Bismarck weekly tribune., 1885-02-13
Woman Suffrage.

Woman Suffrage.
The following is compiled for consid-
Grafton of the legislature.
In May 1874 the question Of organic
ing the territory of Pembina was before
the United States senate. An amend
ment was proposed by Senator Sargent,
of California, so that the right to hold
office and vote should not be restricted
an account of race, color or sex. He said
he believed the amendment was justified.
Ito confer upon women the right of suf-
frage would be to open wide avenues
for them and the advancement of society.
Give them an opportunity through the
ballot box, aud they will break up the
nefarious practices now existing and pur-
ify society. The spirit of the constitution
should be carried out and women be al
lowed to vote"
Mr.. Stewart, of Nevada, favored the
amendment. t.,-"
Mr.. Morton, of Indiana, said he was
in favor of the amendment on what he
urged as the fundamental principles of
! our government. The Declaration of In
dependence said all men are created free
and equal. The word "men" did not
mean males: it meant the whole human
family. The women of this country had
never given their consent to
this government within the
theory of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. The old common law argu-
ment was that the husband took care of
the interests of the wife, the father those
of the daughter, or the son those of the
mother. But under the common law the
husband was a tyrant and despot. The
old doctrine had been overcome and wo-
men could hold property now. He be-
ieved women had the same natural right
to voice in this government that man
had. To give women the right of suff-
rage would elevate suffrage in this coun-
try. Fifty years ago it was thought be-
yond all reason for women to attend
political meetings. Now they went to
such places, and the result was to greatly
improve the character of those assem-
blages. Their presence insured peace.
Mr. Matt Carpenter, of Wisconsin,
said he would vote for the amendment to
confer suffrage in the new territory upon
women. He believed that in every con-
dition of life the society of women was
beneficial. In every place where she was
found everything was neat and orderly.
If our wives: mothers and daughters go
to election places, there will be decency,
order and peace there. In the
city of New York, for in
stance, he would rely more
upon women voting to bring about peace
and order than all the army and navy
could do. He would vote to establish
woman suffrage in Wisconsin or any
other place he could, tomorrow. Mr..
Ferry, of Michigan, favored the amend
ment.
Mr.. Anthony, of Rhode Island, said he
had no doubt that female suffrage would
come in time. He did not believe it was
woman's right or a mans right but a
political right regulated by the body
polite.
The amendment was rejected; yeas, 10;
nays, 27. The yeas were: Anthony,
Carpenter, Chandler, Conover, Ferry, of
Michigan; Flanagan, Gilbert, Harvey,
Mitchell, Morton, Patterson, Pratt, Sar-
gent, Sprague, Stewart, Upton, Wash
burn, Windom-19.
Messrs. Dorsey, Spencer and Logan,
who would have voted for the amend
ment, were paired with Messrs. Bogy,
Johnston and Morrell, against it.
The senate of the United States might
we'll hesitate to outline the policy of the
people of the people of a territory for
them. Congress has generally left to the
embryo state the power and
given to it the right to
map out it's own local policy and estab-
lish it's own institutions, provided they
are not antagonistic to republican gov
ernment.
The first Legislature which has ever
met in the proposed territory of Pembina is
now in session upon the soil the United
States senators were then considering.
This legislature has the power to do what
Morton and Carpenter and Window and
their associates advised. It is the most
important measure before that honor
able body Will it treat it lightly or
upon it's merits.
JUSTICE.