Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-13
THE COMING WOMAN.
Annual Meeting of tho Maine Woman Suf-
frage AssOciatiOn-Lnrge Meeting
Speeches by Lucy Stone, Mrs. WoOisOn,
Rev. Miss Haines, Miss Ia stmaE nd tn

Rev. Miss Haines, Miss Ia stman and 9TH
trs.
The Maine Woman Suffrage Association con-
vened for its annual session in the Representatives
Hail. yesterday afternoon. The hall and galleries
were flied. Some doubtless came out of curiosity
anxious to hear the arguments, and see the dstin-
guished opponents Of the right of woman to the
ballot; but most in dead earnest in the matter
and had that determined look that seems resolved
to tell of wrongs that ought to be righted, of the
ballot just ahead, and anxious lady ready to
grasp and WELD it. The present legal voters had
to take back seats, while the ladies pressed forward
to the front.
The large meeting was called to order by Judge
Kingsbury Of Portland, President Of the Associa-
ton.
Prayer was offered by Miss Angel Of Canton,
The President then made few Introductory re-
marks and said it pleasure to look upon this
audience; thought was as competent legislature
as ever sat in this hall. Spoke Of woman's work
in the cause of popular liberty, and her capacity
and willingness TO inaugurate great measures.
The black men who could not read the foreigners
are given the right to yote but woman is denied
tina, right. He denied that it would make VIC men
masculine. Urged the reading Of Judge Dckin-
sons able opinion on the subject.
Dr. Blackwell was called upon and said he be-
lieved that the government of the people was the
best government; and that can be only when men
and women cooperate. Without CO operation of
the sexes there can be no happy results No State
in the Union except Kansas where the woman has
equal rights with the man in the Children he can
dispose of his sons and daughters without the H.
terpositon of the mother
| The mother can have control Of any Of the chill
dren only after the family is broken up. The mar
rage relation is mastery the part OF the husband
and servitude the part of the wife; she is really
| in theory a slayc-the society and practice of
Maine, though, is certainly above that. We ask
for woman suffrage because believe that voting
is not right conferred on man alone 1t will help
TO moralize polincs; make the caucus and the bal
lot box pure Women who are declared by the
l4th amendment to be citizens have the right TO the
ballot. He plead for this oppressed portion Of our
citizens. Said that woman suffrage was no new
thing but that it existed one hundred and fifty years
ago under the colonial government and now ex-
| lists in England and Holland. We now ask that
| the prohibition which exists st this time be re-
moved. Asked that women participate IN local
elections and for President, and after the expert
ment in that if it does not work well, you can re-
peal the law at any time. Thought that Name
was better field for the trial than Massachusetts,
Women will vote right en- every moral question.
If we expect to maintain a high standard Of tenn
perance and morals, We must incorporate this con.
| servatve element into our politics.
| A letter was received from Judge Dickinson,
saying that he regretted his inability TO be pres
ent and expressing his sympathy with the obJects Oh
| the Association.
| Miss Eastman, of Lowell, Mass was the next
| speaker. Wished that we could have the oblec-
lions TO woman suffrage concisey stated, that we
might combat them. She stated that woman is as
individual as man; relations to God and man as
| direct as his. She never work out these OBJ
| legations until she has the fleest of all her
faculties; cannot have these until she stands be-
| fore the law as the peer Of man. She gave some
what of the history Of the movement in the early
ages to recognize he rights OF women In the
| great questions that are now open that concern
ALL shall not all join in the settlement OF them
Intelligent, thinking women are not satlshed that
else shall take care of every political mat
| ter for them. Urged women to arouse themselves
| from their negative position Would not charge
men with gross injustice, as they had been born to
| look upon woman as not free, and 1t Will be hard
work to educate themselves. But why are we
| timid Because we have been born into these
| into these things' Why not learn: 10 deny
/ woman share in the counsels of the State and
| Nation shows that cling TO the old errors.
| Men are guilty if they choose to remain IN that
position. Sacrifices must be made before the final
| triumph.
| Lucy Stone was introduced and enthusiastically
received. This is plain, common sense question,
and it is clear that the wonder Is that II has not
been carried years ago. The new Governor OF
| Massachusetts had ignored the women in his mes
| sage; only that when they so to prison they be
imprisoned properly and decently. They had
been served as shabbily by other magistrates, and
this large and wealthy class, paying taxes, arc
u
Judges ON the Supreme Court of Maine had taken
the side of women. The constitutional commls-
sion have added those guilty of bribery, to the
| Indians and the women, IN eXemptlng from voting.
How can we join in the centennial celeoraton
| when we are doing what King George did and
against which our fathers pledged their lives and
fortunes and sacred honors The law is unequal
for women, and the sense Of shame ought to
prompt men to do their duty They hold their
right to vote above price, and yet look into the
| ut hafr mOthpIs- lehSnO
God given rights which they so earnestly contend
for themselves. These wives and daughters, these
mothers and sisters who sacrificed so much for
their country during the war OF the rebellion,
come at its close to ask for their political rights,
and they are classed with Indians and idiots and
put in the same category with JEFF Davis, the arch
traitor, from whom the exercise of the right OF
suffrage has been taken And in face Of this
comes the centennial. There will be celebration
and an exhibition also-a celebration of the deeds
of the glorious fathers of the republic; an exhi-
bition Of fifteen millions Of men, inheritng power
achieved one hundred years ago, and boldly with
holding that right from women. Claimed that
woman needed the ballot for her own sake; she
ought not to be the needless paything and butter
fly of fashion, but her place by the side of the era
die and in the formation of the characters of those
who arc to form society and the world, is an i'm.
porant one, and she needs everything that will
give her help for her great task. Wher
the pulpit become moth-eaten and the nobles
works of the architect crumble to ruin, woman
work will stand But amid grave difficulties WON
an has ascended the platform, the pulpit and wor
the physicians diploma. In eloquent Language
in closing, she urged her hearers to take a cour
ageous, manly step, and remove the political hin
ORANGES.
The meeting then adjourned to evening
EVENING.
Notwithstanding attractions elsewhere, the hal
was well filled in the evening. After calling t.
order, prayer was offered by Rev. MIR. Munson o
Turner.
Rev Mr. Gage of Lewiston was the first speak