Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-06


In speaking of the obstacles in the way of the
work she noticed the inconsistent criticisms of
the New York Tribune, that condemned women
for not being something, and then criticised and
ridiculed all their attempts to be or do anything
of themselves; the inconsistency of the elegant
every Saturday" that feared woman would
be defiled and demoralized by the ballot, and
yet published weekly parts of a foreign story
that reeked with deflemeut and immortality; of
DIR. Hollands argument in Scribner's Monthly
that woman should not have the ballot because
she could not fight, as against DIR.
Thompson's argument in the Independent
that if woman had the ballot she would develop
fighting qualities of the most cruel character,
as instanced by the commune women of Paris,
saying that the best arguments and all the ar
guments against the cause were inconsistent
with themselves and each other, and were like
those of the drunkard, late home, who would
whip his wife if she was sitting up for him
wasting candles, and whip her if she had gone
to bed when she should have sat up for him.
She spoke with great disgust of the recent opin-
ion of the supreme court saying that the coun-
Gil had foolshly asked them foolish question,
and they, like a parcel of fools, had given a
foolish answer; and, after criticisng sharply
this wonderful opinion, she said we mean that
Mrs. Howe and Miss Stevens shall yet be JUS
tees of the peace. If this council does not con-
firm the appointment, we will soon have gov
ernor and council that will. Mrs Livermore's
speech was unusually sharp and piquant in its
criticisms and illustrations, and was received
with intense satisfaction by the meeting.
Rev. Jesse II. Jones, an Orthodox clergyman
of Natick, then read written argument to
prove that Jesus Christ was the originator of
the woman suffrage movement, closing with the
statement that Christ died on the cross to give
woman the ballot.
A hymn by Grace Greenwood, "The Army of
Reform" was sung.
S. S. Foster introduced q series of resolutions
affirming that the sole authority for consti-
tuting justices Of the peace is vested in the gov
ernor and council, and nowhere else. That the
recent opinion of the supreme court is without
legal authority or weight, and recommending
the governor and council to disregard this
opinion and constitute Mrs. Howe and Miss
Stevens justices of peace.
his resolutions, saying that the only thing really
stated in the opinion, that as women never had
been justices of the peace, therefore they never
could be, was a statement that would stop ey-
cry reform, and prevent every change If,
when Robert Morris, a colOred man, was, some
years ago, appointed a justice of the peace in
this state, the same objection had been made,
that as no negro had ever been appointed a
justice of the peace, therefore no negro could be
so appointed, it would just as well have pre-
vented his appointment as now it did that of these
women, but he was appointed and no detriment
occurred. Soft these women were now appoint.
ed, the Whole matter would have been settled
and no harm could have followed; the precedent
would have been established and the question
settled. Mr.. Fosters resolutions were afterwards
unanimously adopted. w. S. Robinson WAR
rington) spoke of the absurdity of referring to
constitution and law, in this opinion of the
court when there was absolutely nothing in
either on which to found such an opinion, even
the masculine pronoun was not used in this con
nection, and had it been, the usual construction
might easily have been given that the word he
or him should legally mean also she or her.
without any greater strain than the decision of
years ago that the constitutional language of
written ballots, meant as well "printed
ballots" He said he could not conceive how
the court arrived at its opinion unless they said
to themselves, this is a judicial office, and if
women are allowed here, nextthey may become
justices of this court and then where shall we be-
Mr. Robinson then proceeded with clear histori-
cal account of this matter of asking the opinions
of the supreme court in law matters, saying that
this was not question of constitutional law,
but only one of usage, or common law, which
may, at any time be overridden or superseded
nv act of legislature and haviDp m ayic
in the constitution could have no binding force
against equity. He said the court had run be-
fore they were sent and had answered questions
they had not been asked; as being asked if
women duly qualified as justices of the peace
could legally perform the duties of that office,
bad answered that she could not legally be APP
pointed TO the office. His remarks were quite
lucid and somewhat caustc, as when he spoke
of the court as an independent judiciary he
said they were independent of everything but
their own bigotry and conceit
He closed by saying that in his Judgment
this appointing women TO office before she was
allowed the ballot, was not the proper order of
progress. Give her the ballot and the office
follows as matter of sequence.
G. w, Stacy, of Milford, spoke briefly in
commentator of Governor Clahin as being
sound on this question and earnest in its pro-
motion, though he might make some mistakes
He closed by offering resolution of eulogistic
tribute to the memory of the late Rev. S. j.
May, whose recent death cast sadness over
his old friends and fellow workers. The resou-
ton was adopted.
After the adjournment for dinner, s. S. Fos-
ter, Mrs. Campbell, and others, spoke briefly of
the matter of petitions.
Charles W. Slack was introduced and spoke
in review of the progress of the cause, showed
the gains recently made among the politicians,
and then passed TO statement of the facts in
the matter of the obtaining of the opinion Ofthe
supreme court by the council showing that it
was not the act of the governor but of some op-
posing members of the council, and that the
governor was himself heartily in favor of the
appointment. Mr.. Slack then went on to argue
that there was no warrant in law or constitu-
ton for this opinion, reading the clauses of that
instrument bearing on it, and citing legal opin-
ions as to the construction of such common or
statute law as throw light upon the point: show
ing, also, that under the English common law
on which ours was founded women might be
justices, and that in Maine and other states such
appointments had been made, and the offices
were administered faithfully and without legal
detriment, declaring that this dictum of our su-
prcme court was an assumption as impudent as
IL was arrogant, an attempted imposition upon
the good sense and creduty of the people of the
commonwealth, that could not stand in its law
or practice.
He then proceeded at length to argue the main
question of woman suffrage on its merits, say
ing that we always consult woman as TO all mat
tiers of public and private interest, and endeavor
to secure her sympathy and cooperation in all
the concerns of society, and we should go farth-
er, and secure from her the public expression of
her intent by the ballot; as against the assump-
ton that the men who earned all the money,
and so should control its direction; he argued
in graphic and torcible manner the point that
every married man received great help and
strength for all his work and business from the
aid of his wife, who, taking all the domestic
cares and perplexities from him, give him
happy, cheerful home, from which he went
forth with growing strength yigor and enthusi-