National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-17

have devoted more than n third of a century to
Tue consideration and discussion Of the subject,
mat an amendment to the Federal Constitution,
IN analogy to the fifteenth amendment Of that In.
strument, Is the most safe direct and expeditions
OF the enfronchisement Of half n race now denied
the right, and that, too the most favored race in
tne estimation Of those who deny the right Pc.
uuons, nom time TO time, signed by many thou
sand petitioners have been presented To Con.
gress, and there now upon our files seyeutyiyc
fictitious, representing eighteen different s'ntes.
Two years Hg) treble the number ofpctition', rel
presented.
lfCongress should adopt the pending resolution,
tue question would go before the intelligent tOiies
WHO are chosen to represent the people III the
legislatures of the various states, aud would re-
ctlNe more enlightened aud careful considert-
ton than If submitted TO the masses Of the male
population, with all their prejudiccs, in the form
Of an amendment to the constitution Of the sew.
eral States. Besides such nn amendment, IL
adopted, would secure that uniformity in the cX.
crciso OF the right which could not be expected
by action from the several Sacs
We think the time has arrived for the submits
sion OF such M amendment to tho lcgis' ntures of
the States We know the prejudices. which the
movement for suffrage to all, without regard to
sex, had TO encounter from the very outsct-prcju-
dies which still exist in the minds of many The
period for employing tho. weapons OF ridcuo and
eumity has not yet passed. Now as III tic bcgln-
ilng, we henr appeals 10 prejudice and the buscr
passions of men, The onHthema, Woe betide
tue hnnd which plucks the wizard beard Of huary
error is yet employed TO deter men from acting
upon their convictions as to what ought TO be done
WIN lCiCienCe 10 luis great question. 10 those
VINO arc inclined to cast iidiculc upon the move
mi ut, we quote the answer made while one of the
early conventions was in session In the State of
New York.
"a collection of women arguing for political
rights aud Tor the privileges usually conceded
ony u ihc 0ihcrscx one Of the easiest tn nss In
the void TO make lun Of There is no eud ID the
smart speeches nnd the witty remarks that may b.
made ON The subject. But when VIC seriously at
tempt to show tuat q woman who pays taxes
ought moi to have voice In the manner In which
the taxes are expended, that woman whose
pr, perry and liberty and person are controlled by
tue laws, should lave 40 voice in framing those
laws II is MT 81 easy II women fit to rule ~
the mounrchits 1t is difficult to say why they are
not qualified to vote IN IL republic; nor can there
be greater indeliCGry In a woman going up to the
ballot box than there is In n wumrn opening II
legislature or Issuing orders 10 an amy"
To nll who are more serious in Their opposition
IN ihg movement We remind them tf the words Of
Abraham Lincoln:
81 20 for, al sharing the privileges of the CIV
crninchL who assist in beating its burdens, by no
means excluding women"
Oh B shop simpson:
81 believe that the vices In our large cities will
never be conquered until tue ballot Is put iuIo the
hiut of Women"
OF the Rev. James Freeman Clark:
" do not think our politics will be what they
ought to be till women are legislators and
| vut 49,"
ofGeorge William Curtis:
| women have quite MS much Interest In good
| government rs men, and l have never heard or
| read of any satisfactory reason for excluding
them from the bHllot.boX; have no more doubt
OF their ameIioraling Influence upon politics than
els S.'' - VIZ ''''N'' '"'' ''>''' V'''' ""''0
or Bishop Gilbert Haven:
| -" In view of the terrible corruption of our poll
| ties, people ask, can we maintain universal suf
| fragc? | say no, not without women The only
bear garden in our community is the town
| meeting and the caucus. Why is this? Because
these u the only places at which women urc not
| present."
