Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-27
WOman's Rights.

The following petition was read in the
House of Representatives yesterday by Mr.
Leach of Dickson county:
Will the speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives Pleas present this bill to the
House.
To The Honorable, the Legislature Of Ten
nessee.
On the second day of March l attended
an election in Hamilton county, which &C
cording to law should have been held for the
purpose of permitting the people to decide
by ballot whether or not they wished tax
TO be collected for free school purposes. A
notice of the election was put into the Chat
tanooga Times, a newspaper published in
Chattanooga, and written notices were also
put up at some of the places where the cleo
tons are held. l an a friend of the free
schools. As soon as heard of the election
l went over a greater part of the city Of
Chattanooga for the purpose Of making it
known to such persons as | supposed would
not be likely to see the notice in the paper
or elsewhere; but on the same day that l
did so the written notices were taken down,
and after that the notice in the newspaper
was not repeated l was told the people
who went to vote in the city did not
get to do so, because the leaders
said there was not enough present TO be
Judges Of the election, and so did not hold it,
and no other day was ever fixed for it,
tried to have the people all owe the country
informed of the time of the election. gave
notice that would lecture at one election
ground. But as fast as the people came on
the morning Of election, the men who were
Judges at that place sent them away before
allowing them to vote or hear the lecture.
The men were sent to a dram shop, and the
women were told to 60 home and stay there,
or they should not live in the country. In
the evening most of the men returned
drunk. There was man on the ground at
twelve o'clock who had bottle of whisky.
/ STAYED at the election (Which was held in
the house in which l was teaching schoOl)
about two hours. In that time almost every
obscene word in the English language was
used in my bearing. had before the election
day sent a communication to the Editor Of
the Chattanooga Times requesting him to
publish it. But | was not sure he would,
and was anxious the people should know
what was in it; so put it up on the wall OF
the school room, that they could see it on
the day of the election. One Of the judges
of the election took it down, and told the
people it was an advertisement Of --.
The same man is Justice of the Peace, and
a School Commissioner. l was boarding at
his house. My schoolroom had been his store
house. am an advocate Of woman suffrage
and believe that that man was employed
by men in Chattanooga to prevent my lee
turing, and TO do and say all that he said,
and caused others to do and say, they ex-
pecting thereby to cause me to stop working
for woman suffrage. But they made me
times more determined to work
on. l shall never be willing to be governed
by laws that know have been framed by
men who owe their election to such scenes
az l witnessed on that End of March. have
sued the man for damages, but all the men
of the law who l consulted on the subject
said no iIry of twelve men in Tennessee
would allow me any damages, because they
are opposed to woman suffrage. Thus it is
decided before trial contrary to the written
law. which if adhered to would allow me
damages, so according to the decision OF
these lawyers l am thrown out of the only
kind of employment (teaching) that l can
i've by: with no law to protect me. If this
IS to be so why should respect such laws ?
[ have as good a right to set fire to the city
IF Chattanooga, and destroy their means
If living, as they have to take away mine.
"Vengance is mine l will repay it" says
who? God.
"Have l not said We are God? all of you
n whom the spirit ofGod dwells," Cannot
This government exist as it is. Women
must be admitted into the ship Of State or
t will surely be wrecked. Therefore urge |
you to remove all hinderences out of her |
way from enjoying political privileges.
Respectfully, n. G. STEWART.