Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-14
r Z POR 7
THE
Select Committee Of the Ohio Senate,
ON GIVING THE
RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE TO FEMALES

The following petition, numerously signed by
both men and women citizens of this State, was
at the 6rst session of this Legislature, referred to
the undersigned select committee.
Whereas the women of the State of Ohio are
dsfranchised by the constitution solely account
Z of their sex.
1--WE do, respectfully demand for them the
rights of suifrage,--a right which involves all
other rights of citizenship-one that cannot just
ly be whitheld as the following admitted prin-
ciples Of government show:
First All men are born free and equal
Second. Government derives its Just power
from the consent Of the governed
i Third. Taxation and representation are in.
separable.'
I'VE, the undersigned, therefore, petition your
honorable body to take the necessary steps for q
revision Of the constitution, that all citizens
may enjoy equal political rights"
Your committee have given the subject referred
to them careful examination and now
REPORT.
! Your committee believe that the prayers of the
| petitioners ought to be granted. Our opinion is
based both upon grounds of position and expe-
diency, which we will endeavor to present as
briefly, as is consistent with due consideration
! of this subject.
| The founders of this republic claimed and as
serted With great emphasis, the essential equality
of human rights, q selfevident truth. They
secuted the venerable old dogua of tho divine
right Of Kings, and titled aristocraces to rule the
submissive multitude.
They were equally explicit in their claim, that
"tazaton and representation, are inseparable."
1he l1ousc OF Representatives OF Massachusetts,
lT6l, declared, That the position of duties and
taxes, 10y the Parliament of Great Britain upon a
people, not represented in the House of Commons
| absolutely irrec0ncilable with their rights" A
: ms nrhipt ont lp1 Lp pf tha Rrit
Colonies Asserted" was sent to the agent of the
Colony in England, TO show him the state of the
public mind and along with it energetic letter
, The silence of the province" said this letter
alluding to the suggestion Of the agent, that hi
had taken silence for consent, "should have beer
imputed to any cause,-even to pair,-rathel
than be construed into a tacit cession of thei
rights, or the acknowledg cement of a right in thu
Parliament of Great Britain, to impose duties ant
taxes on people who are not "a in tht
5 House of ComIpons' ''- 'r' -" not r''resente}
zoe are SlGrcS !'
| Some of England les ;ar;S nckuowicdg
the truth of this doc,.ne. Chief Justice Prat
t said, My position is this-tnxation and represen
ta,ion arc inseparable The position is founded il
Q the law of nature 1t is more it is itself az
eternal law Of nature" In defence Of this doc
t trine, they waged seven years war; and yet
when they had wrung from the grasp of Grea
Britain the colonies she would not govern upor
this principle. aud undertook to organize then
according their iavorite theory, most of the col
onies, by single stroke of ths pen, cut off one
half of the people from any representation in the
government which claimed their obedience to it:
laws, the right to them for its support, and thC
I right to punish them for disobedience.
This disparity between their theory and prac
tce does not seem to have excited much, il any
notice at the time, until its bitter fruits haC
long been eaten in obscurity and sorrow, by thou
sands who suffered but did not complain.
] Indeed so apnthctc has been the public minC
: upon this subject, that no is surprised to SCI
$ such remark as the following, by distinguished
e commentator upon American Institutions "ln tn
= free States except criminals and paupers, there 4
Il no class fpersonS who do not exercise the ecctiv
: franchise"
, 1t seems women are not even q class of persons
, They are fairly dropped from the human race, an
5 very naturally, since We have grown accustomed +
j recognize as uniUerSal sutfrag that which exclude
by constitutional taboo, one half Of the people.
e TO declare that voice in the government is tht
! right Of all, and then give it only to part-an
+ that the part to which the claimant himself be
i longs,-is to renounce even the appearance
S principle AS ought to have been toreseen, tn
G class of persons thus cut off from the means {
e self.protection have become victims of unequal an
d oppressive legislation, which runs through ou
= whole code. We first bind the hands, by the O
ganc Law and then proceed with deliberate sniet,
n by the statute to spoil the goods of tAe victim.
Whatever palliaton for the past, hoary custom
J. false theology, ana narrow
p? is certainly time now, to remedy those evils, an
l. reduce to practice our favorite theory of govern
C ment.
&c The citizens thus robbed Of a natural right con
n plain of the injustice. They protest against ta
a q alton without representation. They claim that
q lust government must derive its power from 81
consent of the governed. A forcible female write
If saws: Even this, SO called, free government
d the United States, rs at present administered,
IS nothing but IL political hereditary despotism
'e woman she has no instrumentality whatever
w making the laws by which she is covered, Will
N her property is taxed ~ithont representation"
10 But this feeling it is claimed, is entertained b.
~ by few women on the contrary. they general
orr dsown such claim When made in their behalf.
Suppose the fact to be true to the fullest exte
is ever a asserted, if Improves that American wome
III ought to remain as they are, 1T proves exa.
Id Ily the same with respect to Asiatc women +
IT, they too instead of murmuring at their seclusio
ly and at the restraint imposed upon them, pri
no themselves on it, and astonshed at the etfrol
,oe arv Of women who receive visits from male
To- ouaintances and are in the streets unvelle
% Habits of submission make women, ,as wellas me
seryile minded. The vast population OF ASA
not desire or value-prObabiy would not accept
political liberty, nor the savages of the fore
he civilization which does not prove that either
he these things is undesirable for them or that tn
ct will not at some future time, enjoy them. Cus,c
ut. bardens human beings to any kind of degradatc
it, by deadening that part of nature which won
ng resist it. And the case of woman 49, IN TINS
of. snect even. a peculiar one for no other inferi
40. caste that we have heard of, has been taught
nd regard its degradation as its, honor. 1
er, argument, however, implies a secret consci0u
,ly that the alleged preference of women tor tn
dependent state is merely apparent and arm ar
his from their being allowed no choicei ior' II
ck- preference be natural there can pe no hecess
by for enforcing il by law. To make laws compelli
on. people 10 follow their inclinations, has not hith
are to, been thought necessary by any legislator.
in plea tina. women do no, desire any change Is