Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-05

THE RIGHTs OF WOMEN TO VoTB.-The Joint
Special Committee Of the Legislature upon the
Qualification of Voters to whom had been refer
red the various petitions that the right of suf-
frage may be extended to women, held public
hearing in the Hall of Representatives, at the
State House, Wednesday afternoon.
Hon. Samuel E. Sewall b, gan the plea for the
petitioners, with the inquiry-Why have women
any less right to vote than men He cited the
opening sentence of the Declaration of indie
pendencs, aud maintained that the equality refer
red to there does not mean an equality in respect
TO mind or body, or ability to acquire property,
but an equality of rights, and that woman are of
course Included in the term, "all men," The
State constitution also recognizes the equal rights
Of all men; women are subject to the laws, but
have voice in the government The laws OF
other countries, which are severe towards women
were cited, and 1.-THE speaker urged that though
our own laws are more liberal, yet they are still
severe. The argument that women incompe-
tent to vote, he answered by affirming that
many men as women are incompetent. He main.
tanned that if women were allowed to vote and to
sit in representative bodies, we should have better
order and better laws.
Mrs. DR.. Harriet Hunt expressed her disgust at
the freedom allowed to the most ignorant and i'm
moral men to vote, while women are debarred
the privilege. She reviewed the history of her
own position on this subject, and complained bit,
terly of the restriction which limits the right Of
suffrage to men, instancing many cases in which
she said that women are oppressed by the laws.
Wendell Phillips followed. He said that there
is an artificial barrier in the rights of women
thatwhile we recognize her right to almost every
thing else, we stop short at the privilege of vo
ting. If woman was competent TO be responsible
to laws, it was self-evident fact that she was
competent to make them. She was not consid.
cred too delicate to send to the common jail, and
the ballot-box ought to be as decent as jail II
her domestic duties were such as to require her
whole time in other affairs than those of politics.
then the argument was good in the case of such
men as Abbott Lawrence and Rufus. Choate, en-
crossed as they were in the manufacturing bust
ness and the law. The advent of women into So
ciety was marked by pu-ity. Her advent into lit
erature was ma, ked by purity, and so would it be
in politics. The restitution, dependence. and
crime of the sex was largely attributable to
those laws which virtually excluded her from
the various modes of livelihood pursued by men.
Give her equal rights with man, and a vast mass
offestering corruption in society would be taken
gently away by the laws of trade. In Kentucky,
woman was allowed to vote on school questions.
The barrier was thus broken away, the army of
reform was rushing in. and the only question
asked by Massachusetts was, how soon can we
decently surrender? The age tending to the
reform, and the speaker was sure it would come,
sooner or later. He hoped Massachusetts would
have the honor of first shaking off this last
Shackle of sex.
The Committee on Qualification of Voters con-
sists of Messrs ]. NJ. Usher of Mlddlesex, J. NJ.
Earle Of Worcester, and ]. N. Turner of Nor
folk, on the part Of the Senate, and Messrs. J.
w. Foster of Monson, G. NJ. Brooks of Concord,
Fay of Lowell, BIeknell of Weymouth, Knifin
Of West StOckbridge, Eldridge of Fairhaven, and
Stephen A. Chase Of Salem. on the part of the
House. 1t was announced that another hearing
on the above matter will take place next week.