Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-05-08

can we rnasBnahlg AFFIRM that pFin-
cipla ef govaran@nt which Ne g.
clare i The oaiF niie one ies all oSm.
muuiliEa. and tie coFaer-4lQne 81
onr onn GoEernmenk = nut also
z q Ior tke peopie e Wsshingloai
We eaanuE properly exerclse thls
p1wef % admiifng s rev et4ie ~
reFselY % lhis pFincipse. because i .
he policy nf tAe inw. the priDeipis
- the Iaw. net heczase ~ any par
liculax 6lness Ii The peopie u aHy
Iossziity. eommunllg. ~ slale. o1s
because Re have declared thai each
commnnliy can he.ler manage that
which Il iacal % them than Ire peo-
pIn sf Dther cumuiunltiea.
We hApe noshing 70 DO with the
question Of femels sH4fage. Con-
gress cas- exercise 20 poser in re-
garsi 10 thal. Il b Eemliled b. the
principie o. o1r iusiiiutlone and the
precspis of the C0nsIitnfion 90 the
people Of The States, and by analogy
to The psopie of the Territories
while ID 4 Territorial condition, BE-
cause Congress. although having
ample powef over Il. has mol sought
% prescribe Tie form and the nan
Ter 10 which the power shall BE- ex-
ercised by The Territories. bar has
len that properly q Them. because
We maintain the great principle Of
local sels-gogernment 20 Be the only
proper form ol government for do
nestle mailefe
The Senator from L0nlaaana said
thai By refusing 10 adopt this amend
ment and by passing thIs enabling
act We shouid coaisf the right ofl
suffrage upon the women of Wash
ingioa Territory. Bat the Congress
Of the UaiEe1 STATES in its organic
act gave 70 them and 10 their Legis-
lature the power 10 prescribe The
qualification OF suffrage at all suhse.
Qaenk elections after the hrak Hers
it Is In the organic act Certainly
Ehateyer was done under this act
was mediately d0ne By Corgress, and
became the act Of Congress. And
yet Congress did not establish women
suffrage any mere than they estab
lished poIygamy IN Denh when they
said 70 both Territories 10 their or
ganie act: The pTis<tple Of local /
Is as good for you as /
for rs. and we confer this power
over you. feserslng 70 ourselves
the power 20 supervise. restrain and |
control your exercise Of this power.
C0ngFeas declared In the lirst Instance /
male inhabilaney aud citizenship Of
the United States 20 be the qualifca-
lions. but said thai after The first /
and for all subsequent cleo
lions they might make the quaIi6ca.
lion anything else. provided only |
that citizenship Of the United States /
should still be 8 condition Of suf-
irage.
This Is . subsequent election Ia /
that Territory, and the organic act
passed BY the Congress OF The Uaited
States has given that Territory the
right 10 prescribe female Suffrage;
and the question n0w propounded BY
he senator from Louisiana 10 shall
We attempt to control and direct the
power Of that Territory when Il be-
comes q State, taking away from those
people The rights that have been con-
ieFred upon them under this previous
organic acts Sir. the principie Of
ocai self.goveFnment Is far more i'm.
p0Ftant than any other principle. Il /
s the foundat ou stone OF ali our In
and the protection OF ail
eur rights; and by tue side OF IL
female suffF.ge ls IS nothing.
In s0sne states Il may be and would /
be great public evil; In other States
whether wise or unwise It's effect
would be very different. We are not
now required 70 express any opinion
% the subject But be IL bad or be
t good, Il bears no comparison 10 the
great importance OF that pillar and
uundai0n-ssone Of this Government
ike right Of the States and the ex,
pediency and wisdom Of the public
policy that the people Ia all localities
should prescribe the laws by which
hey shall be governed in the local
aud domestic relations which they
shall bear to each other. Therefore,
,ir, have no hesitati0n In voting
against the amendment proposed By |
he Senator from Louisiana. recog.
aixing the fact that as 6 question of
power our control over the sQbiect Is
ample and absolute. and thai every.
hing done Ia the Territory or new
State 10 some sense derives its au-
lhcFity from us,
fcOaels.d.d tsmorross.l