The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-19


United states, and OF the State wherein
they reside" it is evident
lst. That the immunities and priv-
neges OF American citizenship, however
defined, are national in character ,nd
paramount 10 all State autborifv
2d. That while the Constitntio,
leaves the qualification Of electors 10
the several States, it nowhere gives
them the right TO deprive anv citizen OF
the elective franchise. The state NAV
regulate, but not abolish, the right Of
suffrage for any class.
80. As the Constitution Of the United
states expressly declares that no state
snail make or enforce any law that shall
aOrldge the privileges or immunities Of
citizens OF the United States, those pro-
visions Of the several State constitutions
that exclude women from the franchise
on account of sex alike violate the spirit
and letter of the Federal Constitution.
4th. As thequestion of naturalization
is expressly withheld from the States.
and as the States would clearly have no
right 20 deprive Of the franchise natural
/ lied citizens, among whom women are
expressly included, still more clearly
have they no right to deprive native
| born wOmen-citizens OF this right.
Let me give you a few extracts from
the national Constitution upon which
these propositions are based. The fol-
lowing is the preamble:
owe, the people Of the United States,
in order 10 form more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tran
/ quillity, provide for the common defense,
/ promote the general welfare, and secure
the blessings Of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity, do ordain aud establish
this Constitution"
This is declared to be a government
'of the people" All power, il is said,
ceuters in the people Our State cOnsti-
tulions also open with the words, ave,
| the people" Does any one pretend to
say that men alone constitute races and
/ peoples? When we say parents, do we
not mean mothers as we'll as fathers I?
| When we say children, do we not mean
girls as well as boys? When we say
/ people, do we not mean women as well
as men2
When the race shall spring, Minerva
like, from the brains Of their fathers, IL
will be time enough thus to ignore the
fact that One-half the human family
are women. Individual rights, individ-
ual conscience and judgment are our
great American ideas, the fundamental
principles Of our political and religious
faith. Men may as well attempt TO do
our repenting, confessiug and believing,
as our voting; as well represent US at
the throne OF grace as at the ballot-bOx.
ARTICLE J, Sec. 9. No bill Of attain
der, or cE post factO law shall be passed;
no title OF nobility shall be granted by
the United States.
Sec. 10. No state shall pass any bill
OF attainder, &C post fnctO law, or law
impairing the obligation of contracts,
or grant any title Of nobility.
See Cummings vs.. State Of Missouri
Is Wallace Rep, 27S). EE parie Gar
land same vOlume).
Notwithstanding these provisions of
the Constitution, bills of attainder have
been passed by the Introduction Of the
word "malen into all the State consti-
tutions, denying woman the right Of
suffrage, aud thereby making sex a
crime. \ citizen DISTINGUISHED in a re-
public is citizen attainted. When we
place in the hands Of one class Of eiti-
zens the right to make, interpret, and
execute the law for another class wholly
unrepresented in the government, we
[ have made an order Of nobility. Uni
{ fNA"e+a AAAtAAAtANA'A sun &c lAAAE7 AlA ultl
sovereigus, all women slaves-the most
odious form Of aristocracy the world has
/ yet seen.
ARTICLE 4, Sec. .. The citizens OF
each State shall be entitled TO all priv
ileges aud immunities of citizens in the
several States.
The elective franchise is one Of the
/ privileges secured by this section. See
Colield vs.. Corryell a Washington
Circuit Reps, $50 cited and approved
iu Dunham vs. Lamphere l3 Gray Mass.
Rep, 276), and Bennett vs.. Boggs BALD
wins Rep, p. y, Circuit Court L. 81
ARTICLE 4, Sec. 1. The United States
shall guarantee to every State in this
Union republican form Of government.
How can that form Of government be
called republican in which one-half the
people are forever deprived of all par
ticipatiou i'm its affairs?
ARTICLE G. This Constitution, and
the laws OF the United States which
shall be made in pursuance thereof,
shall be the supreme law OF
/ the land; and the judges in every State
shall be bound thereby, anything in the
I Constitution or laws Of any State to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
Continued next week.