New-York tribune., 1871-01-12
WouAY SUFFRAGE BEFORE CONGRESS.
THE LEADERS MEET THE CONGRESS COMMITTEE
"A PETITION AND SPEECHES.

THE LEADERS MEET THE CONGRESS COMMITTEE
| A PETITION AND SPEECHES.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. IA combination OF va
rous believers Ia the made the 1rss move OF the
wear on their tyrants in Congress this morning Mrs
Victoria c. woodruff tho banker Of the party and Pres-
dential nominee with Mrs Isabella Beecher Hooker the
Biblical authority Conventions, appeared. with an ar
dent train Of feminine adherens, before the Judcary
Committee of the House, with memorial, ana soundeu
the attack right CALAMITY. The members OF tho ooh
tee Nlessrs Bingham, Butler, Cook Ky9 Eldredge, kei-
ogg Peters, and LouGhridge listened goodnatureoy 70
tho complaints and assertions Mrs. Woodruff addressed
tho Committee In reference memorial which she has
presented to Congress, and which this Committee Is 10
report upon. 1t is somewhat curious document de
| claring-
e s:,: q ohg 6 Nd y6 9sGT 1ss s s e. Of pas.
three yesr; that she sill resident breofi and tha si e
United sta;s a. declared the Fourteenth Aree oi Alsl
to The United States that since he sOgo9 % s,o ., e
nGj & any Other & S dS nor u Of tSs Uaie State,
S T to , ssds I b. nl 1 . 5er on sccount Of other
that neyertee the rght to yoe Gened to "o@sn ] J
Territories which Jaws prior the adoption Of said Feeah
Article and which arc n in,gn,iot Win so ~ % G n s aud
Territories render the Con,ut eye regards the ngat oi
WIsas Article secaoa ,-c.e, s Constitution and the
Al treaties made Or sch ! al authority ae Used
States s Be The g es sE Of 'Ie ne laIG am a. " y 2 STE
to the eoDirpIy notwithstanding and 49, c..,.,..
d G ed Stas an sopt Of sex but tine Poute Article of
& 70 the Haires q r n Of ,he United
states deny any person within It's Jurisdiction the equal po''c
'O % ~ Coasres h,. rover to make which shall be necessary
5 oa 5aP ao the %5 GS7Ssr ss,f6s ni oi is rre ii
resolutions 10 relation 90 boiling eSst'5s 10, on lie podoas
OF sl Fourteenth Article; ard - i, 81, ,,,., .,r,,
laws eng aa sb the ng Of o e to s 1aSO. 70 Tse oer S
sii,ens of the United states being Tonen ...
Therefore emorat would iaost respectfully 1enoh yII
b. i1 & RP % ess s 3f e 1 S States to vote
Mrs woodhull philosoplcay and ethically dehnedher
position thus:
The sovereign win Of The peOple is expressed IN one &
writtcn Constitutions. which is the supreme law oI we
land. The Constitution makes no distinction OF sex ~
defines woman born OF na1n3hzea @ III oG oniieu m iH
zen; 1t recognizes tho right OF eitizcns TO 'ote,
%Sd declares ,sta Sst 'nS v r' tEe Ted ta States
by state on account OF race color 0rd or 6a b
long TO. races, although to dcrent races: race OF
&c S" m 5o fSe epd ON account Of race All
people in the eE% race 6ags tSP % aT M Go VS @
white black or some intermediate color. Color COM
prises all people of all races and 1oth sexes ~, -,
The right TO vote cannot be denied account OF color
All people included In the term color have the rghs 70
unless otherwise prohibited with me Ilgnt 10 noie
of both sexes AL people OF both sexes have the rght
vote unless prohibited by special limiting terms less
comprehensive than race or Color. No snch ilhiNiS
| terms exist in the Constitution
During the progress Of Mrs. Woodhulps address,
Miss Susan b. Anthony. in black velvet gown, sat
behind her, smiling gracously, and marking of eocu-
tionary pauses with benign finger. At its close. she
| remarked TO the Committee that she was very glad
Walst had come down to open the eyes Of Congress.
Mr.. A. G.. Riddle lawyer Of Washington, presented
Ms HoOkers argument under the shadow OF dreadful
array Of printed authorities He declared that Con-
sttution has assumed 10 confer power upon tao
people, They all say that power Is inherent IN tho
people, The American theory s that sofgogcrnment Is
natural right. fit is natural right it must be ex
ercised and only TO be exercised by the ballot then
the ballot be had. He ugued that woman ought to
under the "consuon OF seryitude" clause In the
Fifteenth Amendment, and inquired OF Miss Anthony If
she would MT undergo that servude for an hour If such
trials should be the of getting Congress to enact
law giving her freedom. The indefatgable spinster
| shook her emphatic head, and said :" No."
Mr. B. F. Butler inquired IL this view applied only to
widows theirs being previous condition of servitude
Mr. Riddle brought forward as last best authority,
"Woris and their Uses" and, after Mrs. Hooker had
| given little political and religious argument Mits
Anthony demanded that the Committee should promise
discussion of the matter in the House, and to that ef
feet euodzed Mr. b. +. Butler in highly poetic man
ner al have always goried in Butler" she remarked
gazing approvngly at that gentleman's bald crown,
&" over since he said 'contraband' Mr.. Butler want
you TO say contraband for u.s." After this gentle appeal
Mrs. Hooker said the Committee must discuss the thing
thoroughly in the House. and congratulated then IN INC
name of their mothers wives and other feminine rela-
| tions, upon listening to these arguments.
| The hearing being at an end much "buttohhohns
followed Mr.. Cook of Illinois, who had manirested
rather heretea tendency during the proceedings was
taken in hand by several ladies at once, and driven 10
bay in corner when had much sounddOcrine pounded
into his ears Gen. Butler smiled upon endle ssly and
the gallant Judge Loughridge Of Iowa became tall tar
get for complimentary attention As tho result OF the
hearing, Miss Anthony announces that the Committee
have agreed to report In favor OF the Woodruff memorial
OH Friday morning. Woodruff Cladn have been here for
| several days industriously pulling wires
1t Is said that Gen. Butler has promised Mrs. woodruff
10 introduce into the House act declaring that tie
Constitution nowhere denies woman the right TO vote
In his new role as champion of "dstressediemales tho
General is thought by the ladies to be the most brilliant
of stars. II the Committee report favoraby upon the
matter such report win give the lie most decidedly 10
their generally ncredulous bearing during the hearing
The Judiciary Committee OF the Senate refused TO enter
| tain the subject.
The National Convention, whose call printed in
The ReUoluh0n has turned into nondescrpt sort OF
affair, belonging special society, and managed by
the three ladies signing the call 1t addressed large
audience this p and small this evening Miss
Anthony Senator Eye, and others the speakers.