Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-05-17
LOCAL NEWS.

TUB RBGIsTRATION To- -DAY-FSmrIe ipDIi-
cants for the Rsght of Sufrage.-The Board OF
Registration resumed Its labors in the Seventh
Ward, on f, between 9th and eth streets, this
morning at 10 O'Clock, and continued in ses-
sion until 3 O'Clock, at which time a short re.
persons were rejected because OF INSULT ciert
time Of residence, and one or two foreigners
Were turned on as they had not their naturali.
Zation papers with them. At half. past two
O'Clock the clerks had registered about $50
names, OF which number the colored popula-
tion had an advantage Of about twenty. The
scenes o! the day were varied about one O'Clock
by the appearance of number Of ladies, one OF
whom presented a handsome bouquet to the
Board, and as the same time the following
communication. which Dol. Cook, chairman of
the Board, read through, and then announced
to the applicants that its contents would be
considered and a decision rendered before the
election:
TO the Boardef Registration, Wosaington, d. c.
We the undersigned. citizens OF the Seventh
Ward, Of the city Of Washington, petition You
to flace our several names upon the roll OF
eleC iors.
We demand this right as tax PAYERS and as
persons governed by the laws of the United
States and Of the District of Columbia; presum. .
ing that our Government claims to be Just and
having declared that "all Governments derive
their Just powers from the consent OF the gov.
erned," and also that s'every citizen has the
right OF voting for public sfficers ard Of being
elected" and that "these political rights belong
to the humbles citizen that the constitution
of the United States expressly declares that
''all persons born or naturalized in the United
states aid subject to its jurisdiction are citi-
zens OF the United States, and Of the States in
which they reside" and that no State snail
make or enforce any laws which shall abridge
the privileges or INN munities Of citizens of the
United States, and that the mention OF .maIe
citizens" as basis Of representation IN article
> OF the 18th amendment, (the whole article
as II stands being an absurd contradiction
in itselD in no wise neutraiizes the
enuneia alton of the principles Of justice
and liberty running through the entire
organic law; and as we are not Of the disfran.
chised classes that have been ''convIcted OF
crime by due process Of law" nor .sguilty of
treason against the United States" and that
'past customs have not become a law against
u.s. for the .memory of man" is that women
have voted in States of our Union within the
memory Of residents OF our city, and still thew
vote In some Of the States, and have been
elected and sworn into office, and have served
and are serving as elected officers; and also
that we OBJECT to the continuance of an un war
ranted oppression, the authority OF which has
until recently remained unsettled because of
ambig uIty in the written constitution and laws;
and as the question CT woman's citizenship has
been settled by decision OF the highest and
maj tribunal, the Supreme Court of the United
States; and because our Government is incom.
piete, and the nation has suffered and is suffer-
ing the loss OF an element essential to the eff.
ciency, prosperity, purity, and happiness of
the Government and OF the people: and because
we are denied the 'smo st eacred rights Of citi.
Iensn1p; and because we are governed by a
government exercising powers not made .just''
by our 'consent;" and because we are taxed
without representation; and because We are
punished even to Imprisonment for life, and by
death itself, and all without having had the
rlgnt OF trial by jury Of our peers!'' for those
and many more reasons, we demand the fran.
chise, and to "register' according to the
requirements of the law for elections If we
are denied our petition we demand the
reasons why these 'sacred rights" are with
held.
[Signed Sarah r. Edison, Virginia NJ.
Muschett, Lavangie +. Mark, Evellne r.
Dickinson, Virtue H. smith.