Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-10-18
A Woman Announces Herself a Candidate
for CnnRress


We live in fast age. In many instan-
ces rowdy1sm controls our elections, and
small ward politicians use such an element
to their own personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
against old and quiet citizens. Another
influence, it appears, is about to be brought
to bear on the politics of the country. One
of the I" strong minded women" so called.
publishes the following card l.: the New
York papers:
To The Electors Of the Eighth Congressional
District Although, by the constitution of
the State of New York, woman is denied
the elective franchise, yet she is eligible to
Office; therefore / present myself to you as
candidate for Representative to Congress.
Belonging to DISTINGUISHED class, have
no political antecedents to recommend me
to your support, but my creed is free speech,
free press. free men and free t'dde-the car
dinal points of democracy. Viewing all
things from the standpoint of principle
rather than expediency, there is n fixed
uniform law, as yet unrecogniZed by either
of the leading parties, governing alike the
social and political life of men and nations.
The Republican party has occasionally
clear vision of personal rights, while in Its
protective policy it seems wholly blind to
the rights of property and interests of COM
merce; while it recognizes the duty of be-
nevolence between man and man, it teach
es the narrowest selfShness in trade be-
tween nations.
The democrats, on the contrary, while
holding sound and liberal principles in
trade and commerce, have ever in their po-
htical affiliations maintained the idea of
class and caste among men an idea wholly
at variance with the genius of our free in
situations, and fatal to high civilization.
One party fails at one point, and one at
another. In asking your suffrages-be-
heving alike in free men and free trade-I
could not represent either party as now con-
stituted.
Nevertheless, as an independent candi-
date, desire an election at this time as
rebuke to the dominant party for it's retro
gresslve legislation, in so amending the
constitution as to make invidious diStinc-
tions on the ground of sex.
That instrument recognizes as persons
all citizens who obey the laws and support
the State, and if the constitutions of the
several States were brought into harmony
with the broad principles of the federal
constitution, the women of the nation
would no longer be taxed without represen-
tation, or governed without their consent.
One word should not be added to that great
charter of rights to the insult or injury of
the humblest of our citizens / would
Congress to demand univerSdI suffrage, that
thus a republican form of government
might be secured to every State in the
Union.
If the party now in ascendancy makes it's
demand for "negro suffrage" in good faith,
on the ground of natural right, and because
the highest good of the State demands that
the republican idea be indicated, on no
principle of justice or safety can the women
of the nation be ignored.
In view of the fact that the freedmen of
the South and the millions of foreigners
now crowding our western shores, most of
whom represent neither prosperity, educa-
ton or civilization, are all, in the progress
of events, to be enfranchised, the best in
terests of the nation demand that we out
weigh this incoming pauperism, ignorance
and degradation, with the wealth, educa-
ton and refinement of the women of the
republic. On the high ground of safety to
the nation and justice to its citizens, ask
your support in the coming election.
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.