The true northerner., 1897-10-20
The Majority Petition.

Martha X. Almy of jamestown, n.
Y, when asked her views on the ma
jority petition, in a manner positive
and firm replied:
''From the time when Margaret Brent
asked to vote in the Maryland assembly,
Jan. 2l, 1647-S, to the present day the
women of America have been asking
for voice in government. When all
legitimate arguments against the grant
ing of their reasonable requests have
failed, they have been met with the
women want TO vote the suffrage will
be conferred upon them.
"Since the right of petition is the
only political right which a disfran-
chised class enjoys the inference is that
the prerequisite TO enfranchisement
should be IA petition signed by major
ity of all the women of the state.
II deny the right of any person or
power TO demand such a test as ma
jority petition. The declaration of in
dependence does not say, We hold these
truths TO be self evident, that when all
men, or "A majority of them, shall ask
for their inalienable rights they shall
receive them. 1t says that all men are
created equal and endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights,
and that to secure these rights govern
ments are instituted.
IF this time honored instrument sets
forth any one supreme proposition OF
which all others are but corollaries it
is the statement that governments are
instituted TO secure rights.
"'The theory seems to be growing
alarmingly prevalent in these latter
days that the government should confer
rights, and that only when the demand
is so strong that it can no longer safely
withhold them. If this be true, Colum-
bia is no better than old King John. In
all the pages of history, ancient or mod
ern, there is not recorded an instance
where "a determinant majority of un-
recognized persons ever asked for an ex-
tension of rights or privileges.
"A volume would not contain the rec
ord of instances in the worlds history
where an active, aggressive minority
has demanded an extension of rights
and privileges and received them. The
is but an illustrated sequence of exam
Piles where the few have asked and the
many received. To confine ourselves TO
our own country, we should never have
had a Decoration of Independence if it
had been necessary TO have majority
of the cOlonists declare for it, The ma
jority, and especially the wealthy peo.
pie III colonial days, thought it better TO
endure the ills they had than to run the
risk of others which they knew not of.
AT one time during the Revolutionary
war there Were twice as many Ameri-
cans in arms against the cause of indie
pendence as there were in the American
army. The loyalists in this country al
ways claimed that they were in the
majority In New York state originally
only freeholders voted. Did the poor
man unanimously petition for the fran
chise? Did the poor black man i'll the
state of New York III 1916 unanimous
ly or in any determinant majority peti-
tion for the franchise? Did Abraham
l%AilOOAli iISloA uppll q pCtitiOii
from the slaves before signing the eman-
cipation proclamation? Did the negroes
in the south i'll the days of reconstruc-
tiOn circulate petition TO find out how
many wanted 10 vote?
IF majority test is to be required,
the logic of the situation demands that
it be majority of citizens, both men
and women. New York Tribune.