The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-22
woMEN wno wANrrulIR RIGHTS,
tome Strong Aryomsnts Ia FaVOrOf Women
Suffrage.
SPECIAL Di,paich 10 tM IteIIlgenctt

iOm0 Strong ATHumentS la Favor OF women
Suffrage.
special Dispaich to he htclligeacer,
WAsnlNGroN, d, O., Feb. 2l.-The
eighteenth annual Washington Conven.
zion Of the National Wonlen's Suffrage
Association, which convened here We'd
nesday, adjourned last night after an un-
usually interesting session. The meeting
WAS very largely attended by delegates
from every section OF the country, many
nOted women being present.
The most noteworthy event that took
place during the convention was the Rp'
pearauCe OF a delegation Of these women
before the House Judiciary Committee
Yesterday. There was very good attend
,nce Of the COMMITTEES, and Miss Susan B,
Luthouy introduced the subject with a
few remarks. -.
Then the orators Of the oCcasion--Vir-
ginia l.. Minor, Eliza A. Meriwether,
Mary +. Eastman, Julia u. Nelson. Mrs.
James Bennett, Helen NJ. Cougar, Martha
II. Field and Mary Wright Sewell-ad-
lreased the committee. Very strong argu'
nents were, presented. upon the constitu-
:ional and equitable bearing OF the case,
and the committee listened with marked
attention.
MRS. MINORS ADDRESS.
Mrs. Minor said that they were there to
ask that the intention cf the founders Of
the Government DO carried out, and claim.
cd that the rights Of women to have
voice In matters pertaining to their own
government were acknowledged by the
founders OF the Government, and that
women voted for the frat three Presidents
OF the United statee. She held that the
right OF property carried with 1t the right
20 vote, bat that the right she Cleimed TO
be the strongest was that Of the working
women, who had to earn their living,
whether they did or did not hold property.
ArALK ny MRS. NERRIwETHER.
Mrs. Merriwether said that while Miss
Anthony had baen prosecuted for voting
and Mrs. Minor had been prevented from
exercising that privilege when she had
made the attempt, she had voted In Ten
nessee, and her vote had been counted.
She asked the committee to look at the
question from business standpoint Had
tney the right to force upon the women
Yhomsoeyer they pleased to be agents Tor
their property? She called attention to
The school scandals In St. Louis, where
she had children. She pictured drunken
and disreuutable school teachers, upheld
by equally drunken and disreputable
school trustees, anu told the committee
how mothers who had tried 10 defend
their children from this outrage had been
voted down, because the accused were the
voters in the case and the accuseTs were
obliged to be dumb. II was wicked, she
thought, for the legislators, the Intelligent
men Of the country, 10 permit this.
Mrs. Bennett, tho daughter Of Casslls
Clay, OF Kentucky, delivered quite q
brilliant address. Speaking Of the eS-
slaves, the Chinese and Mexican poems,
who could vote upon law to govern civil
lied women and children, she said: DO
YOU invite these Strapgers 70 govern YOU.
wives and daughters and place 1t out or
your power to protect themH"
MRS. oops4R's REMARKS.
Mrs. Cougar made the most striking adj.
dress Of the occasion. She asked the
committee to allow the question to 90 To
the State Legislatures. They need not
commit themselves TO the principle. She
was not ior suffrage, but for the salvation
Of society and Of the country. The gov.
eminent was ruled by the cities, and the
cities were ruled by the UlEus. She
wanted 10 put the Intelligent woman'g
vote Ss 40 offset for this ignorance. and
crime. Woman did not want suffrage
suffrage needed woman, Womans vote
shonld lie the reserve toiGe upon which
the Intelligent men Of the country would
have 10 call 10 preserve them from degfa.
dAtion and crime. She pointed ont the
election troubles III Chicago and In Ohio
10 show that for the want OF more intel
iipent voters the Government was being
run by the criminal classes at these ,elec-
tions. "Yotl are kind, you are gallant.
| we ask you 10 be just"