New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-22
GENERAL WASHINGTONNEWS
THE Utah RILLr IN THE SENATE.


4 SHORT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT OF FEMALE
VOTING IN THE TERRITORY.
WASHINGTON Feb. 21.-The Senate to-day on
motion of MIR. Edmunds, took up the Utah bill. and
Mr. Hoar moved to strike out the seventh section,
which provides that it shall not be lawful for any
s.mals to vote at any election hereafter held in the
Territory of Utah for any public purpose whatever
Mr. Edmunds defended the provision. The votes OF
the Mormon women, he said were controlled by the
men who desired to keep up the political power OF
the polygamous Mormon Church; he thought that
the importance of breaking up the Mormon system
would fully justify the suspension OF female VOTING
in Utah without any reference at all to the genera
question of woman suffrage. Mr.. boar said that
Mr.. Edmunds proposed to deprive all the women o,
Utah of the right of suffrage because no believed
that a certain class of them would not vote as ne
thought they ought to vote.
Mr. Edmunds said the question OF suffrage was
political question. within the control OF poi'lca
power and what Mr.. HOar had said about the opih
IONS of Mormon women was entirely apart from MS
BILL If the real opinions of those women oouid
find expression, he would wish to have them vote'
because the very nature Of every virtuous woman
revolted against polygamy and all its Influences
but at present they like the women In Central
Asia dominated by the lords of creation, WIN G.
sired to maintain the system: and to liberate them
was the object of this provision. 1t would not be
constitutional to undertake TO disfranchise any
man or any woman account of opinion, but
everybody, except perhaps Judge Black would
agree that in point of law Congress could regulate
suffrage in the District of Columbia IN any Terri
tory; could confne it to property-holders OF
100000 each. to paupers, or to any other class
Mr.. Blair said he believed in the
right of every mature human being OF
mature powers. whether male CT female, to
vote. The power to regulate Sthe exercise OF
this right belonged of TO the political organ-
cation, but whenever In any republican community
the exercise of the right had been extended TO any
class to whom it belonged by nature but to whom
Ii had been formerly denied he would never vote to
take il away or restrict it. The Senator from Yer
mont sought to justify the provisions OF this section
upon the ground that a certain class of women In
Utah voted at the dictation of their husbands or
masters to sustain poygamy This statement OF
fact was open to question. He had visited
conversed with Brigham Youngi and from
all that he had seen and heard IN the Territory
from persons well informed on this subject, he be-
ieyed that the Mormon women as "a class were as
strongly at ached to the institution as the men
were But assuming the object of the Senator from
Vermont to be good one and his means legitimate,
the provisions of this bill would not at ain that OBJ
iect because they did not touch the right OF the
Mormon men to vote, and II was notorious that tine
Territory was in their hands the proportion of Nor
mons to Gentiles being ABOUT four to one. Mr.
BLAIR moved 10 amend the seventh section of the
bill SO as to make Its provisions apply 10 per-
Sons instead of females only, and only to per-
sons lawfully convicted of the crime of blgamy or
polvgamy.
The bill and amendments were still pending when
the Senate adjourned.