The New York herald., 1869-03-31
wsaEz's Blcnrs II MASSACHUSETTS.

Of Petticoat Governmeut Rapidly DawninG.
BOSTON. March 80. 1859.
The question OF placing women upon an equality
with the mascunes. SO far as civil and political
rights are concerned Is one which has for year OF
more agitated the people OF Massachusetts,. Some
six months since three days. convention was held
In Boston, and that has been closely followed ever
since by series OF mass meetings In every
town. hamlet and city throughout the States
domain, and, added to all these, the strong
minded fair sex Of the different localities
have been industriousy engaged In obtaining sigma
lures to petitions, and the two branches OF the Leg
islature have. been Hooded with them. In reponse
to the calls OF tie petitioners and advocates OF
women's rights the Legislature appointed joint
special committee to investigate the whole question:
and this forenoon the committee gave public near
ing to all parties interested. There was present
large number OF women, and also a number OF men
who have been prominently identined with the
movement for the past twenty years.
Wendell Phillips was the first TO address the COM
mittee He said he had hoped that Miss Lucy Stone
would have been present to make the OPEN
Ing argument, and he regretted very much her
necessary absence. The question OF granting
women the right OF ballot, he said. was not
new one either in this country or Europe, and IN
both countries seemed to be the great question OF
the hour. lie advocated It first on the ground OF
simple, absolute right and II 1t was disputed ON this
The cardinal principle OF American politics Is taxa
uon and representation, and side by side OF this
principle Is anoner tnaa we nave no rlgn. S 20 MAKE
to that Law. Taxation. therefore, ought 10 carry
with 1t the ballot and as woman Is amenable to law
she ought to have voice IN making that law. He
claimed That distinction OF was not sufficient to
make distinction IN granting the ballot, and wo-
gate her inherent right Of making laws
to another person; for 1t was nothing more
E dansSp No ons denied That woman was com
petent TO express an opinion, and he failci to
sse where the objection was 70 allowing her TO ex
70 form. Coming wholly 10 the question OF the ex-
pediency OF granting the ballot to woman and the
she Is the equal Of man; and II she was not SO long
as she Is competent to be hung and otherwise suffer
under the laws. sue Is competent to have part IN
that woman was better than man, but he believed
tnat the moment sne was put INTO politics they
mony of action. and she would not he cogwhee! in
the government machine as now. Woman has puri
fed hterature-not because she was better,
but because she had harmonized society
aud the same result would follow In politics
II she was admitted to the right Of suffrage. He
contrasted general society with politics, and CANNED
that the latter was fifty per cent below the former;
but the political STANDARD could be raised II woman
was admitted 70 participate Ia politics. He referred
also to the corruption OF politics In New YORK, Penn
syvania and Wisconsin, atributing the whole to the
power OF Incorporated wealth, and portraylng dark
future for the whole country II the political atmos-
pnere was not soon purified, ana In this light he
value. valued and advocated the question OF womens
hands because 1t SCENE right. and would contribute
10 the education of the masses. Referring to the
social vices OF large cities the cancers OF the whole
community subsidizing all classes, ne claimed that
the evils could be grappled II the women mad the
living a. men % have they would take advantage Of
1t, AID thus the social vices would be diminished
Mr. Phnllps closed with protest against any legis-
Iative grant Of aid TO any institution In the State
which did not admit women, ana In this he would
include Harvard and oil other colleges. Women are
taV oA npdt
have the equal advantages OF them.
One OF the committee asked Mr.. Phillips II he
would have the State refuse 10 grant aid TO the Agr
cultural College, which Is designed particularly to
educate men for farming pursuits.
Mr.. Phillips replied that he would have the doors
or that institution open TO women the same as
Others, aud II they did not choose 70
ayai themselves Of the State would
adv OF his acquaintance recently desired to learn
something OF the cultivation Of cranberTies and the
elncned all this 6y saying that Il woman was shut
on the voting list she should be or "a or the tax
list adding also tpat Il she was not capable OF making
Miss Julia Ward Howe followed Mr.. Phillips, and
In her beginning endorsed cloquently and Iorcibly
all tnat he mad said, and then briefly expressed her
confidence IN the dnal triumph Of justice Tor women.
she spoke but a icw moments, and was warmly ap-
Miss Lucy Stone blackwell who had come into
the state House curing the remarks OF Mr. Phillips
explained her tardiness by saying tnat the storm de-
tanned the New York boat the Newport line, ana
t was impossible for her to come earlier, no.wth
standing she hurried TO the Capitol without partaS-
ing OF her usual cup Of tea Following her explana
ti0n she pitched squareiy tnlo the question under
consideration. holding the attention the commit
tee the and frequently elicIrng the approv-
ing applause OF the spectators. She Claimed that |
her sex was not excluded from the ballot because
they were not deserving OF IT, but because 1t was
Gus om In the course ol her remarks she said that
two years ago she appeared before a similar CON-
mittee OF the Massachusetts, Lcgslanrc, OF which |
Richard II. DANA Jr., was chairman, and when tue /
hearing was finished she went 10 him and iem,nded |
hun OF his services years ago In defending q poor
slave, and asked him u he would not become the |
He replied cautiously, but declined because, he SAID,
nature was against The sex and they ought no. to |
vote. She afterwards sent him u letter and lis |
ply was Substantially The same. Time went on, and |
last iaI when he went ~ the potts in Cambridge TO
throw his vote he denied the privilege and Tor
this denial he has sued for s5,0l0 dam
axes. In view OF this she would ask II
nus vote was worth $1,000, how many tons
country WORTH This aluslan caused the most IN
tense merriInent anu after it hal subsdei the fair
speaker went on 10 show the unjust application OF
laws 10 women IN various states m ,he Unlon Inc |
substance OF which has Already appeared ia pre-
vious reports OF Miss stones addresses on the
woman suffrage question. She said there was
great deal being said about the ku kluxes OF the
south, but sne considered their outrages insignificant
when compared with the injustice of the great body
OF men OF this country. she dwelt at some length
upon the wrongs OF taxation without representation
snd portrayed a v,yii imaginary picture Of the
would result from allowing women 70
participate In the management OF the gov.
confidence that the times were advancing SO gor-
oosy tnat In very short time iuil justice would be
done her sex In The matter OF suffrage. and she
hoped that the movement would be begun in the
land OF Plymouth Lock, Bunker Hin, Concord and
Lexington.
The hearing occupied the attention OF the commit
tee ali tue forenoon, and the four i've hundred
visitors present remained wrapt In attention until
tie close Both AIR. Phillips and Lucy stone were
unusually iorcble and eloquent In their remarks,
and tney were frequently interrupted with nearly
applause. There viii be further hearings OF the
committee, and IL ~ seriously entertained by many
that Oil giving the right OF suffrage TO women viii
be reported; nut tne matter OF Its passage b. the L.
gisai1re Il exceedingly doubtful IT. however b,l
~ Drought IN herc VIII Immediately be prOtracled
DISCUSSION, and the question will be tLoroultly yeut
lated ~ It's different pha2cs.
AUCTION SALE o. so31s.
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