The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1869-02-26
SPEECH OF HON. a. c. CLEVELAND,
In the Assembly. against Constitutional
Amendments, granting Females the right
of Suffrage.

OF Suffrage.
Mr.. SPEAKER: 1, may seem presump-
tuous in one Of my experience, to offer an
opinion touching the wisdom and expediency
: Of the amendments proposed, or TO indulge
in unfavorable criticisms, Of the Grafton pro-
nounced by the gentleman from Storey (Mr
Hil'yer } Nothing but the radical unsound-
ness of the proposition as a measure Of gov
ernmental policy, coupled with the vain
sophisns cunningly urged in its support,
could induce me to trouble the House with
my views. l make haste to recognize the
fundamental innate God given principles that,
i" all men are created free and equal" that
the Great Master has endowed every human
being with the same, and equal natural
rights that each and all, irrespective Of age,
sex, color, creed, or nationality, who submit
to and bear the penalties of the law, possess,
and should. as far as the prosperity and per
petuity of society will permit, ENJOY the night
to participate in making and in executing the
law, in framing and directing the govern
ment under which they live. In stnte Of
nature, man embracing age and youth, msls
and fcmale), is absolutely free-free to do
what he pleases, go where he pieases when
| he pleases-appropriatin TO himself what
ever is found earth, in air, or sea-suhlect
| to no limitations, no restraints, save those
impnsed bv the Creator of all. Civil law and
| civil governments are alike the creatures OF
man, ordained for his protection ard &C.
| Tense, origin aiing in necessity, prompted by
innate social impulses, and wholly useless but
| for his weakness and d-pra,i;y. Were all
men wise and strong and just, laws would be
useless and governments unnecessary. Were
all natural rights enjoyed. all liberties UNI
abr idged, the necessity, as well Is possloI!lty
of law and government must speedily dl>ap-
pear. God made in all things absolutely
free. and gave him dominion over the earth
and the things upcn the Garth, the sea anu
the things in the sea, the air and the fowls
thereof In time as multiplied societies were
framed, and to regulate social intercourse,
to protect the weak against the strong, the
Just agaiust the unjust, and as against am
b;tinn, avarice al reyenge-rules were adop-
ted. laws inacted and governments i"siit"-
ted. In forming these societies and organ
jzing these governments, each mem Der yie.t-
It! 81 his natural rights and iuti, idual lite,-
lies 80 far as necessary 10 the go0G of Tia
whole. This is the p imary idea OF all gov
ernnlents. the basis On which the "hf'!e
fabric Is enacted. There can be no govern
uent wit hou, the sacrifice Of natural rights,
RIO civil Ia~ without, the sbri1eemen, Of III
diyiilu,l liberties. No constitution was ever
framed that did not enibcdy surrender OF
ind,iGu rights. Since the first foundation
Of society no man has lived III the fall en-
iov1nent of his inherent rights. Net one of
the great liberties dearly cherished. and 50
boasiinsiy proclaimed ina'ienab!e are pos
s.ssed or enjoyed untramclled, by even the
citizens Of free, proud and potent America.
Liberty of speech :" are We not responsible
for its abuses. Do we Islander our neighbor
or in cite to crime ARE we not held aDswerab!e:
Liberty of pesson VIC not imprisoned
for felonys Are not our lives made to paw the
forfeit of murder: Right of property What
has become Of that great heritage given by
the master when the morning stars sang
their first notes. Ey the arbitrary law c
society that which was given to all men Is
taken from the whole, and given to the few,
and under the law of man justified by neces-
sitv he that bears Gods image and to whom IN
the beginning was said have dominion over
the FISH of the sea ard over the fowls Of the
air and over every thing that moves upon the
earth. Behold l have given you every herb
bearing seed and every tree in the which Is
the fruit of a tree bearing seed, to YOU it shall
be FOR meat" going forth TO gather the
products Of the field to supply ne wants of
starving natures, is declared 4 feion and must
suffer felon'. doom. Thus have We two
ideas, namely: Natural liberty and civil
government two conditions normal and social
"A condition in which every man Is Il law unto
hirnself wholly unrestraine,l. A condition in
which society is law 10 all circumS hing
liberties, defining rights, fitting actions, pre-
scribing what may or what may not be done.
exacting both lie and property when ocenled
necessary for the protection or happines O!
the whole. As social ties exist, as men are
ambitious, ssaricious, resengeiui and unjust, |
as laws imposing restraint upon the chi ny |
mcnt of abstract rights are indispensable to |
the good Of mankind; as the necessity OF
civil government is demonstrated by the sixty |
centuries past, is admitted by aii-the ques- !
,ion IS no longer does the right exist
But is its enjoyment prudential; IS Its eSeT- |
cine consistent with that Which Is paramount !
to the good of the individual-:he good OF
society. To state the question with exact
precision-it is not whether wonl@n and |
negroes have the natural abstract right 10
participate in making and executing tas
isws-Io vote and hold oiiice-but whether It !
is wis. and TX pedient to permit them 10 vote
aud hold office whether i. would be better !
for them, and better for society. that they (
should, Sir, that the abstract hight exists
have already admitted in the most conpre- |
hensi.e terms; that its exercise Is necessary
or polite OF wise l dn mos. stoutiy deny.
The necessity of the measure h!de no sup |
pcr; IN sound reason or practical sense. II
is ar imprac,icable f,naticism, disre gaTdinK |
alike society and its wants, and 1t results In
levc,inr all distinctions, def,ing all laws,
subreI,iug all government, ahd npturninS the
foundations Of social order. In country |
under the inst rxc-il-nce of whose constitu-
ton all laws affecting life. liberty or property.
must bear equally upon all-the law E'rer AS
well as ih. simple cit.zcn-sfe governing
class as we'll the governed, oppressive
laws are in the nature of things Impossible.
Is i. fair 20 presume that men might make
\ t. 81, conf {