Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-02-09
The Question of Natural Right to
Vote


Court, Of Chicago, has recently been called upon
TO pass upon the question OF the right Of women
to vote. A female citizen Of Illinois had applied
to the Board of Registry Of Hyde Park. Illinois,
TO be registered as voter, and when the board
refused to register her. che applied to the Su-
perior Court Of Cook County, for mandGmus
I to compel the board to register her. Judge
Jameson sustained the board OF registry IN their
refuss, and in his opinion, took occasion to dis
cues very sensibly and conclusivey IS 1t seems
to Us, the question of the "a Natural Righ; to
VOTE" which vas set forth in the petition Of the
would be voter. On this Judge Jameson says :;
Our government is 8 representative one that
I is. a government founded upon the idea Of every
citizen being represented in framing and execut-
| ing the laws, instead Of participating therein
/ directly and personally, as in the Athenisn and
I Roman democracies Considering the numbers
/ Of our population, aud the great extent OF our
country. it is obvious thst it has never been pos
sible to administer here any other than repre-
/ tentative government nor has it ever been con-
| tended. 50 far as an aware, that there ever Was
] a time in American history, when the right ex-
listed even in theory, for TIE entire people TO as
semble and pass laws or execute them themselves
/ directlv. There has, however, never been dsy
/ when every man and woman and child had not
well recognized right with respect to the repre-
,enta;ion estsblirhed by the laws. What was
thai light, snd what we're its guarantees, and the
means provided for its enforcement? The right
! vas the right simply 10 be adequately repre-
,entei that the suffrage should be 50 distri-
butei smoDgst the citizens, that ell substantial
interests, Of sll classes and conditions Of men,
/ should be protected and enforced. IS not all
citizens could participate directly in the set OF
I governing, such and 10 many representatives
should be selected to do 60, as would do 1t fairly
and AZ could do it effectively. And this right,
certainly, has always been natural one, belong
Ing - vel to femsles as to males, TO children,
criminals and lunitics, as to persons not under
any disability. Bot the right to be repre-
ssnte3 ;r moi the right 10 be s represents
tive. Il IS one Of nv natural rights to have
over me magistrates. national Eud state, that
shall not Cypress me in my person or property,
1 hut il is not 10 be ore OF ny natural rights 10
4 be one Of those magistrate. may be mag
istrate, ftelected for thst purpose by the proper
authoriteg, in proper manner; otherwise not
How can that be s natural right, which is one
oaiv upon the condition that others voluntarily
console il me? Precisely the came is true OF
the suffrage What is it TO be 8 voter, but TO
be charged with political duty in the nature Of
an cfice, from which many citizens are ez-
cludei an Office, Il Is true, Cor life, and with
ont salary OF perquisites, but imposed or con-
fs-rel by the Constitution Ike suy other Office.
1t is, beyond question, my right, as citizen, 10
have the suffrage lodged ia honest and coTpe-
tent hands: distributed SO literally and evenly
that all ny substantial rights shall be guarded
and made available 10 me, but how can It be ny
right. H.vn atrrsl right, 10 be selected by my
fellow citizens AZ their and ny own represents
tive. thst as. TO vote f-r myself snd them, sny
more than it il to De the President Of the United
states. or CommanJer-in-Chief Of tie Srmy, or,
generally. to be the most honored and distin-
guished American And yet, in a certain
sense. have right 10 be voter, s Governor
or a President; / hsve right to exercise free
dom Of speech and Of the press, sad. by the
means thereof, if l can, 70 persuade ny fellow
citizens thst SIN not fairly represented, or thst
I cannot he fairly represented without myseii
holding vote. or an ofice, or that It is mis-
take, in view Of their o#n interests, 70 continue
to disfrsnchise ne But this, obviously, is quite
distinct from he right claimed by the relc-or 10
vote. by reason Of her citizenship, age and resi-
dence, and notwithstanding her sex, without
showing any law OF constitutional provision
making It her duty OF right 60 70 10. The
right which thus conceie 10 women Is an IN
perfect one, an s that which Mr.. Justice Daniel
described in the bred Scott ease rs inherng II
every citizen, the " right Of acquisition and
enjoyment Of az entire eqlsiity OF privileges,
civil sud political
Judge Jameson also contideIel the questi-n Of
citi-snlhip, showing thu; in the United states,
the tenn " citizen 80 has ever been used as : gen
ersI one, des sustinE uessous, some OF whom had,
md some Of whom bad not, the elective ran
ohise, and that none OF the Constitutional amend
ments e5utJ- on romen the right to vote In
these conclusions Judge Jameson eoaours sub
stanlisiy with Judge Carter Of the District Of
Columbia ana Judge shsrsvood of7ennylvaniH.
who have recently delivered opinions on woman
suffrage. Judge jameson concludes az follows
Upon the policy Of 60 amending cur Laws as to
permit women 20 vote, I shsu caiy observe, that,
On principle. | see no ground toI refusing to DO
50, whenever general demand for the suffrage
is made BY women themselves. Iley form dlf-
tinct class % persons, having peculiar rights and
Interest,". Of which they might he the beat guard
iaas, II they would assume the -s-lr snG respon-
ciDLlty OF that cIhce- 8e tAlt SO * may Vtt
thing Eeems 90 me clear, that if women are 60
enter the Capital, with a view ic sea- themselves
BY the side Of the Cous.rilt Fathers, as legisls-
tors and administrators, they ought to wait until
they can effect their entrance there legally and
directly, by the door, ami uot seek, IS by this
m0tion The lelst1r seems DESTROYS Of doing, TO
climb thither soue other way, through passages
intended for v-ll.y different purposes.
Here, too, the Jadge as It seems TO us, is seosi-
be. The r1formers are IS We have often sid
wasting al Effort thar s not directed to securing
a general demand for the suffrage from the wO-
ne. At present the dsmsal comes from not
one woman probably in thousand. Nor do We
perceive that the cause makes Roadway snong
the women.