The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-06-14
NATILnA IosLYN GAGE.

MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE.
Matilda Joslyn Gage, secretary Of the
New York State Woman Suffrage AssO-
citation, addressed the committee as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Of the
=. Committee You have heard the gem
eral argument for women from Mrs.
Stanton, but there are women here from
all parts Of the Union, and each one feels
that she must say word 10 show how
united we stand.
It is because we have respect for law
that we come before you to-day. We
recognize the fact that in good law lies
the security of all our rights, but as
woman has been denied the constructive
rights OF the declaration and cOnstitu-
ti0n, she is obliged to ask for direct
recognition in the adoption Of a Six
teenth Amendment.
The first principle Of liberty Is divis-
ion Of power. In the country of the
Gar and the Sultan there is but little
liberty of thought or action. In limited
monarchies power is somewhat divided,
and we find larger liberty and a broader
civilization. Coming to the United
States, We find a still greater division Of
power, a still more extended liberty,
wider civil and religious and political
liberty. Respect goes with liberty. No |
nation ia the world is as respected as I
our own; no title as proud as that OF an /
American citizen; it carries with il 1
abroad q'prOtectiOn as large as did that /
OF Rome two thousand years ago. But
as proud as is this name of American /
citizen, il carries with it only shame /
and humiliation 10 One-half of the ma
ton. Woman has no part nor lot in
the matter. The pride Of citizenship is
not for her, for woman is still political
slave.
While the form of our government
seems 20 include the whole people, one
half Of them are denied right TO par
ticipate in its benefits, are denied the
right of self-government. Woman
equally with man has natural rights;
woman equally with man is a response
ble being
10 is said women are not ft for free
dom. Well, then, secure " freedom
and make Us fit for it, Macauley said
many politicians of his time were in
the habit Of laying it down as a self
evident proposition that no people were
fit 10 be free till they were in a condi-
tion to use their freedom; "but,n said
Macauley, "this maxim is worthy Of
the fool in the old story, who resolved
not 10 90 into the water till be had
learned to swim. II men Tor women)
y
good and wise in slavery, they may in
deed wait forever"
There has been much talk about pre-
cedent. Many women in this country
vote upon school questions, and in Eng-
land at all municipal elections / wish
10 call your attention a little farther
back 10 the time that the Saxons first
established free government in Eng
land. The desire of liberty flows in a
4
that day. Women. as well as men,
took part i'm the Wittenagemote, the
great national council of our Saxon an
eestOrs in England. When Whightred,
king Of Kent, in the seventh century,
assembled the national legislature at
Boghamstead TO enact new code Of
laws, the queen, abbesses. and many
ladies Of quality signed the deerees.
Also, at Beac0usdeld, the abbesses took
part in the council. In the reign of
Henry Ill, four women took seats in
parliament, and in the reign OF Edward
l., ten ladies were called to parliament
aud helped TO govern Great Britain.
Also, in 1852, Henry left his queen,
Eiinor, as keeper Of the great seal, or
lord chancellor while he went abroad.
She sat I'M the AUin RCgiG, the highest
court OF the kingdom, holding the high
est judicial power Of Great Britain.
Queen Elinor was mother Of Edward I
Que OF Eugland's greatest kings.
not only among our forefathers in
Great Britain do We find that women
took part M government, but going
back 10 the Roman Empire. we find the
Emperor Heliogabalus Introducing his
mother into the Senate, and giving her
seat near the cOnsuls He also estab-
lished senate Of women, which met
on the Coils Quirinalis. When An
relian was emperor he favored the rep
resentatiOn Of women, and determined
10 revive this senate, which in lapse of
time had fallen to decay. Plutarch
mentions that women sat and deliber-
ated in councils, and on questions of
peace and war
Hence We have preeedents extending
very far back into history.
IL is sometimes said that women do
not desire freedom. But | tell you the
desire for freedom lives in every heart.
IL may De hidden as the water of the
ueNeI-ir ireezingi rapid-hOwing river Neva
ls hidden. In the winter the ice from
lake lagoda floats down till il ia met
oy the Ice setting up from the sea. when
g uulsS aua form compact mass
over u. Men stand upon II. siedges rr,,
over II, splendii palaces ara buiit n,,,
~ but underneath all the Neva SIN
rapidly tows, itself unfrozen.
The presence Of these women b.r,-o
you shows their desire for freei,.,,
They have come from the North fr,o,
the South, from the East, from the n "a
aud from the far Pacific slope, demauJ
ing freedom for themselves and for All
women.
Our demands are often met bv the
most iutolerable tyranny. The Albany
EUeHiHQ Journal, one Of the most infl1-
euiial legal journals Of the great State
Of New York, had the assurance few
years ago to tell Miss Anthony aud my
self if we were not suited with "our
laws" we could leave the country.
What laws did they mean? Mems
laws. If We were not suited with these
mems laws, made by them 10 protect
Themselves, we could leave the country.
We were advised TO expatriate ourselves,
TO banish ourselves. But we shall not
do u. It is our country, aud We shall