Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-13

, The RIGHT OF WOMEN TO VoTE.-The Legis-
lative Committee on the Qualification of Voters
gave an adjourned hearing Thursday forenoon at
IL O'Clock, on petition of Sarah E. Wall of Wor-
cester, and others, that the right of suffrage
might be extended to women. A large number
of ladies and gentlemen were in attendance.
Mrs Dali was first heard for the petitioners.
She said she appeared there with some degree of
embarrassment to plead for right, when she
knew reason why she should not have been
sitting in one of the chairs to decide, instead of
standing to plead She then proceeded to deliver
her argument, which was committed to paper and
read in a well modulated voice.
Says the Boston Traoelier report;
She contended that property, of ITSELF rep
resented accumulated industry, and in many in
stances accumulated worth. In Upper Canada
women allowed to vote on educational mat
ters This result was brought about there by the
spread and increase Of Catholic power, which
seemed fair to accomplisha separation Of schools
The people were aroused, and to prevent the di
vision, and in order to do this, women were al
lowed to vote. Perhaps, she said, the same cause
might effect similar results here.
She claimed that women should be allowed
lst, to choose their own ayOcation ; I'd, not to be
taxed without representation Sd, to sit juries.
The Massachusetts Bill Of Rights provides
that there shall be no hereditary officers; but,
said she, are not you. gentlemen, the very worst
of hereditary officers
She referred to the women of Rome, who
brought their jewels to the Senate Chamber, to
assist in carrying on the Carthagenian wal, and
to the effort of HOrtensia, which redeemed one
thousand women from taxation.
The men unaSSsted she said, failed to succeed
in successfully establishing hospitals prevent
ing crime The seaport and the village are all
teeming with overwhelming vice. In domestic
affairs their efforts were equally unsuccessful.
In politics their failure was equally apparent.
What politician, said she, could sit for hour
with nothing but the portrait of George Wash
ington before him, and answer, without blushing,
all the questions those calm, clear eyes would put
to him? She did not wish, she said, to indulge
in insane exaltation Of female excellence, draw
absurd analogies from misstatsd facts.
The right of suffrage for was claimed
both for women'a benefit and the advantage of
men.
She closed by urging the committee to report
bill striking the word male from the clause in
the Constitution relating to the qualification of
voters
Rev T. w Higgnson was the next speaker in
behalf of the petitioners. He commenced by
citing several instances in which he claimed 1t
would have been productive of great good, and
have been exceedingly gratifying TO have had
women allowed to vote.
lie referred to the wrongs in Kanzas, and
wished to know what wrong the people of Kan
zas had suffered, that was not everywhere inhict-
ed on women. There the Free State men were
wronged with the pistol-here women were OPP
pressed by courtesy. Like Shakspeare's two
fools, Massachusetts, does it the most gracefully,
but Missouri the most naturally.
In Europe there two classes, patrician
and pleban; but here men all patrician-
women all plebeian. ALI men were equal in hav-
ing all power, all women in having none.
If woman is entirely distinct from man, SO that
she cannot exercise his functions, then man has
no right or power to represent her, and she de-
rives from her isolated position peculiar power.
He claimed that women were not properly rep
resented by husbands or brothers, and as an evil
dence of this referred to the frequency of divorces
and the fact that women were obliged to appeal
to the law for protection against the tyranny of
these nominal protectors
He spoke at some length, his remarks comprs-
ing arguments and statements Of facts.
The meeting was then adjourned, after some
questions had been answered by Mr.. Higglnson.