The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-06-27
Woman Suffrage in Michigan.
Ffom tine Detroit Daily Press OF April All

tile SESSION lOOh DlaCt lAt IlOASt.. lie
room was crowded, and among the
a good deal of Joking, and some serious
discussion, as will be seen in the follow
ing exhibit of the remarks made The
subject was joint resolution for sub
mitting to the people at the next gem
eral election Constitutional Amend
ment granting TO women the right to
vote. The resolution was made the
special order for the evening, and busi-
ness was practically set on foot by the
young Democratic member, Mr.. Perry,
of Oakland, who moved that all after
the word "resOlved" should be struck
out. After some little skirmishing,
Mr.. Ripley, of Saginaw, opened the dis
cussion.
"Mr. Chairman" said he, 'I have two
or three times set the ball rolling and
suppose l may as well start it now. /
wish chiefly 10 call your attention to the
claim made by Mrs. Gordon and Mrs.
HaZlett, both of whom have argued this
question before the Legislature lately.
They say that the right TO the ballot is
a natural right to which women are en-
titled. / claim that it is not natural
right; it is simply an artificial mode of
exercising an influence to produce re-
suit. 1t is only system that has been
generally agreed upon among us as a
part of the machinery of government.
It's working may indeed be controlled
by the smallest minority; measure
that passes this House with the whole
body of one hundred voting unanimously
in its favor, may be defeated by bare
majority Of the Senate, numbering II.
} If il passes the whole Legislature, it
: may be declared void by majority of
the Supreme Court, which consists of
four men, and it will then rest with only
one man to give the casting vote, in
: case there is a difference among the
) judges. 1 wish simply to take the
r ground that whatever else may be said
Of il, the franchise is not natural
right"
> Mr.. Caplis-tI have never given this
! subject any consideration before this
] evening, and have never read over the
joint resolution-neverthele / oppose
it. Not, Mr.. Chairman, because of any
antagonism TO women; on the contrary
admire and love them. Ironical
laughter.1 If, sir, the women OF
America really wished for any privilege
exclusively possessed by the other sex
Z would cheerfully vote to accord it to
them. But / think they do not want
this right; its exercise by them would
! alter the estimation in which they are
i held by the men. And il they them
: selves, as body, do not ask il, we arr
: not going to change the laws so as to ae
eommodate the vagaries of few en-
thusiasts. / have great respect fo
: many OF those who have advocated the
n theOry-John Stuart Mill, for example
=, but believe that in his ideas, that dis
tinguished Englishman is far in advanc,
g of his age. II would be futile and use
5 less to-day 10 submit the matter to th'
n citizens of the State; the female minC
A itself is not yet edncated up to it, al
though believe that in the aggregate
of merit, virtue and intelligence, the
J., women of our time are superior to the
=, men. Subdued laughter If the join
. resolution We're on the abstract ques
ton of merits, wisdom and intelligence
d ! would cheerfully vote for it, bat
i don't think the people Of Michigan are
d yet educated up to the point of Woman
-, Suffrage. Should we eXalt ourselves
% sir, in the esteem of the people of tht
u State, by passing such q resolution
IF think not, and have not supposed from
= the first that the measure would bt
! seriously considered"
:. Mr.. Welker-''These gentlemen wht
have addressed the committee hav,
e, made such grand and eloquent speeche.
d that we who have been listening have
ir been unable TO determine which was the
great star of the evening. Now, sir
y somebody must come out second best
lr and suppose that might as well speal
al and take my chances of holding tina
m position; IL the debate goes on mucl
:, longer / presume 1 shall come out thirC
II or fourth. Whether the people are ed
N ucated up to the point of giving womal
q. the ballot or not / cannot say, but
m know this much, that our Nationa
!, Platform promised to give the matter
candid consideration, and l think tina
~ 1t would show bad faith to choke of tn
N question without giving il a chance. /
Iv ought to 90 before the people. | wisl
:, there was some way to submit it to tn
IL fair sex themselves. There is anothe
I'd thing which it might be worth Will
for us to think of. Our State has led oi
,r in some great measures. It was tn
:, first to abolish capital punishment
ei whether wise or not, TO do so. The Re
IN publican party that crushed the rebel
4 lion was formed under the oaks of Jack
;o son. Michigan was among the first q
the front in the wartime, and anon
rs the last to leave the fields OF the South
And now, gentlemen, If this new enter
prise should be a success, wouldn't il b
grand thing for Michigan to set it o
er its feet?n
Mr.. Bartholomew-"Mr Chairman
If anything settles this question cor
clusively il is this extract from tn
Declaration of Independence: we hOl
these truths to be self-evident, that a
lg men are created equal; that they ar
is endowed by their Creator with certai
inalienable rights Now the questiO
rs is whether men alone are so endowed
n Governments, sir, were not institute
to for the benefit of one sex alone, but fC
on all human beings alike. Women ca
en- have the same right on this declaration
that men can, and can demand of L
ot, that right. Do you say that they d
w not want IL? Look around on thes
benches, crowded with ladies, and judg
N, whether they are interested or no
There have not been so many wome
in TO hear q discussion before durin
, this session."
NJ Mr.. Caplis--'T would be willing
en- leave it to a vote of the ladies present.
Mr.. Bartholomew-"We couldn't az
~ on vote from them IL We could,
&c wouldn't be afraid to submit it, the
would certainly vote for Il"
Mr.. Hoyt-"I hope if anybody hf
'Ses any objections TO the passage OF th
'ie resolution they will make them known
hone gentlemen won't simply sit sti
on and vote against it, and so overcome
'o- by a mere numerical force, but will Il
us hear their reasons for their oppOs
tion.n
de Mr.. West (who was not in his place.
?u "Nr. Chairman, have been somewhi
he amused and edited by this discussion
iad To ;o.,ot,,as a oupsffOu of princiDle. riQl