The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-13
Central Committee.

Ms Hone GRt-LEf' Central Committee
ABBy IoPFTE GI8Boys,
10 the Mentors Of the National Democratic
Ceutlemea-I address you by letter, TO ask tie
privilege of appearing before you, during the sit
tings Of this convention, TO demand the enfran-
chisement of the women of America, the only
class of citizens wholly unrepresented in the
government; the only class mot guilty of crime)
taxed without representation, tried without jury
of their peers, governed without their consent.
And vet in this class are found many OF your
most noble virtUOus, law-abding citizens, who
possess all the requisite qualifications OF voters.
Women have property and education. We are
not " idiots, lunatics, paupers criminals. rebels
nor do we A." bet on elections We lack, accord
ing to your constitutions, but one qualification
that Of sex-which Is insurmountlble, and there
fore equivalent TO a deprivation of the suffrage
in other words, the tyranny OF taxation without
representation"
we desire 10 lay before you the violation of
| tie great fundamental principle OF our govern
menJ for your serious consideration, knowing
| that mnorties be moved by principles as
msiorities are only by votes. Hence, we look to
| you for the initiative step II the redress OF our
grievances.
The party in power have not only failed to
| heed our innumerable petitions asking the right
of Suffrage poured into Congress and state leEs-
| latures, but they have submitted proposition 70
| the several States to insert the word finale in
tile federal Constitution, where it never has been
| and thereby put up a new barrier against tle
| Acknowledgement Of women.
/ This fresh insult to the women OF the repub'
/ lie, who so bravely shared the dangers and sac
| rifices Of the late war, has reused us to more
| earnest and persistent efforts to secure those
| rights privileges and immunities that belong to
| every citizen under government.
AS you hold the Constitution of the fathers to
be a sacred legacy to us and to our children for
ever. we ask you to save it from this Dissertation
| which deprives one half our citizens OF the rghl
| of representation in the government.
Over this base proposition the nation has stood
| silent and Indifferent. While the dominant party
have with one hand lifted up two million blsch
| men. and crowned them with the honor and dig
nity of citizenship. with the other they have de
throned fifteen million white women-their owl
| mothers and sisters, their own wives and daugh
ters-aDd cast them under the heel OF the loves
order of manhood.
We appeal to you, not only because you, be
ing in a minority, are in position 10 eonside
principles but because you have been the partl
heretofore to extend the suffrage. II was the De
mocratic party that fought most Valiantly for tn,
removal of the property qualification from al
white men, and thereby placed the poorest ditch
digger on political level with the proudest mil
lionaire. This one act of justice to working mel
| has perpetuated your power, with but few inter
ruptions, from that time until the war. And nov
you have an opportunity to confer similar boo
on the women OF the country, and thus posses
! yourselves of new talismaR that viii insure al