’試圖’殘婦’對’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’迫’’心甘情’’’聽’’’’’’生’’
’’’’國’’’’’’民衆完’’有選’’’’們’’’’’教’’’不公正’’’’面對’’’’不公正’’’’’’婦’’實’’’’們’’’’曲’’們’’’壓迫’’們最’’’’’’’用欺’’手’剝奪’’我們堅’’’立’給予婦’’有屬’’國公民’’’’’’’
’著手我們眼’’偉’’’’’我們’’’’’’’’’解’’傳’’諷’不’’我們仍’竭盡’’實’我們’目標’我們’’請’’’’散’傳單’’’’’立’機’請’’’’’’教’’報’’支援’我們’望’次’’之’’’’國’’’’’’’’’’’’
我們堅’’勝’終’屬’正’’’’’今天’我們’’’言’簽’’我們’’’’
’議’
鑒’“’類必須’’’正’’實質’’福”公’’’’’偉’’’’布萊’斯’’評論中’’’’條’’’’’’’類’生’’’’’’’’’欽’’’’’它當’比任’’’’’都’有’高’’’’’’’’’’’’有國’’’任’’候’’條’’都’有’’’’任’’類’’’倘’’’’’’矛’’’喪失’’’’而’有’’’’’’’’部’’’’’’’’’都’間接’’’接’’’’’源産生’’’’’’議’爲’’’’婦’’正’實質’’福衝’’’’’不論’’式’’’都’’’’’偉’’’’矛’’’都’’’’’’爲“’’’偉’’’比任’’’’’都’有’高’’’’”’
’議’爲’’切’撓婦’謀’’’而需’’’’’’’’’’’切’’’’’’’’’’都’’’’’偉’’’’’’’’’而’’不’備任’’’’’’’’
’議’爲’’’平等’’’’’’旨’’’類善之最高境’’’’’平等’
’議’爲’應當’導我國’婦’’’’們對’’’們生’’’’有’’’’解’’樣’們’不’’對婦’當’’’’’示滿’’’而’’’’’’’’’’們’不’’’稱’’擁有’’’’’’切’’’’而’’’’’’’’’
’議’爲’’’’’’稱’’智’’’有’’’’’’’’婦’’’’方面’有’’’’那麽’’’’個’’’’任’’鼓’婦’’’欲言’教’講學’正’婦’’’有’教團體中有機’做’’那樣’
’議’爲’’’’’’’’’’’止談’溫文爾雅等方面’對’’’應當提’對婦’’樣’’’’’’’犯’樣’質’’’應當’’’樣’’’’裁’
婦’’公’場’’’’說’’’’’’’’有失’雅端莊之類’攻擊’而’’’’’親’’’’方式慫’婦’’’’’’’’音樂’’’馬戲’’場’技’’議’爲’’種攻擊’’’不’體’’
婦’’’’種限’’’太’’’’’限’’由’敗’習’’對’’’’’曲解爲婦’’’’’’議’爲’’’’婦’’’偉’’’’’賦予’’’’闊’天’’’候’’
’議’爲’’’婦’’’’選’’’我國婦’’職’’
’議’爲’’’’平等’’’’’’’任’’’’’實’必’結’’
’’’’議’爲’由’’’’賦予’’’’’’’’’用’’’’’’’’’任’’’’’’顯’都有’’’’’’’任’’用’切正’’手’’’’切正’’’’’尤’’’’’’教’’重’’問’’’不言而喻’婦’有’’’’’’’’’’’’’公’’場’’’’文章’’講’’用任’’’’手’’’任’’’’集’’’’’’’’’講’’’不言’’’’’’它’’紮’’’類本’’’’原’中産生’’任’’之’’’’習’’’’’不論’’’’還’’’’’’白’’老’’’都’’視’不言而喻’謬’’’’’’類’’’’
’議’爲’我們’’’早日成’’’’’’’’婦’’熱忱’執著’’’’推翻教’’’裁’’’’’’’’’’交’動中婦’’有’’’’樣’參’’’ ’
Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and
Resolutions
When, in the
course of human events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of
man to assume among the people of the earth a position different from that which
they have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's
God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes that impel them to such a course.
We hold
these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among
these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these
rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent
of the governed.--Whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it,
and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on
such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate
that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient
causes; and accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind are more
disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of
abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off such
government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been
the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the
necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are
entitled.
The
history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part
of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute
tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has
never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.
He has
compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.
He has
withheld from her rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded
men--both natives and foreigners.
Having
deprived her of this first right of a citizen, the elective franchise, thereby
leaving her without representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed
her on all sides.
He has
made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civilly dead.
He has
taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns.
