Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-13
RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN NJ
BRASKA-AN INCIDENT Ol
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1882.

COPIES OF The Bee containing the speech de-
lIvered by MIR. Edward ROsewater in the
debate with Miss Susan b. Anthony In 1859,
In opposition TO the woman suffrage amend
ment submitted to the voters OF Nebraska
at the general election OF that year, AS
the supply OF copies was exhausted Ions
since the speech is reprinted below.
Mr.. Rosewater said:
Miss President, Ladies' and Gentlemen: On
a bright morning In March 1881, ! stood
urpu platform great deal moro elevated
than this. confronting an audience fifty times
as numerous as that which is aSSembltd
In this building. Upon that platform was 20
be indugurstcd the president OF the Uhlttd
States OF America and the vast cohcourse
OF people below were assembled to witness
the ceremonies of inaugural. Around him
on that platform were congregated the dig
nitaries OF the nation. There were there the
general Of the army and the generals below
him to the rank OF brigadler. Ihere were
the admiral and COmmo1OrCs OF the navy
all in full dress uniform. There was the
senate Of the United States and as many
members of the house OF representatives as
could find room. There were diplomatic
corps, representing all the nations Of the
earth In the first seats sat the judges OF
the supreme court in their flowing robes, and
I'm the center sat the president and president
elect. Immediately behind them sat two
women, Eliza Garfield and Lucrctia Garfield
After the CnlCt justice Hau Itdu tHe Odtu
of office to the president-elcct and he had
repeated IL in a clear voice, James Abram
Garfield kissed the bible and then, turning
around, kissed his mother and his wife. tAp-
plause)
In the august presence of that vast assem-
blage this was the most sublime spectacle
that ever | behed and to me it presented
the highest ideal OF American manhood and
American womanhood. ApplauseD That du-
tiiul son Offering tribute OF love to his wile
.t.... -, n a
was the highest type of manhood. The de-
voted mother and fond wife were the highest
ideals of American womanhood.
hold in my hand an envelope directed to
Eliza Garfield, Solon, Cuyahoga County Ohio
and on the margin Is written y. A. Car
field VI. c." | secured this memento through
the family of the lamented president This
memento speaks for itself.
In my estimation the highest aim that
woman in this country may have, more than
she ever could achieve by the enfranchise-
ment OF her sex, is to be the mother OF
manly man like James \. Garfield. zap
plause) That wife sitting on the platform
ranked higher in the estimation OF mankind
than any wcman that would sit in the
United States senate Certainly II women
were enfranchised in this country and put
upon an equality with the negro, as my
friend, Miss Anthony, would have 1t uaugh-
teri, | dou't believe they would be the peers
of the two women that sat there on that
4th day OF March, and when that dutiful
son was stricken down by an assassin the
last thing he wrote was a letter to his old
mother in Ohio, saying to her, BE calm;
sooner or later | shall be with you again -
and the fortitude and heroism Of the wife
OF james A Garfield. aa she stayed with him
In tho chamber of sickness and death for
weeks and weeks, ELECTED the deepest sym
psthy and admiration OF the American peo-
pie. All of US respect that woman and we
all believe her to be the highest type Of
womanhood, and honor her just as much as
II she had been raised to the pinnacle of
fame into the presidential chair (Applause) }
INHERENT RIGHTS.
Now, my fellow citizens, the question
before us here tonight is: Have women
been degraded; are they oppressed; is the
Withholding of the ballot from them unjust
is suffrage an inherent and natural right
which belongs to them?
1t is claimed and asserted by the advo-
Gates of woman suffrage that the Declara
tion of independence, which proclaims "all
men are created free and equal. and entitled
to the inalienable rights Of life. liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness" includes
women and their right to protect them
selves by being parties to the goyernmen'
Now, deny that proposition in toto.
assert in the first place that suffrage is no
an inherent right, because any right thai
is inherent belongs to us all at birth. Life
and liberty are such rights, but the right
to vote is a privilege, coupled with duties
which only men can perform, ana burdens
which woman, owing TO her organic dlsa-
bilties cannot assume. Ii suffrage was
inherent it would belong to the foreigner
the moment he lands on American soil just
as much as to the native American. But
how is It? When he lands upon our soil he
is confronted with the fact that the national
constitution authorizes and empowers con-
gress to enact naturalization laws and pre-
scribe the conditions under which he may
M
conditions he has to comply. His consent
is not asked and was not obtained in the
framing of the constitution. First or all, ne
is required to take an oath that he torswears
allegiance to any king, prince or potentate
under whose government he was born, ana
I'm the next place he swears he will uphold
and defend this government against all Its
enemies, foreign or domestic. DOCS thAl
imply that he is in condition simply te
promise and not to fulfill? Why is TINS
oath taken? II Is to compel obedience 10
the laws that bind him TO defend the gov
eminent in case of domestic insurrection or
against attacks of foreign enemies. II is
presumed he Is able to comply with this
condition as prerequisite for becoming
a voter
Miss Anthony-Don't women also take
that oath?
Mr. RoSewater-Ye she does, when, as a
widow, she goes TO enter homestead. Wild
ows are entitled TO homestead rights as
heads of families the same as men, Dut
they simply promise 70 obey the constitution
and laws. She also has to forswear ale
glance to foreign governments, because the
country in which she Is born may impose
certain tions on all natives. You ask
how was the right of suffrage acquired by
men? The right of suffrage was acquired
by the founders of this republic. who fought
for its independence and acquired the right
by their ability to maintain their freedom.
There is where suffrage originated Those
who cannot defend the flag and compel
obedience 10 our laws have no right to make
laws. They cannot enforce nor force upon
US wars which they cannot fight out. few
months ago the women of Massachusetts, ap-
piled to the legislature by petition for the
right OF suffrage. Massachusetts, is an en-
lightened state. There are more educational
institutions In Massachusetts, than In any
other state in the union. They cannot be
noranee or prejudice. What did the legis
ough Investigation by a joint committee
lowing extract: 1T was stated by one OF
franchise ought to be like air and water,
open and free to all Probably she did really
mean quite all that this might imply, but
simply that there should be no sex line OF
division, Every human being comes into
this world in condition of guardianGhip.
Without the protecting care OF somebody
even the right TO live could be euloyed but
for a very brief time So far even as ad-
mission into the duties and trusts OF citi-
Eenship in a free republic are concerned we
nra horn iDtn that which We enter Tho