New-York daily tribune., 1850-05-01
LYDIA JANE PERSON.
Letter from Mrs. E c. Stanton.

SENECA FAILS, y. Sunday. April :.
DEAR MARY ANNE How reioiced am to hear
that the women OF Ohio have called Convention
preparatory TO the remodeng oftheir State Con
stitution The remOdeling of a Constitution, in the
nineteenth century, speaks OF Progress, of greater
Freedom. and OF more enlarged views Of Human
Rights and Duties. Ii is fitting that, at such
time. woman. who has so long been the victim OF
ignorance and injustice, should 1T length throw OF
the tralumels Of false education, stand upright
aud with dignity and earnestness manifest deep
and serious interest in the laws which are to govern
her and her country Ii needs no argument TO
teach woman that she is interested in the laws
which govern her Suffering has taught her that
already. 1t is important now that q change is pro
posed, that she spe ak, and loudly too. Having de
cided TO petition for a redress OF grievances, the
question is. for Ht0f shall you brsf Dtiiti0Hf For
the exercise OF your night to the Elective Fran
chise ;--nolhing short OF this.
The grant to YOU Of tins right will secure ali
Others and the granting OF every other night bile
this is denied is a mockery. For instance What
IS the right to property without the sht 10 protect
it The enjoyment OF that right today is no Sc
curity that Il will be continued 10 morrow, so long
as it is granted TO us as favor and not claimed by
us as a right Woman must exercise her right TO
the Elective Franchise, and have her own Repre-
sentatives in our National Councils, for two great
reasons
!. Men cannot represent us They are 50 tho
roughly educated into the belief that womans ma
ture is altogether different from their own that
they have 10 idea that she can be governed by the
same laws OF mind as themselves So far from
viewing US like themselves, they seem, from their
legislation to consider their moral aud intellec-
tual antipOdes for whatever law they find good
for themselves they forthwith pass its opposite for
US, and express the most profound astOnishment ii
we manifest the least dissatisfaction. For exam
pie Our foreathers, fHN ot righteous Indignation,
pitched King George, his authority and bis tea
oh. oil inf. h..
were forced pay taxes without being represented
in the British Government. Taxation without
Repres seutatiOn was the text for many hot de
bate IN tie forests OF the New World. and for
many an eloquent Grafton in the Parliament of the
Old Yet, in framing a new Government they
have taken from us the very rights which TREY
fought, and bled, and died to secure themselves
They have not only taxed Us, but in many cases
they strip US OF all We inherit, the wages we earn,
the children Of our love and for such grievances
We have no redress in any Court OF Justice this
side OF Heaven. They tax our property TO build
colleges, then pass special law torbidding any
woman to enter them. married woman has no
legal existence she has more absolute rights
than slave on q Southern plantation. She takes
the name OF her master holds nothing owns nothing,
can bring no action in her own name and the
principle on which she and the slave are educated
is the same. The slave is taught what Is consd-
cred best for him TO know wi hich is nothing the
"onaH ~ taught WhAl - pest Tor ner 10 Know
which Is little more than nothing man being the
umpire III both cases woman cannot follow out
the impulses OF her own immortal mind in her
sphere any farther than the slave can In his sphere
| CTilly socially and relieiousy. she is what man
| chooses her 20 be-nothing more or less-aud such
IS the slave. 1t Is impossible for Us TO convince
man that We think and feel exactly as he does that
We have the same sense of right and Justice. the
same love OF freedom and independence Some
men regard US as devils and some as angels hence
one class would shut US up in q certain suhe-e for
fear OF the evil WE might do and the other for fear
| OF the evil that 9glgM BE- done 10 u.s. Thus sxcept
FOR the sentiment vi the thing. for all the good il
/ does US we might as well be thought the ons a.
the other. But We ourselves have IN do vx,b ,,bat
tce an. and what tre shall BE-
? Man cannot legislate for Us Onr s,.tu,a
/ books and all past experience teach IA tins fact
dis laws, where We are concerned have besn
without an exception, unjust crlel and Aggressive
Having denied our identity with himself he has
no data 10 go upon in Judging OF our wants and IN
terests. II We are alike IN cur mental structpre
then there is no reason why We should NOT bava q
voice in making the laws which govern Us but 4
We are Dot alike, then most certainly we nus,r.,ka
laws for ourselves for who else can understand
what we need and desire Il il be admitt,d In
this Government that all men and women are free
and equal, then must We claim place in our Sen.
ate Chambers and Houses OF Representatives But
Il, alter al, It be found that even here We have
classes and caste-Dot Lords and Coumons bnt
Lorcs and Women-then must We claim lower
House, where our Representatives caA watch the
passage OF al bills affecting cur own welfare or the