Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-06-28
ELIZA NJ. YOUNG.
From Mrs. Uilsou.
CADIz, Ohio, NAV

CADrz, Ohio, May lst, 1851.
Much ESTEEMED FmENDs AND FRILow LA
BoRERs 1t would give me great pleasure to
comply with the invitation, had the honor of
receiving from an esteemed member of your
Committee, Mercy l.. Holmes, to be personally
present at your Convention. l regret to say,
circumstances prevent my personal attendance.
This need be no matter of regret to any, except
myself. as l have a constitutional timidity,
strengthened by habits of personal retirement,
which units me for public business. l cheer
fully respond to the request accompanying the
invitation of addressing you by letter, if incon-
venient to attend.
will here notice some remarks Of Mr.. An
drcws Of Cuyahoga, upon the Report of the
Committee, on the elective franchise made in the
Constitutional Convention. lie was in favor of
colored men exercising the right of suffrage, but
opposed TO 'romen enjoying that right. When
speaking with reference TO colored men, he de-
MED that the right of suffrage was one of mere
cxpcdiency, it was q matter of right that man
who is the subject of government and shares its
pNA"fNhSt nus a AiBhe w lthNltAlldNc All iNS hO-
ministration. That taxation and representation
so together Now, are not women the subjects
of government and is not the property of many
unmarried women taxed for its support; From
his logic, the elective franchise belongs to .coman
as a right. lie says, lie docs not understand
the right of suffrage, to be natural, or an in
aliOnablc right, nor resting on any general de-
elaration of the natural equality of men; and
that majority of the people have right to res
trict it, when circumstances demand. He says,
1t is on this principle alone, that the elective
franchise is withheld from females" "a ma
jority of the people" but women are not pco-
pie !! We hold the right of suffrage to be
nat,Tal and ilaiienabie right, and so thought our
Revolutionary fathers. They say, ave hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed their
Creator with certain inalienable rights, that a.
mong these arc life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness, that to secure these rights, govern
ments arc instituted among men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed"
What rights arc governments instituted to Sc
NhlSF AhSSS hlu btttttHuoto tylttSt NV
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And
what gives government its just poworsi "The
consent of the governed" voice in its admin
istration. 1t is God that gives our rights
Government is the c6spring Of rights. NOT the pa
rent. Sex has nothing to do with rights. IIu-
man rights originate, in the mental and moral
constitution Of man.
According to the principles Of the United
States Constitution, women are entitled to vote,
nor is there any thing in the letter to exclude
them. That women have never bccn permitted
TO vote, only goes to show mems inconsstcn-
cies. That we are to have a voice in all human
laws which govern our actionsi is plain, from our
individual accountability. We must see to it,
that mans law docs not contravcne the "highcr
law"
Mr.. Andrews says, We exclude females
from representation in the State, upon consider
atoms ofpublic policy, that look to their posi-
tion-their happincss-thc effect of marriage on
their legal rights-and, more than all, TO tho
peace and harmony Of the Domestic Relation"
Considerations Of public policy, that look to
their position - Here We arc left in the dark.
We suppose he means, It is the policy of the
strong arm of power to reduce women to Stare
~ IN kind, and to constitute them scrvile, de-
pendent vassals, to secure the authority in the
hands of the male sex. "Iheir happiness" -
Certainly, this is very compassionate, but We
would prefer to judge of our own pursuit OF
happiness. "The effect of marriage on their
legal rights" 1t is certainly little funny, we
had almost said, silly, to hear men when they
speak of womens rights, always fleeing to the
marriage relation, just as If every woman was
wife Thousands of women have no husbands,
and some are very extensive property holders
Or in case they arc married, will the husband
take the wifc's place in a State prisoni or on
the gallowsi "And more than all, the peace
and harmony of the domestic relation" Here
again every woman is considered wife More
bitter contentious have mover arisen in the
world, than those which have grown out of reli.
gious principles. Would it not be as we'll to
give the husband, all the thinking for the wife
In religious matters, to "promote the peace and
harmony OF the domestic relation" We have
a better opinion of majority of husbands, than
TO think they would be 50 tyrannical, as to "dis-
turb tho peace and harmony of the domestic re-
lation," because their wives would vote for the
candidates of their choice. As it is a natural