The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-06
Woman Suffrage in Connecticut.

The woman sufiragists of Connecticut
had legislative hearing recently. Mrs.
Isabella Beecher Hooker addressed the
judiciary committee, who met in room
crowded almost to sufTocation. In the
audience there were about fifty ladies,
who appeared in behalf of Woman Suf-
frage, that being the measure under
consideration by the committee. The
session was held i'm the Senate chamber,
the usual place for the meeting of the
Judiciary Committee.
Senator Woodland acted as chairman.
Mrs. Hooker was first to speak, and the
more she talked the more people crowded
the doorways and reception-room, from
which a door opens into the Senate
Chamber. Necks We're stretched and
clothing suffered in the attempts Of
those on the outside 10 hear and see the
champion Of Woman Suffrage.
Her speech, the following of which is
the brief, was listened to with the clos
est attention, not only by the members
of the committee, but by the spectators:
MRS. HOoKER's ARGUMENT.
Legislature should make it plain that
the question Of legality of votes i'm case
OF women is one to be decided by itself,
on complaint of fraud or mistake or IL
| legality of some sort in State elections,
! precisely as in case of men.
!. Women are part of the people set
! forth in the preamble 10 Constitution of
the United States. ave, the people of
| the United States, in order to form a
more perfect union, establish justice,
promote the general welfare and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
/ posterity, do;n and also a part of the
] So. -
State of Connecticut, thus; "IHe people
of Connecticut do, in order the more ef-
/ fectually to define, secure and perpetrate
/ the liberties, rights and privileges which
| they have derived from their ancestors,
hereby ordain and establish the follow
] ing constitution and form of civil gov
ernment.n
As such they had now and always
have been entitled TO vote. Their right
| is dormant one it is true, but there is
no eXtinguishmento of title to fundamen-
tai rights by non-use.
a man may have declined to vote at
any election, State or national, for fifty
years, but no one would think of con-
testing his right on that account. If, as
some say, women have consented to be
represented by men, and therefore
are UirtUdly represented, they surely
at any time and become DersO10lYy re-
SpOHsibte. If / may choose an admin
istratOr OF my political affairs, it is plain
that / may act for myself, in case my
choice has proved unfaithful, or incom-
petent, or both.
> Women are citizens OF the United
States and are thus entitled to vote, by
virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment
to the national constitution. See mi
nOrity report of the Judiciary committee
Of the House of Representatives, Janu-
airy, 1871. Also arguments by Mrs.
Stanton and Mrs. Hooker before Senate
judiciary, January, 1872.
3. Registrars, in refusing TO register
I the names of women citizens desiring
! to vote, assume indicial functions not be-
/ longing to their Office, and do virtually
/ trample upon the most fundamental
rights of American citizenship: and
there is no appeal from their decisions
and no release save by suits at law, in
volving much delay and heavy expense
By our laws, every male voter must
be OF good moral character and able "a
read the constitution intelligently; yet
thousands of men every year are regis
tered and allowed to vote who fail L
realize these qualifications. Registrars
cheerfully put these names upon theil
list; boards of select men take no notice
officers of election receive and cOun
these legal votes, all these functionarie
leaving il to the Legislature TO decide
in cases of contested seats, or on com
plants of fraud and illegality, who ar
not legal voters. How much NOR
should the question of the legality o
the votes of women citizens who are q
good moral character, intelligent read
ers of and thinkers upon the constitu
tion-hOnest taxpayers and obedien
subject to the laws OF the State, be takel
2 out of the hands of these inferior officers
and decided by the State Legislator
: after full discussion by competent mem
bers of that body.
{. This may be done in various ways
; among which will suggest only two.
: (d) A resolution may be passed b,
, this very Legislature similar to the on
. proposed in the minority report of th
House Judiciary Committee, which
} as follows:
J 1t is said by the majority OF the com
mittee that, ''if the right of female citi
zen suffrage is vested by the Constitu
tion, that right can be established b
} the Courts.n
{ We respectfully submit that, wit
regard to the competency and qualities
: ton of electors for members Of tn
House, the courts have no jurisdiction
: This House is the sole judge of tll
election return and qualification of il
own members (article l. section D, {
Constitution and it is for the HOus
; alone to decide upon contest, who ar
| and who are not, competent and quail
[ fled TO vote. The judicial departmeI
I cannot thus invade the prerogatives
: the political department.
And it is perfectly proper, i'm our OpiI
!, ion, for the House TO pass declarator
4 resolution, which would be an index I
the action of the House, should I'll
question be brought before il by conte
e for n seat.
II We therefore recommend TO the HOu.
: the adoption Of the following resOll
, tiOns:
, Resolrod By the House of Rcorescpb
. tires, That the right of suffrage is one
o the inalienable rights of citizens of II
? United States, subject to regulation 4
# the States, through equal and just law
That this right is included in Il
} privileges of the citizens of the Unite
d States,n which are guaranteed by Sc
tiOn l of article II of amendments
the Constitution of the United State
is and that women citizens, who are othe
II wise qualified by the laws of the Sta
Y where they reside, are competent vote
i. for Representatives in Congress.
a WM. LOUGHRIDGE.
r. BENZ. I. BUTLER.
h Such a resolution would silence Il
r unjust proposal that women shall col
d test their cases in the courts before the
e are allowed to appear at the polls. III
manifest constitutional and democrat
proceeding is: appearance at the poll