The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-03-14
The Fourteenth Amendment.

Of her hopes-a final decision on the
right TO vote under the recent amend
ments TO the Constitution. Miss An
1 thony is not in the remOtest degree
/ likely to gain her case, nor II u were
ever so desirable that women should /
vote, would hers be good case. When I
so important change in our Constitu-
| tiOn as she proposes is made, II wiil oe
done openly, and Enthusiastically ana not
be left to the subtle Interpretation oi
clause adopted for n wholly different
purpOse.-NeiO York Times.
In the above editorial item, l find
three assertions, on each of which allow
me TO make few comments.
First-Iou say ''Aliss Anthony Is not
in the remotest degree likely to gain her
case"
When she first applied to Henry B.
Selden, one of the ablest lawyers in the
State of New York to defend her in the
Courts, he said, 'You have no law 10
stand upon, and do not like to go into
Court with any client whose case is not
backed by law"
"Gou are mistaken, sir" said Miss
Anthony; 81 have law, Constitution,
, and the opinions of able Judges and
lawyers on my side, and here are the
documents for your thoughtful consider
alton, and 500 fee for your trouble. /
will call again in a few days, after you
have had time 10 read the Federal Con-
stitution with its amendments and the
debates thereon from time to time, with
Ben Buffers Report on our memorial
, to Congress, and the able arguments of
lawyers and decisions of Judges in cases
similar to mine already tried in differ
ent Courts, which, if you will read, |
think you will change your opinion"
Z Judge Selden read and studied the
case for days, and found it question Of
constitutional law, involving not only
a Susan b. Anthony's right to vote, but
c the fundamentally principles of our repuh-
lican government.
When Miss Anthony called on Judge
I Selden a second time she found him an
- enthusiastic supporter of our demand
n under the Fourteenth Amendment. He
exclaimed, on seeing her, "There is law
= enough, not only to protect you in the
V exercise of your right to vote, but to en-
+. franchise every woman in the land"
y In the case of Myra Bradwell VS.. the
L State of Illinois, i'm which the plaintiff
was denied the right to practice law on
\ the ground that she was n married
woman, Hon. Matt. Carpenter, who ar
e gued the case in the Supreme Court,
took the ground that, under the Four
to practice law; aud he based his argu-
ment on the last sentence of section l OF
l. the Federal Constitution: "NO
State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges and
immunities of citizens of the United
States"
quote this case merely TO show that
e our most astute thinkers see new safe
], guard for the rights of women rs well as
ie negroes in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
"A Amendments. As lawyers are the best
class of thinkers i'm our country, and as
/ every one who has studied woman's suf-
n frage as constitutional question has
m declared her right to some new privil-
~ eyes under the Fourteenth Amendment
: / think Miss Anthony's case stands 6
10 fair chance for n favorable decision in
Di the Supreme Court of the United States
especially if Chief Justice Chase's life i.
II spared until it reaches there.
Second-You say Miss Anthony's "i'
q not a good case"
Id What could be better? \ Republic
in can officer arrests Republican woman
> for voting clean Republican ticket
: As an active supporter of n party tina
u has lust gone into power with sucl
rs overwhelming majorities, this is pc
-e culiarly great case. In all other case
% thus far tried, women have been plain
- tifIs, and thus have had all the aggres
IL sive steps to make, and expenses to pay
he but now we have the United States VS.
SIX Susan b. Anthony. This mild, modes
to maid has nothing to do of an offensiv
character. She obeys the Marshal ant
'h studies the Constitution. The Unite,
a States pays her travelling expenses, TO
at her breakfast and diuners, and furnishe
I'm her with an easy chair and good com
pany on state occasions.
III Then, too, Miss Anthony is n womal
)n of brains; she could defend herself il
it. amy court, aud if she should get an ad
,5 verse decision and be sentenced to Sin
Sing for illegal voting, she wOul
OF calmly accept the punishment, and b
he great even under so sore an atilictiOn.
mr. Third-You saw, "When so importan
-. a change in our Constitution as she pro
y poses is made, it will he done openl
ot and unmistakably, and not be left TO tn
subtle Interpretation of clause adopte
les for a wholly different purpose"
:, Those who claim that women M
"citizens" and already possessed of tn
ne right TO vote, propose no further chang
le- in the Constitution. We think we hav
in guarantees enough already TO proteC
- every citizen under Government.
We are not driven to the subtle inter
OF. pretation of a clause, for the whole lettC
nd and spirit OF the Constitution show tina
ne document to be our great charter {
-. rights, made to secure the blessing {
-" liberty to all the ''citiZens" of the Re
ny public, and as it is the duty Of the 81
Ter preme Court so to interpret its language
ar, women are making earnest efforts
ig, have their claims adjudicated at thi
hu tribunal.
Women should be enfranchised by
oil judicial decision. Though England Ina
held slaves for centuries, yet in th
"Somerset case" Lord Mansfield, by
judicial decision, not only set the ma
free, but declared that no slave cOul
ns, breathe on the soil of Great Britain
re The Chief Justice of Massachusetts abO
,ro ished slavery in that State by simila
no decision, without any amendment {
on the Constitution. Thus you see, NJ
ID Editor, it is not new thing we are ash
or ing of our sires and sous to-day; for alb
at judges have led the way. Neither is
w an unimportant thing, for injustice
mo- the ehumblest citizen involves the Ill
III erty of all. This is not simply que
nv tion of woman's enfranchisement, but
,c- involves the settlement of Federal an
er- State rights and powers, constitution;
cts law, and republican institutions.
M Respectfully yours,
are ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.
lg. WoMAN's RIGHTS BEYOND JORDAN
on Nasby's poem, "Hannah Jane" an
tly Greeley's prose, alike give pitiiul pi.
eX- lures of the subordination of woman
: q her DreseDt Dosition, Ignorant, hell