The national Republican., 1869-06-08
Aur1strasion efpme.-Cemmuni.
SSkion frsm One Of the spnrsn"
Hand.

ASGlssras,oa efSme..cem m.n,.
SAsion frem one Of tbe SPARTA"
Hand.
To tr Editor Of he RepHbliedn-siR; l
learn from recent number Of your paper
that the Judges Of election In your city have
decided that sfhe isw forblds their register
ing the namss q fersAies, and MAT hey
were thereforv compellsd 70 refuse the re-
quest" made of them By myself, vith other
women, that our names might be placed on
the lists. You also say that cone Of the
board stated that he was In favor Of ladies
exercising the elective franchise, but he
could not violate the law BY placing their
names 90 the lists Of voters" As this
reply IL not given over the signature Of the
Judges, know not whether II does them
justice or Otherwise ...r
In some quarters I have sscn u charged
that our little band Of Spartan women" In
this District have asked the judges OF cleo.
| tiou s'to violate their oath Of oficu' by
enrolling our names. Nov, on my own be.
half, as one Of The pstitloners for rsgistra.
| tion, wish TO say--and think 1 can speak
| for my sisters also-that We had no idea Of
asklng the honorable judges Of election "a
perjure themselvea, or 10 do any other un-
manly or Illegal thing In our behalf. Ny
reading OF the law was that while II re-
| quired the registration OF all male citizens
possessing the proper, qualifications, II did
not prohibit the registration Of women.
Since my sex can hardly be expected as yet
10 have become adopts In the Interpretation
| Of law, perhaps we may bc excused for be.
Ing 80 simple a. to imagine that q plain
principle OF common sense (and which ought
| to be common law, II IL Is not,) might apply
In this case, namely, that all statutes should
be construed In favor Of natural right and
justice, and any Infringement or denial oi
these must be distinctly expressed to be
valid.
Women, you know, arc not logicians.
Having read In the Declaration Of Indepcn.
dence thai "an rightful governments exist
by consent Of the governed" !" and not com
pretending that wonderful logical process
peculiar 70 the masculine intellect, sup
pose, which derives from this broad premis
the narrow conclusion that majority o
l man only have q right TO mako laws, trus
| I may be pardoned for having thought II
Just possible this wise board Of Judges might
deem II within the line Of their duty to %
construe the law as TO allow such women Of
this city as might desire Ii to have q voice In
| framing the laws by which they are to be
governed.
must confess, however, that my cIpecta.
tons In this direction we're not very ardent
and consequently am not greatly disap
pointed In being denied the privilege Of being
jostled and elbowed In the crowd that viii
press to the ballot-boI on Monday next.
wish, however, 70 put on record that my
main purpose and that Of those who joinet
with me In asking for registration was, no
to obtain the concession at once, for tha
was scarcely anticipated without a chang,
In the law, but to show conclusively 10 th,
| proper offlcials that thsre arc women VIII,
feel II their duty as well as their right Il
claim and exercise the elective franchise fo
the good Of their ser and their race. Thi
has been denied, but Il can be denied NJ
longer. ONE OF TIE "SPARTAs BAND"
| wAsutNoTor, June 0, 1900,