OF Governor Long, of Massachusetts,:
| s. rcrelt my conviction Of the right Of women
suffrage. Because suffrage is a right and not II
NJ extended a. hn hau p
their share Of the public cost, and who have the
same inietc;t that have IN the selection Of its
| officials, and the making OF its laws which infect
their lives, their properly, and their happiness"
| OF Herbert Spencer:
However much the giving OF political power to
women may disagree with our notions of pro-
priety, we conclude that, being requited by that
first prerequisite to greater happiness the law Of
| equal freedom, such concession Is unquestiOn-
ably right and good"
| And of Plato:
"In the administration OF State, neither wo.
man as woman, nor n man MS II man has any
| special functions, but the gifts are equally
diilus. d III both sexes. The same opportunity for
| acknowledgements which makes man u good
| guardian will make woman good guardian, for
| their original nature Is the same"
| 1t has become a custom, almost universal, to in.
political assemblages to listen to discussions upon
| the topics Involved in the canvass. Their pre- =
ence has done much toward the elevation, refine
| mcnt, and freedom from insincerity and hypoc-
risy III such discussions. Why would not the
same results be wrought out by their presence Mt
|
ercised by law, both in England and in this cOun-
try, such has been its effect in the conduct OF
elections.
The trainers of our system of government EN-
bodied III the Declaration of Independence the
statement that to secure the rights which are
| therein declared TO be mailer able and in respect
t. which all men are created equal, governments
are Instituted among men deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed" The
system of representative government they inaug.
uraied can only be maintained and perpetuated
by allowing all citizens to give that consent
| mode in which the consent Of the governed" can
be obtained. To deny to one-half Of the citizens
Of the Republic all participation in flaming the
| laws by which they are to be governed, simply on
account of their SEX is political despOtism to those
| who are excluded, aud "taXation without repre-
sentation" TO such OF them as have property liable
| to taxation. Their invesiture with separate
estates leads, logically and necessarily, TO their
right to the ballot as the only means afforded them
| for the protection of their property, us 1t is the
only means of their full protection in the enjoy
ment of the UNNECESSARILY greater right life and
liberty. To be governed without such consen. is
clear denial Ola right declared 10 be inalienable
| II is said that the majority of women do not
desire and would not exercise the right, II
| acknowledged. The assertion rests in conjecture
| In ordinary elections multitudes of men do not
| exercise the right. 1t is only in extraordinary
eases, aud when their interests and patriotism are
| appealed TO, that male voters are with unnnimity
| found at the polls. 1t would doubtless be the
same with women. In the exceptional instances
in which the exercise of the right has been per-
mitted they have engaged with zeal IN every i'm
plrtunt canvass. Even If the statement were
founded in ict 1t furnishes no argumen! in favoi
OF excluding women from the exercise of the
franchise. IL is the denial of the right of which
they complain. There are mutitudes of meI
whose vote can be purchased ut an election O
the smallest and most trifing consideration
Yet all such would spurn with scOrn aud nnulter
ab c contempt proposition 70 purchase theii
| Tignt 10 vote, ana 10 consideration would bt
| deemed an equivalent for such Il surrender
| Women are mOIe sensitive upon this question
than men, and SO long us this right, deemed BY
them to be sacred, Is denied so long he gitn tiui
which has marked the progress of this contes
| thus iur will be continued.
port back the Proposed resolution without amend
mcnl for the consideration Of the Senate, and rec
L. G. LAPHAM,
H. NJ. FERRY,
II. w. BLAIR
The Constitution Is wisely conservative in the
provision Tor Tvs own amendment. II is cminenlll
proper that whenever large number Of the peUpl,
have indicated desire for an amendment til,
judgment OF the amending power should be CON
suited. In view of the extensive agitation of the
question of woman suffrage and the numerous anC
respectable petitions that have been presented L
in Recommending That the proposed amendment
be submitted TO the States. IL. Is. ANTHONY.
The proposed amendment is in the following
words.
Reso,rsd by the Senate and House of Representa-
ties NJ ne UHttsd States Of Amcrcd in Congress as
scmbtd VUO.tirds Of each House c0ncurTing McreilD
| That the following article be proposed 10 til,
legislatures Of the several Safes us an amendmen
TO the Constitution Of the United States, which
when ratified by three iourths OF the said lcgisln
lures, shah be valid us part of said Constitution
namely;
EEcrIoS /. The rights OF citizens OF the Unite
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged b.
the Uli,ed States or by amy state on account {
g., o Tt,o I,on,,nss Il, n lnyn novor hv op,r,