The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-04-09
FEMALE SUFFRAGE.
Decision of the Supreme Court Denying the
Right of Women to Vote.

The following is an abstract of the
opinion recently delivered by the United
States Supreme Court, in the case Of
Miner VS.. Hoppersatt, denying to women
the right of suffrage. The opinion was
delivered by Chief-Justice Waite, all the
Associate-Justices concuTing
This is the case presenting the question
whether under the Fourteenth Amendment a
woman who is a citizen of the United States
and of a State is voter in the State, notwith-
standing the provisions of the Constitution and
the laws of that State contne the right of suf-
frage to men alone. 1t is said that women are
citizens They are persons, and therefore
under the Fourteenth Amendment declared 10
be citizens of the State wherein they reside
But it did not require that amendment to make
them SUCH They WERE before persons and
people. and were not in terms excluded from
citizenship by the Constitution. The Federal
Constitution was ordained by the people of the
United States, composed of the people of the
several States, and whoever at the time of it's
adoption was one of the people became citizen.
All children born of citizen parents within the
jurisdiction are themselves citizens. The nat
uraliZation laws are reviewed to show that
women have always been considered citizens
the same as men; also the laws giving
jurisdiction in Federal cases. 1t is then said
that the Fourteenth Amendment did not
affect the citizenship Of women any more than
it did of men, and thus minors rights do not
depend upon it. She has always been a citizen
from her birth, entitled to all the privileges
immunities etc. Of citizenship. The amend
ment prohibited the State in which she lives
from abridgiyg any of those rights. The right
of suffrage is not made in terms one of the
privileges of the citizen. The United States
has no voters, and no one can vote for Federal
without being competent 10 vote for state. Off
cers. The elective officers of the United States
L. 4
the States. The amendment did not add TO the
privileges or mmunities of the citizen; it simply
furnished an additional guarantee for the pro-
lection of such as he already had. Nor is the
right of suffrage co-eXtensive with the citizen
ship Of the State. When the Federal Constitu-
ton was adopted. all the States but Rhode
Island had Constitutions of their own. III not
one of which were all citizens recognized as
entitled TO this right. And under all these cir
cumstances it cannot be for moment doubted
that if it had been intended TO make citizens of
the United States voters the trainers of the
Constitution would have 20 expressed that inten-
ton, and not have left so important a change in
the condition OF citizenship, as it then existed
20 implication. But if further evidence is
needed il is TO be found in the provisions of the
Constitution. If suffrage Is necessarily a part
of citizenship, then the provisions of the Con-
stltution which gives citizens of each State all
the privileges and immunites of citizens in the
State to the right TO vote in the several States
precisely az the citizens of those States are.
Other provisions. among them that relating to
the apportionment of representatives. were
cited TO the same point. But still again. after
the adoption Of the Fourteenth Amendment il
was found necessary TO use in the Fifteenth
Amendment the following language The
right of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any State OH account of race. color
or previous condition of servitude' The Four
teenth Amendment had provided against any
abridgment of the privileges or immunities
of citizens, and if the right of suffrage
is one Of them, why amend the Con-
stitution further to prevent its being
denied on account Of race. color, ETC.? The
duty of the United States to guarantee to the
State republican form of government is dis
charged in protecting those governments which
were recognized as being republican i'll form by
the Constitution when adopted. The govern
ments of the States being then accepted il must
be assumed that they are such az are to be
guaranteed. The admission of new States il
then considered, and it il found that there is
nothing TO favor the idea that suffrage is right
Of citizenship, but everything to repeal il also.
the restoration of the States TO the Union after
the war. none OF them having provided for fe-
male suffrage. Besides. a person who has sim
ply declared his intentions to become citizen
Of the United States may vote under certain
in Missouri and other States and
Ibis could not be if suffrage depended upon the
light of citizenship. The court are unanimous
n the opinion that the Constitution Of the
United States does not confer the right of suf-
rage upon any one, and that the Constitutions Of
he several States which commit the trust to
men alone are not necessarily void. Affirmed