The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-25

1 nOtlced Wnen men nave no Otner argument tney
| charge their shortcomings to Him. Get out OF
| the way and we women will settle it with the
| Lord" She then proceeded to quote from the
election laws of various States, where all en-
titled to vote but criminals, idiots, insane per-
| sons and women; and suddenly stopping in her
enumeration when she had rounded up with her
own State, she exclaimed: take as out of such
| bad company and let get with you. ;"
| Then, after slight pause. why don't your
She then proceeded to say that an educational
| franchise would give the ballot 10 women more
| than men, as proven by statistics gathered by
| men, showing that women, a sex, are better
educated than the men. Morality, also, as
| the same statistcians had shown 107 male pris
oners in our jails to one female. They say
women do not want the ballot, said she, 'in the
| face of the fact that they have sent larger
| petitions to Congress than were sent on any
| other question. If one woman wants it, that is
| enough. Can you show single petition asking
| for the ballot to the black mani member from
| Indiana who used this subterfuge will hear soon
from the women in his district whore nine-tenths
| of them want to vote. have written back since
| my talk with him"
| Mrs Cougar then went on to haul Senator
Edmunds over the Goals, and made a pretty
strong case against him, too by proving that his
bill Furnishes the innocent women. unnecessarily,
since the test oath already virtually DISTINGUISHES
| those guilty of polygamy, both male and female:
He, too, says women do not want to vote,"
| she went on. "Well, l do not know how he
knows it, unless he has had a revelation like
Joseph Smith and Brigham Young For there is
but one way to find out surely. and that is to
| give them chance to vote for it
Mrs. Cougar is exceedingly popular here, es-
| pecally with her own sex, and the flowers and
compliments that pour in her would have
| turned the head of a woman OF fashion long ago.
Mrs. Sewalls speech was calm, well-consid-
| cred argument given in words so choice and
manner so chaste that few of her hearers sus-
| pected how her duties as chairman of the execu-
tive committee had given her no time to consider
| it beforehand Had her speech been taken down
by stenographer it would do to print without
| single correction. Some of the points she made
| were exceedingly witty; and the dimple in her
cheek deepened as she stopped to call the atten-
| ton of her audience to the difference between
| the terms statesman and politician. She, too,
| asks how our law makers can know that women
do not want the ballot she does not consider the
| test a fair one when woman is asked that
question, with certain particular accent and
an information of doubt, by a man holding GER
| tain emotional relation to her. when politi-
clans desire to find out what their male constitu-
| ents want they hold meeting, call the men to-
gether, and give them chance to state it.
General Harrison confesses that he has
| never considered the matter" Mrs Sewall tells
| us; which is better than to say, L am uncom-
| promisngly opposed when he knows nothing
about it, as Senator Vest does and as some
| fashionable women do. who have never read
suffrage argument" These women claim that
| they have time while, Mrs. Sewall de-
clares, she has time every Saturday evening to
read Henry James, jr., with all her own varied
duties, one evening out OF every seven to re-
freshments, and she only asks them to give an
hour now and then from their refreshments to
solid realities
But Mrs. Sewall shines pre-eminent as chair
man of an executive session. She never loses
| point of parliamentary order, and. in the most
| exciting discussion, like good driver. keeps an
| even, firm and gentle hand on the rens of her
| Office She is absolutely impartial in her decs-
| ions, which is a fact all ready
| to admit, even vshsn most chagrined
| by having curb put upon them;
so perfectly self possessed. too. that
| it is a mooted question, sometimes, which side
| she would favor if she could speak on it She
often has to call members to order; sometimes,
| too. when they are burning with anxiety, even
| Miss Anthony being no exception but she does it
so graciously that no one ever takes offense.
| Madam Clara Neymap, the wise little German
delegate from New York. said of her: Indeed, I
am glad to be called to order by Mrs. Sewal for
like to see one who can be so sweet and strong
ran high on State rights and church principles
and Mrs. Cougar fought like heroine, as she u.s.
for God and the Nation. Mrs. Sewall stood
calmly, like an immovable sphinx, and let the
vote decide the question. Somebody said "There
is not a man in Congress who can preside BETTER"
and after some of the rulings that have seen
made at the house the hill, bound to
second that motion.
The ladies Of the convention were granted q
nearing D6IOr6 the house judiciary committees,
the Senate com ittee having already reported
in favor of woman suffrage, with an earnest
recommendation for the same. Miss Anthony
merely introduced the speakers, saying that she
had talked enough, having addressed that com.
mittee many years ago. Not the same men, of
course, but those who were here were disturbed
in their thoughts by my presence"
Mrs Minor appealed for the ballot for poor
women to protect their homes from unjust tax
alton; while Mrs. Meriwether considered it from
Ia hu CT nd nont and shoyyed how WEALTHY
women need it to protect their wealth, for it is
certainly wrong to force an agent on anybody.
Mrs. Eastman showed how it affects posterity
and Mrs. Nelson the relation between bread and
the ballot, lady teachers receiving $40 per month
for teaching, while men are paid $50.
Mrs. Bennett, a daughter of Casslus
M. Clay, said men had deprived themselves of
power to protect the women of their own house
holds by elevating strange men and negroes to
the ballot. Female suffrage would adjust the
matter. Mrs. Cougar put her plea on the basis
of law; Mrs. Colby because women want the
ballot, claiming that they have done everything
to show that DESIRE except to vote on the ques-
ton, and they ask to be allowed to do that. Mrs.
Sewall declared her sense of justice hurt when
she occupied the committee chair, because 1t be-
longed to the member, just as her vote belongs
to her. They do not ask to be given anything,
they merely want co be allowed to take their
own. She wants the present Congress to grant
it because it is divided in politics, just the
women are and they do not propose to be
bought by either party that way. She would
not dictate an opinion, and would not have one
dictated to her. Madam Neyman asked us
this not the land of the free and the home of
the bravel" They are taught in Germany to
think so, and the German women look to
America to have their hopes of freedom realized
1.-THE eyes of the world are upon you," said she,
with her German earnestness
The members of the committee were very gra-
cious and respectful, the one solitary exception
being dude with blonde mustache. who acts
as clerk who thought it necessary to put on an
immensely bored air.
Mrs Cougar received quite a compliment from
Mr. Ranney. who asked her how she came to
make such sound speech if she is not lawyer;
and Mr.. Tucker chairman of the committee,
expressed himself highly pleased with all the
| Arguments. Thought they were fine.
Il hope then, you will report favorably," said
Mrs. Cougar.