He has
made her, morally, an irresponsible being, as she can commit many crimes with
impunity, provided they be done in the presence of her husband. In the covenant
of marriage, she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming,
to all intents and purposes, her master--the law giving him power to deprive her
of her liberty, and to administer chastisement.
He has so
framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce; in
case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given; as
to be wholly regardless of the happiness of women--the law, in all cases, going
upon the false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into
his hands.
After
depriving her of all rights as a married woman, if single and the owner of
property, he has taxed her to support a government which recognizes her only
when her property can be made profitable to it.
He has
monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is
permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration.
He closes
against her all avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers most
honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not
known.
He has
denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education--all colleges being
closed against her.
He allows
her in Church as well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic
authority for her exclusion from the ministry, and, --with some exceptions, from
any public participation in the affairs of the Church.
He has
created a false public sentiment, by giving to the world a different code of
morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies which exclude women from
society, are not only tolerated but deemed of little account in man.
He has
usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign
for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and her God.
He has
endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own
powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependant
and abject life.
Now, in
view of this entire disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country,
their social and religious degradation,--in view of the unjust laws above
mentioned, and because women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and
fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights, we insist that they have
immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as
citizens of these United States.
In
entering upon the great work before us, we anticipate no small amount of
misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every
instrumentality within our power to effect our object. We shall employ agents,
circulate tracts, petition the State and national Legislatures, and endeavor to
enlist the pulpit and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be
followed by a series of Conventions, embracing every part of the country.
Firmly
relying upon the final triumph of the Right and the True, we do this day affix
our signatures to this declaration. Resolutions
Whereas,
the great precept of nature is conceded to be, "that man shall pursue his own
true and substantial happiness." Blackstone, in his Commentaries, remarks, that
this law of Nature being coeval with mankind, and dictated by God himself, is of
course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in
all countries, and at all times; no human laws are of any validity if contrary
to this, and such of them as are valid, derive all their force, and all their
validity, and all their authority, mediately and immediately, from this origin;
Therefore,
Resolved,
That such laws as conflict, in any way, with the true and substantial happiness
of woman, are contrary to the great precept of nature, and of no validity; for
this is "superior in obligation to any other."
Resolved,
That all laws which prevent women from occupying such a station in society as
her conscience shall dictate, or which place her in a position inferior to that
of man, are contrary to the great precept of nature, and therefore of no force
or authority.
Resolved,
That woman is man's equal--was intended to be so by the Creator, and the highest
good of the race demands that she should be recognized as such.
Resolved,
That the women of this country ought to be enlightened in regard to the laws
under -which they live, that they may no longer publish their degradation, by
declaring themselves satisfied with their present position, nor their ignorance,
by asserting that they have all the rights they want.
Resolved,
That inasmuch as man, while claiming for himself intellectual superiority, does
accord to woman moral superiority, it is pre-eminently his duty to encourage her
to speak, and teach, as she has an opportunity, in all religious assemblies.
Resolved,
That the same amount of virtue, delicacy, and refinement of behavior, that is
required of woman in the social state, should also be required of man, and the
same transgressions should be visited with equal severity on both man and woman.
Resolved,
That the objection of indelicacy and impropriety, which is so often brought
against woman when she addresses a public audience, comes with a very ill grace
from those who encourage, by their attendance, her appearance on the stage, in
the concert, or in the feats of the circus.
Resolved,
That woman has too long rested satisfied in the circumscribed limits which
corrupt customs and a perverted application of the Scriptures have marked out
for her, and that it is time she should move in the enlarged sphere which her
great Creator has assigned her.
Resolved,
That it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their
sacred right to the elective franchise.
Resolved,
That the equality of human rights results necessarily from the fact of the
identity of the race in capabilities and responsibilities.
Resolved,
therefore, That, being invested by the Creator with the same capabilities, and
the same consciousness of responsibility for their exercise, it is demonstrably
the right and duty of woman, equally with man, to promote every righteous cause,
by every righteous means; and especially in regard to the great subjects of
morals and religion, it is self-evidently her right to participate with her
brother in teaching them, both in private and in public, by writing and by
speaking, by any instrumentalities proper to be used, and in any assemblies
proper to be held; and this being a self-evident truth, growing out of the
divinely implanted principles of human nature, any custom or authority adverse
to it, whether modern or wearing the hoary sanction of antiquity, is to be
regarded as self-evident falsehood, and at war with the interests of mankind.
Resolved,
That the speedy success of our cause depends upon the zealous and untiring
efforts of both men and women, for the overthrow of the monopoly of the pulpit,
and for the securing to woman an equal participation with men in the various
trades, professions and commerce.
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