, 1875-10-08
THE LEdA LITY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

GINA l. M1son md FnAScls AI1son, her
husband, q. nrEsE HAppEasEr7 from tho
decision Of tho Supreme Court OF tho State
OF Miss ouri, in favor OF tile defendant, sntis-
factor0 y settles tho question Of wou.an-suf-
fringe, go far IS tho courts aro concerned.
Tue f5upremo Court has definitely and uu-
mist akably declared that tile Fourteenth
Am endment Of the Constitution does not
corfer upon woman the right to vote. Tho
Court nflirma in tho decision TINT women
have always boon considered citizens under
The Constitution and entitled to all tho priri~
ieges and in,muuitios OF citizenship, but in
the admission Of this general paint tho
Court decides that suffrage il not one OF tue
privileges and imnunities OF tho citizen, aud
that it is nowhoro made so in express terms,
und oven further than this, that suffrage
was not cooxtcnsive with the citizenship of tho
States at tho time Of its adoption. Applying
these general facts to tho constitutional
amendments, tho Court shows that tho fra,,-
crs of the Fourteenth Amendment uever con-
templated that 1t conferred tho right Of
suffrage even upon tho colorod persons be-
causo 1t invested thom with citizenship, aud,
taking this Wow, they framed the Fifteenth
Amendment to prevent my State denying
them the right Of suffrage bocanso Of race,
color, or previous condition Of seryitudc.
Upon this point the Court said
The Fourteenth Amendment had already provided
that no State should mako or enforce any law vlIc
Should nbs!go the prisuXes or lnmunses OF citizens
Of tho United statos. II suffrage ono of thcsc
privileges 1nmuuities why amend the Constitution
1,nin al
Nothing u mora evident than that the greates must
4ncluls s less and II Al! alroady protected WHY
10 through With tho form Of amending tho Cuna,itu.
ton project part7
The decision closed with the following
definite statement
Certainly II tho courts can consider Any Quest!on
settled Tits II ono. For nearly ninety years. tho
people have 4cted upon tha idea that tho Constitution
when It conferred citizenship did not noceasarly con-
fer ths right Of suffrage. II uniform practice long
continued settle ihs construction Of 70 important
All instrument - the Constitution OF the United staos
confossedy H. most certainly 1t LAa been doue heee
Our province II 10 dec!1o what tho law IT, not 10 de-
clare what 1t should bo. Ws have given this caro- the
careful confederation ts Importance domknda II the
law wrong ought to 10 changed hui tie power for
that IL no. With us. The Argumeuts addressed to us
boariug upon such Wow Of tho subject may ptrhsps
b. sufficient to induce those having the power to mako
tho alteration, but they ought not 10 be permitted to
inaueHce our judgment In dotet1ntnin9 the present
rights Of ths parties ugattug bsloro H. No srcunout
~ 10 romena need ot suffrage eau b. considered,
ws can only Let upon her rtghs a. they axist Il IL
not for u 10 look At tas harship Of whholdu9 Our
duty s ut eul u ua mud II u within ths power Of
= Btate to Withhold.
This dsciBion, which wAs uuanim Gus, and
which virtually tolls the adyocates Of WON.
ems rights that they cannot obtain the right
to vote In the courts, sinca the Constitution
does not convey any auch right, removes agi.
tation from ono quarter. It is the last We
snail hear from oman.sudrage In tho courts.
1ts advocates, II they wish 70 get to ths polls,
hnvo now but Que way left to accomplish It,
namely, by legislative cnRctments. But as
legislative enactmonts aro framed by public
opinion, and aa public opinion has always
been conservative on this question, and in
tho largo majority Of tho States porsistently
hostile to it, 1t ia probably tho last we shall
hear Of this folly for some time to coma. At
least, 1t will require au amount Of labor to
change popular opinion which even tho most
carnest and garrulous Of tho woman's.rights
advocates will shrink from. Tho only com.
pensasion which they can obtain at present
Is to take up residence in Wyoming Territory,
where they can yots to their hearss' content,
with no Tyrant Iaa 10 aak, Why do you
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