The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-01-05
women Already Voters. "

This was the subject of a lecture deliv-
cred last evening by Susan b. Anthony
at Platt's Hall. The Hall was about
two-thirds full.
Miss Anthony said that during her
recent trip in Oregon she had delivered
sixty lectures, and had thereby proved
that she was capable of much more
physical endurance than was necessary
10 enable her to east n ballot.
She argued that the true province of a
Government was not to give rights, but
simply to protect citizens in their in
herent rights. The legislative bodies OF
the United States seemed to be befogged
on this question, and to act on the sup
position that they had the power to
grant rights. According to the Consti-
tuition of California, special provision
had been made for the exclusion OF GER
tain classes from voting, such as Indians,
idiots, etc, but no mention was made OF
women, therefore women were not by
the Constitution debarred from voting.
She argued that it was foul injustice
to compel women to pay taxes, ana
deny them the right of representation
by ballot. She cited cases of women
successfully resisting the tax collector
and urged all women TO refuse, as Q
matter of duty, to pay taxes until al
lowed to vote. She argued from the
thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments, and from dictionary defl-
nitiOns, and from an early supreme
Court decision that women are citizens,
The Government in many cases recog-
niZes them as citizens i'm the registration
OF ships, the pre-emptiOn of lands, pass
ports, trial for treason, etc. The trial
faFs Of fort a.
son established beyond n doubt that
women are citizens. No one except .
citizen can commit treason.
Charles Summer had told her that he
never should vote to enfranchise women,
for the law had already accomplished
that; also that woman had the brains,
the time and the money to work out
her own salvation through the courts.
The lecturer asserted that the recent
decisions of Judge Mckee and Others
that women were not citizens were many
times more infamous than Chief Justict
Taneyis decision i'm the Dred Scott case
She scored Judge Mckee most unmerci-
fully for his decision, and gained much
applause thereby.
The speaker cOntended that under the
provisions of the common law of Eng
land in force in this country to-day, al
women were in a state of legal servitude
But the Constitutional amendment
granted the ballot to all who had beer
in "previous condition of servitude;'
| therefore women now have the right tC
vote. She believed that the declaratOry
act making women voters would pas:
! the present Congress. Mr.. Garfield o
Washington Territory, had been elected
| by the votes of seventeen women
/ President Grant came in for quantity
Of tOngue-lashingf for his reticence on the
woman question. The next President
must be one pledged to universal suf
/ frage.
/ She presented 4 resolution denOuncinl
/ Grant, eulOgizing Sargent, and support
/ ing her position on the suffrage question
/ The lecture occupied two hours. Fri
| day afternoon, at two o'clock, Miss An
thony will lecture at the Young Mem
/ Christian Association Hall, to wOmel
only, on the subject of the social evil an'
/ DIR. Hollands bill, and in the evening a
/ the same place a meeting will be held t
[ discuss the best method of cOncerte'
action.-.S. f. Bulletin, Dec. 17th.