The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-26
Address to the People Of San Jose.

. N--~ 49, ~ N--N . ~ - - -
Mrs. Sarah L. Knox, of San Jose. a
woman who has given literally Of her
means, time, and influence in aid of the
woman's cause, publishes in the Ner-
curry Of the eth inst the following:
I In Wednesdays Mercury we read an
article with the above heading, and as
/ il is a response to the citizens by the cit
I liens committee, and for the purpose of
selecting citizens ticket, but addressed
/ to the people, we feel that we may be
/ permitted to say few words in behalf
Of the people who are not recognized as
citizens in this sO-called republic, ex-
cept as taxpayers, and when any or
them are SO unfortunate as to commit a
crime or break law, in which they
have had no part in making, then, aud
only then, are they citizens.
The committee, after speaking Of the
spirit which characterizes the invita-
ton, and urging the disregard Of party,
and so on, in broad and liberal man
ner, comes to this conclusion: That il is
to the interest OF the republic that there
exist the most complete equality be-
tween her citizens, and that any policy
by which class distinctions are either
created or strengthened is poisonous in
principle and dangerous in practice.
That is just our opinion; and we would
like to ask the committee, as well as the
citizens who appointed the committee,
if il does not look very much like class
distinction when one-half the people,
aud, as they we'll know, a large number
of the tax-paying citizens, are denied
the privilege of even voice in the So
called republic. ] say so-called for the
reason that, according to Webster, re-
public is a state in which the exercise of
the sovereign power is lodged in repre-
sentatives elected by the people. PeO-
pie, he says, are body of persons who
compose a community, town, city, or
nation. Women certainly compose a
part of the community, and We think
they are persons, Notwithstanding there
has been some doubts and difference
Of opinion on that point. When wOm-
en- claimed-the right to the ballot under
I the Fourteenth Amendment, which
says, "all persons born or naturalized IN
/ the United States, and subject to the
/ Jurisdiction thereof, are citizens Of the
| United States aud of the State where
they reside" the citizens, the people,
and the lawmakers said that did not
mean women.
Then the Fifteenth Amendment says,
'the right of citizens Of the United
/ States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by
any State, on account of race, color, or
previous condition Of servitude." They
tell US that don't still mean women;
that means the black man, who was re-
created and made fellow-citizen dur
ing the late little unpleasantness be-
tween the North and South. And there
exists now the most complete equality
between that class of citizens and the
other class, who few years ago did all
in their power to prevent them from be-
coming citizens.
Is il difficult, think You, gentlemen,
for Us women to see where class legisla-
tiOn and class distinction come in? 1t
is the ballot that has made the black
man a feliOw-citizen, and not his free
dom. He might have had freedom
without the ballot, until the last one of
his race was blOtted out. Class distinc-
tiOns are felt by the subjects in this re-
public as much as in any other, and
when l say subjects / mean the women
who are bound to obey laws in which
they have had no voice in making. Aud
now, gentlemen, as you admit that you
are not in favor of class distinctions, we
ask of you in sending your representa-
tives to the constitutional convention,
you send those who are also opposed to
class distinctions, and who, when they
proclaim that all men are created equal
/ (which in law means women, mean
what they say, and will do all in their
power for the sake of justice, truth, and
the country, to make this portion of the
United States what it has so long pro-
fessed 10 be, a republic, by giving wom-
en- in California the ballot, and for once
in the memory of man let this govern
ment derive its just powers from the
consent of the governed. Then, and not
until then, will class distinctions be
abolished