St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-11-16

Mrs. Julia Ward Howe,
who in some brief remarks commended
this subject of universal suffrage to an
intelligent public. Speaking for wom-
ankind she said, we are not ashamed
to ask for justice, to ask for equality.
Women have a right to say by their
votes how their children shall be ed
ucated.
Mr.. Blackwell spoke at length, going
into the history not only of the suffrage
movement, but of the world. His
plea was for equal political rights for
women, and he drew from history to
show that it was not only so intended in
their creation-"male and female ere
ated he them"-but that it had been so
acknowledged in the monarchies of the
world: otherwise we should have had
no Queen Elizabeth, Joan of Arc, Maria
Theresa, Catherine III, etc. Women
now vote in England on all questions
except for members of parliament.
Government is but a great corporation
- no manufacturing corporation or
railroad company denies its women
stockholders the right to vote they
have the same rights there as men.
Mr.. Blackwell is good speaker and
uses argument that is hard to gainsay
On Friday state organization was
formed and the following officers cho-
sen President, Mrs. NJ. L. T. Hidden
of LyndOnville vice presidents, Mrs
G. E. Davidson of Newfane, Rev. |. j.
Freeman of Newport, Rev. S. S. Martin
of Peacham, John Burke of Albany
secretary, Miss Laura Moore of Barneti
| treasurer, Mrs. S. A. Nelson of West
Burke: committee on constitution
Mrs. T. Cutler, Mrs. II. c. lde, Mrs
b. NJ. Tillotson, Mrs. Flint, Mrs
Nelson. Addresses were made by ii
b. Blackwell of Boston and II. c. lde
of st. JOhnsbury. Mr.. Ide was a state
senator last year and secured the pas
sage of the property rights bill fol
married women. Mrs. Lucy Stone and
Mrs. Howe also spoke. The report o.
the committee on constitution wa:
adopted, as we're the following resOlu
tions:
ReSoIued, That woman suffrage is the
natural outcome of Christianity and thu
declaration of independence. That /
it be true that governments derive
their Just powers from the consent o
the governed" then government
which ignores the wishes of one hal
of the governed by preventing the au
thOritative expression of their will /
so far unjust and usurpatiOn.
.. That if the founders of our re
public were right in insisting that tax
alton without representation is sutfi
cient ground for revolution, then Their
is no logical escape from the conclu
sion that. the taxation of property hell
by women, without even the pretens
of representation is indefensible Op
preston.
3. That the true road to equal legis
latiOn for women, both as to persona
and property rights, as well as to tn
removal of all hindranceS i'll the wa
of her industrial advancement, is b.
) way of the ballot since with this il
her hand it will be woman's own faul
if all such crooked and oppressive law
are not changed or abolished.
1. That since all reforms are in
measure experimental and must fIon
their nature be brought about gradu
. aIly and bV the STRENGTHENING and ed
ucation of public sentiment, the wises
course for the friends OF woman sutfrag
is to direct their first efforts to tn
securing of the ballot for women i
municipal elections.
). That the grateful thanks of til
people of this convention are due t
the brave men and women who hay
come to us and presented so eloquent
/ ly and cogently the claims of tn
cause.