Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-10-21
Female Voters.

The National Inteligencer publishes a letter
addressed in the year ITS by Richard Henry
Leo to his sister, Mrs Hannah Corbin' OF kloh-
mond. The letter was in reply to commu 'l
cation from Mrs. Corbin, in which she suggest
ed the political right of widows, either TO ex-
emption from taxation or to share in the cleo
ton of representatives and it appears that sue
based her claim upon the great principle OF the
Revolution. that taxation and representation
should be inseparable Mr.. Lee shows IN his
reply the reasons why women do not require 'le
elective franchise for their protection. and iatl
mates that 'sperhaps twas thought rather out oi
character for women to press into the tu'iui.u-
Gus assemblies of men where the business OF
choosing representatives is conducted
In connection with this letter the lntelhgen-
Ger mentions the fact that the right of voting
was conceded to women by the State OF Ne"
Jersey in the early ages of the Republic. MI
w. A. Whitehead, of Newark, furnishes the IN
telligeneer with brief history on the suoJeol.-
the Constitution of the State, adopted in l710'
gave the right of voting to "all lnhaolVants Oh
full ace who are worth fifty pounds proclama-
ton money, clear estimate" Under tins clause
women occasionally voted, and Judge Hornolower
recolects one case where husband and wlie
happening to differ politically, the latter exercls-
ed her right of voting in order to neutraize the
7ote of the former!
In 1890 a prominent member of the society Of
Friends was on the committee of the New Jer'
sey Assembly to frame an election law, and from
respect to his feelings-females being allowed te
vote in that religious society-an act was pass
ed expressly eoneeding the right to women
After this females frequently voted in different
parts of the State At an election In Hunter
don county, says Mr.. Whitehead, in 1902, ever
some women of color were allowed to vote, ant
their votes elected a member of the Legislature
The way in which the ''ladiesn came to los'
their privilege is related as follows
'In the year 1906 a new courthouse and jail
were to be erected in the county OF Essex
Strenuous eyertions were made to locate then
elsewhere than at Newark, which had been tn
county town from very early period onill
cent influence was brought to bear upon TIT
Legislature to secure the passage OF an act zap
proved November 9TH of that Year, anthorlzins
a special election, at which ''the aalhg6atgptsl
the county QUALIFIED to vote in elecnons 10
members of the State Legislature" &c,, wer
described as the qualified electors TO determn
by their votes where the buildings should be 10
Gated. The contest caused great excltemen
all oyer the county, and, under legal advice
some sort when the election was held in Febru
ary, 1907, women of "fqll age, whether lsngl
or married, possessing the required ,propeIt
qualification, were permitted by the judges OF
lection 10 vote. But as the conflict proceeds
and the blood of the CONTESTANTS waxed warmer
Judge Hornblower informs me, the number
female voters increased, and it was seon tenn
that erery single and every married woman
the county was not only ''of full age" but ais
worth ''ffty pounds proclamation money. ciea
estate" and, as saeh. entitled to vote II the
chose. So apparent were the isauds practlSe
at this election that the Legislature at the ensu
ing session, did not hesitate to set it aside q
having been illegally conducted; and, by re
pealing the act authorizing it, left the building
to be erected in Newark, to which they leglt
mately belonged" .eiy.9. t.i- 80 taar
The Legislature immediately afterwards pass
ed an act combining the right of suffrage TO Ire
white male citizens. Kentucky is now the onl
State where women can vote at any pnblic
lections. and there widows are allowed vole
in the selection of school superintendent Q
teachers