New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-02-16
CURIOUS PETITIONS.

Robert Burns.
CURIOUS PETITIONS.
The right of expressing their opin-
ions and making known their desires by
petition, has always been dearly cher
ished and abundantly exercised by En-
glishmen, who find satisfaction in
having said their say, even if nothing
comes of it.
Under the Declaration of Rights the
like privilege undoubtedly appertains
to the weaker sex; but whether it was
always held to do so, is not so certain.
When, in 1912, Anne Stage and her
sister politicians, necessitated, as they
averred, by their terror of papists and
prelates, to initiate the example of the
women of Tekoah, claimed equal right
with the men to declare their senti-
ments by petition, the Commons thank
fully accepted the petition of the women
OF London; but twelve months later,
upon the ladies coming to the front
again to demand the cessation of civil
warfare, the self-same House told them
politics was not their business, and
babe them mind their household affairs;
enforcing this new view of the matter
by dispensing the petitioners by cavalry
charge, in which two women were
killed and eight wounded.
Hardly amenable to the charge of
meddling with matters that did not
concern them were the ladies of St.
Adams, who, upon George III. taking
wife unto himself, embraced the op-
portunity OF calling royal attention to
the grievous distaste for matrimony dis
played by the young men of the period,
by presenting a petition, to the new
Queen, expressing the hope that, as
subjects were always influenced by the
example of their sovereign, the matri-
monial state would be honored by their
Majesties' dutiful subjects cheerfully
following the royal example an exam
pie too much needed in that degener-
ate age; wherein the happy state was
made the object of ridicule, instead of
respect, by too many vain, giddy and
dissipated minds. elf the riches of a
Nation consist in its populousness,"
argued the fair enthusiasts, "this happy
country will too soon become poor,
whilst the lawful means to continue
posterity are either shackled by the re-
straint of mistaken laws, or despised by
those who respect none. But as every
virtuous and commendable action il en-
couraged by your royal consort. and
your own noble sentiments and conduct,
we hope this example will be duly fol-
lowed by your Majesty's loyal sub.
jects."
1t time comes when sex will be no
longer bar to possessing the franchise,
bachelors will have to beware; for un-
less the ladies lose their hymeneal in
stincts, we may look for the enactment
OF laws for the encouragement of mat
rimony, and the int1iction of pains and
penalties upon obdurate men; as was
within an ace OF coming about not many
years ago in Indiana. Mr.. Cutter,
young member of the Legislature, had
rashly promised to introduce bill for
the taxation of old bachelors; and a
number of young ladies went down to
the House to see that he kept his word.
He would fain have cried off or DELAYED
the matter; but Mr.. Robert Dale Owen,
seeing some fun in prospect, urged him
to draw up bill then and there, i'm
posing an annual tax of ten dollars upon
every bachelor above thirty years of
age who could not prove that he had
popped the question twice Intellectually.
Then very rapid act of legislation was
performed. The rules of the House
were suspended, and the bill read three
times, passed and ordered to be re-
ported to the Senate without a mo-
ment's delay; the House adjourning in
order to accompany the young ladies,
and see what the Senators would do.
They, catching the infection of the hour,
read the bill twice; and it seemed as if
it's passage was secured; but two or
three of the older and graver members,
awaking to a sense of their responsible
ity, then made a stand against it's fur
Their progress, and procured the adj
journment of the debate. This proved
defeated by small majority; at which
the bachelors of Indiana had good rea-
son to rejoice, since the Governor was
resolved to sign the bill, as he saw no
improperly in its provisions; and as
for its expediency, the legislators would
have to settle that matter with their
consciences; it was none of his bust
ness.
The subjects of Frederick the Great,
who had any grievance to air or favor
to ask, were wont to hang their petit
tions on a linden-tree at Potsdam, to
have their prayers granted or refused
as the King inclined, without waiting
the pleasure of Minister or Sec
rotary. The Petitlon-tree doubtless
bore strange fruits sometimes; but new
er did Old Fritz have a stranger docu-
ment submitted for his consideration
than one that found its way into the
hands of Charles I. in 1910. This
unique petition ran as follows: "Where-
as your Majesty's petitioner hath un-
derstood of a great discomfort in many
of your Majesty's subjects at the gra-
cious mercy your Majesty was freely
pleased to show upon your petitioner,
by suspending the sentence of death
pronounced against your petitioner;
these are humbly to beseech your
Majesty rather to remit your petitioner
to their mercies that are disconnected,
than to let him live the subject of so
great a discomfort in your people
against your Majesty; for it hath pleased
God to give me grace to desire with
the prophet, THAT if this storm be
raised for me, may be cast into the
sea, that others may avoid the tenn
pest This is, most sacred Sovereign,
the petition of him that should esteem
his blood were shed to cement the
breach between your Majesty and your