Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-01-11
The Woman SufFragfsts.


HC Vi the woman movement
who have been in attendance at the Woman
Suffrage Convention here for the past few
days, We're given hearing by the Senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections this MORN
ing. Among the ladies present were Isabe LA
Beecher Hooker, Mrs. DR.. Lozier, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton, Sara j. A. Spencer Matilda
JoceiynGage, Mrs. L. b. Harbert, Miss Julia
smith, Belya Lockwood, esq, Mother Stewart,
and all of the prime movers in the woman's
suffrage movement in this country. The large
room OF the committee was filled to overflow
ing with female spectators. The members of
leigh, Mitchell, HOar, Cameron of Wisconsin,
Mcmillan. Hill and Salisbury.
DIR: CLEMENCE LozIEE,
PRESIDENT OF the WOmaA'S Suffrage ASS0cia-
ton, was the first speaker. She stated briefly
the reasons why the women desired hearing
before the committee, and read letter from
same rights as men. The Doctor followed the
reading of this letter with short, pointed
speech on the subject Of granting suffrage to
women. in which she presented in concise
form many of the strongest arguments in favor
of women's rights.
Mrs. Lozier Introduced to the committee one
OF the Oldest most determined and mOtherly
maids in the country,
MISS JULIA SMITH, OF GLASTONBURY. CONN.
Miss Smith said she had been brought here
by oppression which would make wise man
mad. She told the Well-knOWn story of her
difficulties with the tax collector of Glaston-
bury, the seizure OF her cows, which We're sold
one farthing of taxes until she was given her
lawful representation in the creation of the
laws of the land. The speech was delivered in
the most matrOnly manner possible, and re-
celved warm applause.
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON
followed, making the speech of the day. She
read her remarks, which bore evidence of
careful preparation, and set forth the woman
suffrage question in its most logical and pre-
sentable aspect. The legal points of her argu-
ment were well grounded and carefully made
lhIL nf a nd fAh iFnfx
the Capitalization of power, with their respect
i've bearings on the question of woman suf-
frage, were considered. Mrs. Stanton claimed
that il is nonsense to talk of such a thing as
state rights until national liberty is given all
citizens OF the country. She quoted high Judi
cial opinions to show that in cases where the
lawlesSly invaded the federal government has
declared itself pOwerleSS to interfere in the
states and punish the criminal. The
rights of a citizen of the, United States
in France, England, or almost any foreign
nation are more secure than in one of our own
states. The trainers ofths government left to
the states the sole right OF the protection ofthe
rights of their people The people are supposed
TO have equal rights. If underthe constitution,
AL persons, irrespective of sex. color or condi-
ton, do not have equal rights, then the consti-
tanned that il is in conflict with the idea of ma
ti0nal unity that citizens shall be'remanded to
their states to obtain projection of their rights.
If, in the constitution, the rights of the hum
blest and weakest individual are not respect
ed, the authority of the ruling powers in the
future, when education and knowledge shall
have become wide spread will be greatly
weakened and endangered. Mrs Stantons
points were strengthened by quotations from
speeches and opinions of President Hayes, ex-
Secretary Wade, of Ohio; Chief Justice Waite,
Attorney General DevenS and others.
MATILDA JOCELYN GAGE,
president of the Woman Suffrage Association
OF New York. followed Mrs. Stanton. She
wants a sixteenth amendment to the conStitu-
tnltlt Ip1
the position that women are capable OF gov
erning by quoting precedents where power
has been successfully entrusted to women.
from the days OF the Saxon rulers to the pres
ent time.
MOTHER STEWART. OF DELAWARE.
made an interesting speech at the close OF
rights as the fathers, husbands sons. and man
kind generally, of the land and she does not
doubt her ability to use those rights properly.
She said she had four sons. every one a demo
crat: one Son-in-law, also a democrat: and she
is a democrat herself. She appealed to the
demOcratst to give her suffrage. She wanted
frage, and she told how she nursed the sons of
Southerners i'll the late war in our prisons and
hospitals.
ELIZABETH BoYNToN HARBERr,
Of Illinois, quoted from letter written by
John Quincy Adams to his wife, on the subject
OF his mother-lnlaw and women in general: of
In lne Glities they owe to the community as well
as their households and the domestic sphere
Taxation without representation Mrs. Harbert
protested against. She gave the records of
women as rulers for centuries past. Mrs
Harbert believes that, as a rule, woman is the
peer OF man, and cited as one instance the
case of Miss Peabody, of Boston, who received
larger vote for her position on the school
board than any one who ever held the position
before
MRS. PRISCILLA LAWRENCE
OF Boston, closed the speaking of the day. She
claimed that the oppression, stealing, and cor
ruptiGn i'll politics grew out of withholding
1r0m women the right of suffrage. She also
had other opinions about suffrage than those
generally advanced by the women engaged in
the movement She said that suffrage as it
exists is a fraud. She wanted the drllnkard
dlsfranchised. because man who cannot gov
ern himself is incapable of governing others.
She wished criminals DISTINGUISHED, because
men who break laws are not tit to select law
makers.
At the conclusion of the speech Mrs. Spencer
inquired if they could have another hearing
tomorrow, and the committee agreed to give
the ladies another hearing OF two hours. be-
ginning tomorrow at 10 4. m.