Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-17
Dailp Ktrlnebsr 3ournal.
Woman Suffrage.

The political dogma of the eighteenth
century, that suffrage is natural right,
led to an early demand for its extension to
woman. Condorcet, French political
writer, published in 1890 plea for the
citizenship of women. The constitution
of the Colony of New Jersey, framed in
1776, permitted all inhabitants of certain
qualifications to vote, irrespective of sex.
This act was repealed in 1907. The agi-
tation against slavery brought forward the
claim Of "natural rights" again, and some
persons began to assert that justice de-
manded the extension of the franchise
right to women. The first woman's rights
convention was held at Seneca Falls, N.
Y, July 10, 1848. 1t based the claims OF
woman on the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, and demanded equal rights. The
first National Woman's Rights Convention
was held at Worcester, Mass, Oct. %,
1850. Soon after this the people OF Eng
land also had their attention directed to
the subject by the writings of John Stuart
Mill and others. In 1866 the American
Equal Rights Association presented the
first petition for woman suffrage to Con
gress, In 1868 the New England Woman
Suffrage Association was formed, and the
first systematic effort began for memorial
izing legislatures and Congress
obtaining hearings before these bod
les, holding conventions, circnlat
ing documents, etc. The agita
ton had by 1870 assumed such dimensions
that the republican convention in Massa.
chusetts, held Oct. 5, 1870, admitted Lucy
Stone and Mary A. Livermore as regular
ly accredited delegates. Since then more
than one State convention has Endorsed
woman suffrage and several National con
ventions have resolved that it was "enti
tied to respectful consideration. The
Legislature of the Territory of Wyoming
by an act approved Dec. 10, 1869, granted
the right of suffrage to women. and ever
previous to this date it was exercised by
them in Utah. The same right was
granted in the Territory of Washington in
1888. Woman suffrage, limited to school
elections, has been conferred in several OF
the States, to wit: Women may vote al
at school meetings in Kansas, Nebraska
New Hampshire, Vermont, and in the
Territory OF Dakota; at school elections
in Colorado and Minnesota; for members
of school committees in Massachusetts. and
at school meeting in Michigan and New
York if they are taxpayers. Widows and
unmarried women may vote in Idaho Ter.
ritory as to special district taxes If they
hold taxable property. In Oregon widows
having children and taxable property may
vote at school meetings. In Indiana
widows or unmarried women not minors
who pay taxes and are listed as parents,
guardians, or heads of families, may vote
at school meetings. In Kentucky any white
widow, having child of school age, is a
qualified school voter; if she has no child
but is taxpayer, she may vote on the
question of taxes. The British Parlia
ment, by an act approved Aug. 2, 1869,
granted the municipal franchise to women
in England and Wales, and by an act ap
proved in 1870 extended the privilege Of
voting for school boards TO rate-payers
including women; further, June 3. 1881
an act extended the municipal franchise
in Scotland to unmarried women and wild
ows. Prior to the passage of these acts
women holding property had, by the Gus
tom of London and the custom of some
other parts of England. certain rights OF
suffrage in municipal affairs In the Isle
of Man women have the privilege of vot
ing for the members OF the governing
assembly.