National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-05-09
SEVERAL TRIAL TRIPS
Eentennisl Anneal for Woman Suffrage.

The Committee on the District of Columbia,
House of Representatives, gave n hearing on
Saturday at u o'clock n. m. to the representa-
tives of the National and District Of Columbia
Woman Franchise Associations upon the Centen-
NAL memorial introduced into the House of Rep
resentatives March 81, asking for equal suffrage
for men and women in the District Of Columbia.
Mrs. Sara J. Spencer, president of the District
of Colum bia Woman Franchise Association, said:
Mr.. Chairman, and Gentlemen Of the Commit
tee If any business awaits your attention of more
Importance TO the people of this country than the
rights of ten millions of women citizens Of this
Republic, that business must be larger measure
than this Forty fourth Congress has yet been
able to achieve.
She proceeded to review the legislation of the
past seventysx years in behalf of the District by
the assembled masculine wisdom of the nation,
all their attempts being succession of failures,
because based upon injustice and wrong, upon
might and not right, upon the subOrdinatiOn of
moral force to material interests; reviewed the
decisions of the courts in the District woman suf
frage cases, appealing from their Inconsistencies
to common sense and humanity; called attention
to the neglect and abuse with which the whole
country had afiicted the long-sutfering District
the desOlate, disOwned, abandoned child of the
nation rich only in fruit for stattOn-hOuses, aims
houses. and jGiIs; and asked If these honorable
gentlemen believed that the wives and the mothers
in this capital of the United States had no in
crest in all these things.
Mrs. Spencer proceeded to review popular OBJ
jcctiCns, and demanded for the weakest and most
wretched of her sex the right to be tried and
Judged 10y Jury Of her GERS. If the weakest and
most ignorant OF men needed the protection of the
ballot far more do the wrUnged. the deserted, the
betrayed among women. Yet we allow the be-
trayer 10 be her judge, her law-maker, her execu-
toner.
Miss. Lilly ID. Wood, vice president Of the Dis
trict of Columbia association, said she trusted
men would be too brave and courteous to deny
right and justice 10 women until * becomes p0-
litcal necessity. in the Of the colOred IN an
Mr.. Buckner, of Mo-, asked if they were re-
quired 10 do military duty.
Mrs. Spencer said, Women. mothers, fur
nished the whole army, and that AT countless
cost, and when men are slain their hearts are
broken. Therefore, women wouidfvote for peace,
not war: arbitration, not bloOGshed."
Mrs. Spencer then introduced Mrs Mary 4. >.
Carey, a cultivated colOred lady, who spoke at
some length,
Mr.. Henkle, of Nd, asked Mrs. Spencer if Con-
gress should decide TO submit the question Of
suffrage in the District to vote Of its citizens
men and women. if she and her associate ladies
would be willing to abide by that decision.
Mrs. Spencer said. Try whatever experiments
You like. and we will vote on that or any other
issue, ut will not rest upon the result
The women of this District bound TO the will Of
men. They can only earn their bread at mans
good pleasure and upon his terms. ! would not
abide by their first vote or their second. claim
the ballot on higher grounds than popular favor.
Women need the ballot TO help themselves out of
their helplessness and consequent subservency to
mans will
The committee continued the discussion for two
hours, and asked that Mrs. Spencer argument be
printed for distribution in the House and Senate