The Republican journal., 1874-02-12
The Petitioners for Woman Suffrage

A large number OF petitions bearing tht
signatures Of about sixteen hundred per
sons have been presented TO the Legisla
1ure asking for the ballot for woman. These
petitions come from towns in ten of tho
counties in the State Many more coulC
easily have been obtained, had the Woman
Suffrage Society been in the possession OF
nuncs of persons willing to circulate the
petitions. The greater number Of petitions
and the larger number of signers come
from the eastern part Of the State Ihi,
Is exactly what might have been expected
tor Washington and Hancock counties
were the principal fields of the labors of
Mrs Campbell. the only public speaker on
woman suffrage who has ever attempted
40 make a systematic canvass in this State
Ii appears that a feeling favorable to the
reform is rapidly making headwa1 among
:sn influential part Of the people-men and
women whose public advocacy ofthe cause
will greatly accelerate its progress among
the masses Take the petition from Belfast
for instance This is headed by Judge
DickersOn Of the Supreme Court and his
accomplished wife. who is most vigorous
and efficient worker for woman's emanci-
patton IN that part Of the State. Among
the other signers are Hon Axel IIayiord.
Hon. A. g. ,Jewett and Hon VIM Pitcher,
;tIl eX-Mayors of the city W. H. Simpson,
the famous editor Of that sparkling Dem
ofrat;c paper, the Belfast journal, Hon.
VIM H. Mcclellan and Gen F. S. Nicker-
SON, leading lawyers, Geo. +. Bracket and
many others including number OF clergy
men and physicians. In most cases tho
wives of the gentlemen named have also
signed There are other names on this
Wei%hty petition Of people equally prom
inent but we only mention here, as in
other cases, few that happen to be f;tmil-
ian to us Mrs. Dickerson, in transmitting
the petition SAYS: II am happy to inform
you that there is a perceptble increase Of
interest in the woman question, especially
in 50 far as it embraces the temperance
question: She also says: The petition in
Guides the entire bar, and | could have
doubled the list in another week
On the mammoth petition obtained in
Ellsworth by Mrs Ann T Greeley, whose
womanly spirit and great capacity, earn
rStlv enlisted in the cause have done much
Ia popularizc the cause Of woman among
her neighbors, we find the names Of Hon
Jom d. Hopkins, Judge Drinkwater
John F Whitcomb, Esq, ofGov Dingley'
staff, with many other leading citizens
with their wives.
Mrs II f. Litchiic.d Of Bath say tina
on her petition are four clcrgymen, one
Judge, and other prominent people,
Mrs w " Rice of Thomaston, wife al
the warden OF the State Prison. and one O
the noblest of the daughters of Maine
sends one of the largest petitions Mrs
Rice, whose humane eXertions in bchal
of our conyicts ought to place her nam,
in the same list with those of Florence
Nightingale. Julia Ward Howe and Other
women philanthropists, writes that she
spent only day or two in circulating thu
petition which bears the name Of thre,
clergymen and their wives, three Judges
three lawyers, two physicians, two banl
presidents and Edward X O,Brien who's
name is known the world over as 4hil
builder.
On the Rocl1land petition, forwarde
hy Rev 4. II. Sweetsir are the names q
many professional men, T. Pope NosC
editor the Gazette and Edwin A Spragu
of the Free Press.
From Orono, Mrs. c. b. Foster send
with other names, those of the college ta(
ulty and their wives.
From Lewiston and Auburn Ara Cusll
man, the leading boot and shoe manlta(
turer ia the State, sends the names of fly
clergymen 7. l.. Dingley of the LeWisto
journal and many others.
In Machas, at the instance of Mis- Pen
niman Mason H. Wilder and G. q. Fun
BUSH editor and proprietor Of the Repu
lican, Geo. w Drisco of the Union Den
ocratic,) two clergymen am many othel
Joined in petition to the Legislature.
1t will be seen from these facts, furnisl
ed us BIZ the Executive Committee Of tn
Maine Woman Suffrage Association, tha
it can no longer be truthfully said that til
ballot is demanded for women only by
few restless agitators, who busy then
selves in advocating it for want Of othe
occupation The case seems still strongt
when we look over the list Of prominer
gentlemen in the State, not on the pet
lions, who are outspoken and earnest advC
Gates Of Woman Suffrage, including sue
men as Hon A. p Morrill,, Hon. Geo.
Talbot, Hon. T. b. Reed, W. =. White
house Esq, Hon. Joshua Nye, Gen S.
Hersey and many others of our most int
ligent, practical, sagacious, progressiv
and eminent public men. The cause hG
now taken so firm a hold on the masses
the people and so enlisted the interest
persons in all stations, that it cannot |
safely ignored or sighted by the mo
wary politician With the press Of Il
State almost unit in its favor and 5
strong popular support Maine should
the hrst State to remove political disabl
tiles from woman.