The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-07-02

dication of the inalienable rights of hu- /
manity, and not Of the male ser. The
inalienable right to life, liberty, and prop
erty, and to voice in the establishment
and control of government for the protec-
ton of these rights, is asserted as fully |
for woman as for man. The drafters of |
that Declaration cut loose from precedent, !
and based themselves upon the self-evi-
dent truths which form the basis of all
Just governments. Even the Constitution
of the United States, in prescribing the
qualifications of President and other off,
GERS, makes no distinction of SEX
This equality of woman's civil rights
has not been maintained practically, for it
was in conflict with the principles of the
common law, which considered the status
of woman to be that of wifehood, in which
the personality of the wife is merged in
that of the husband.
This common law principle has been
undergoing constant modification with the
progress of the age, till now, in some
of the States, and more especially in Kan
sas, marriage has been regarded as civil
contract, which does not destroy the per-
sonality Of either party, so far as property
rights are concerned. The Statutes of
Kansas now recognize the personality of
the wife. She can acquire, hold, or dis
pose, by bargain or will, of property; she
can sue or be sued in her own name; thus
elevating her to an equality with her hus-
band. The next step which tardy JUS
tice will soon award her, is political equal
ity. The demand now made is for re-
turn 10 universally conceded principles of
justice. The accident of creed, birth
place, intelligence, or moral honesty, are
not valid reasons for the disfranchise-
ment of man. The right of voting is ac-
corded to him, and if by neglect, or crime,
he forfeits the exercise of that right, it is
his own fault. If the distinction CT sex
is to be maintained as valid against woman,
and the inalienable rights of humanity are
to be denied her because of her sex, leg
islation should be changed to correspond
with the old common law principle that
the personality of woman is extinguished
by marriage 1t is time, however for this
gross inconsistency to end, by elevating
the intelligent and tax-paying women of
Kansas to an equality with the foreigner,
who is converted into a voter almost the
very moment he lands on our soil.
Instead of lodging the question, as
Horace Greeley advises the Republicans
of Kansas to do, by making only ",Ulite
male citizens" of full age, voters, or ut
tering unmanly sneers at the movement,
let them show that their talk about equal
rights is reality, and instead of this
eternal lamentation over the wrongs done
by the Democracy to some negro in the
everglades of Florida, or the wrongs to
be perpetrated on the coast of Africa by
the re-opening OF the slave trade, let them
wash their hands of the cowardly and
hypocritical provision which prohibits
woman from voice in the government
her property is taxed to support. 1t is
time for that party to contend for the civ
il freedom of the thousands of white
women in Kansas, rather than the Olsen.
thrallment of few hundred negroes, il
they expect the world will accord to them
, sincerity in their clamor for the inaliena.
bic rights of humanity. If they dare moi
meet this question as boldly as they dc
that of the suffrage of foreigners, they
, should show sufficient backbone to sub.
NIT separate clause to the vote of the
people, entirely disconnected from the
question of negro suffrage, and let the
popular vote determine whether the future
State shall disgrace itself by chasing
, woman in the political scale with negroes
lunatics, and idiots.
: 1t will be remembered that Horace
Greeley, in his Osawatomie speech, con-
: tended that if the question of slavery wa!
to be settled by popular vote, the negro
vas best qualified to vote on the subject
aud should be allowed to give the casting
ballot. The same sentiment was uttered
in the Convention by T. D. Thatcher l
the negro is entitled to vote on question
/ connected with his rights, are not tn,
white women of Kansas worthy of havin.
their right to vote defended by the Re
pubiicans of this Territory? They do 10
> stop to receive from the negroes of tn,
! South petition requesting them to con
! fer on them the right of suffrage whel
they come to Kansas, but voluntarily &C
: cord to them the right to vote on tn,
question whether they will be slaves o
u not. Ii they do not wish to betray al
invidious distinction against woman, or
. cowardice unworthy of men who profes
to stand on the broad principles of tn
Declaration Of Independence, they SHOULD
boldly take upon themselves the cham
pionship of the political rights of woman
or at least allow her to say whether sh,
wishes the elective franchise.
The Democracy form the minority o
the Convention, and whether they viii
q place themselves in a condition to gail
the appreciation of the masses by prompt
ly according to woman her rights, re
mains to be seen.
Agitation is needed, and the circulation
. of petitions should be vigorously pressed
that the members of the Wyandott Con
vention may not avail themselves of tn
u 4 ~