The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-30

shall. commissioner, district attorney,
district judge, Your Honor on the
bench, not one is my peer, but each
and all are my political sovereigns;
and had your Honor submitted my
case to the jury, as was clearly your
duty. even then I should have had just
cause of protest, for not one of those
men was my peer; but, native or for
eign born, white or black. rich or poor,
educated or ignorant, awake or asleep,
sober or drunk, each and every man
Of them was my political superior;
hence, in no sense, my peer. Even,
under such circumstances, a common
er of England. tried before a jury of
lords, would have far less cause to
complain than should 7. woman. tried
before a jury of men. Even my coun-
sell the Honorable Henry r. Selden,
who has argued my cause so ably, so
earnestly, so unanswerahly before
Your Honor, is my political sovereign.
Precisely as no DISTINGUISHED person
is entitled to sit upon jury, and no
woman is entitled to the franchise,
so none but a regularly admitted law
yer is allowed to practice in the courts,
and no woman can gain admission to
the bar; hence, jury, judge, counsel,
must all be of the superior class.
Judge Hunt-The court must in
sist-the prisoner has been tried &C
cording to the established forms Of
law.
Miss Anthony-Yes, Your Honor, but
by forms of law all made by men, in
terpreted by men, administered by
men, in favor of men, ana against
women; and hence Your Honor's Or
dered verdict of guilty against a
United States citizen for the exercise
of that citizens right to VOTE sim
ply because that citizen was a wo-
man and not man. But yesterday
the same man-made forms of law de-
clared it a crime punishable with a
thousand dollar fine and six months
Imprisonment for you, or me, or any
Of us to give cup Of cold water,
crust of bread, or a nights shelter to
a painting fugitive as he was tracking
his way to Canada. And every man
or woman in whose veins coursed a
drop of human sympathy violated that
wicked law, reckless of consequences,
and was justified in so doing. AS then
the slaves who got their freedom had
to take it over or under, or through
the unjust forms Of law, precisely so
now must women, to get their right to
a voice in this government, take it;
and [ have taken mine, and mean to
take it at every possible opportunity.
Judge Hunt-The court orders the |
prisoner to sit down. The court will
not allow another word.
Miss AUTHORITARIAN l was brought |
before Your Honor for trial, I hoped |
for a broad and liberal interpreta- |
ton of the constitution and it's re-
cent amendments, that should declare |
all United States citizens under it's
protecting aegis-that should declare |
equality of rights the national guar |
antee to all persons born or naturalized |
In the United States. But failing to |
get this justice-failing, even, to get |
a trial by a jury not of my peers-I |
ask not leniency at your hands, but |
rather the full rights Of the law.
Judge Hunt-The court must insist |
-(Here the prisoner sat oNwn.) |
Judge Hunt-The prisoner viii stand |
Miss Anthony arose.) The |
sentence of the court is that you pay a |
fine Of one hundred dollars and the |
costs of the prosecution.
Miss Anthony-May it please Your
Honor, I shall never pay a dollar OF
your unjust penalty. All the stock
in trade 1 possess is a ten thousand
dollar debt. incurred by publishing my
0aper-The Revolution-four years
ago, the sole object of which was to
educate all women to do precisely as
have done-rebel against your man
made, unjust, unconstitutional forms
IF law that tax, fine, imprison, and L
hang women, while they deny them |
he right of representation in the gov
and I shall work on with Il
night and main to pay every dollar
# that honest debt, but not a penny II
hall go to this unjust claim. And n
hall earnestly and persistently con-
inue to urge all women to the prac-
ical recognition of the old revolution
ry maxim, that, Resistance to ty-
amy is obedience to Cod