The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-30
THE TRIAL OF
SUSAN 3, ANTHONY,

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The following account of the trial
of Susan B. Anthony, for, as it was
at the time charged, "fcr knowingly
voting without having lawful right to
vote" was sent to The Journal by Hon.
r. Pope Reese, and will be read with
interest by Journal readers, whether
for or against Equal Suffrage, as it is
one of the most famous trials of legal
history;
At the national election which took
place in November, 1872, Susan 3. An
thony offered her vote to the inspec-
tors of election, insisting that she had
a right to vote-a right secured to
her as citizen of the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States. The vote was received
and deposited in the ballot box. Later
Miss Anthony was indicted for the
otfense OF knowingly voting without
having a lawful right to VOTE" the in
dictment being based on the nine
teenth section Of the Act Of Congress
of May so, 1870. The trial took place
at Canadaigua before the United
States circuit court for the Northern
district of New York in June, 1873.
The defense of Miss Anthony was:
vote; second, that if she We're not so
entitled but voted in good faith in
the belief that it was her right, she
was guilty of no crime; third, that she
did vote in such good faith and with
such belief. At the conclusion of the
evidence and the arguments of coun-
eel the court instructed the jury to
render a verdict of guilty and refused
TO submit. at the request of defendants
counsel any question to the jury and
refused to allow the clerk to ask the
jurors whether she assented to the
verdict which the court had directed
to be entered. The clerk entered the
verdict of guilty as directed by the
court. The court then asked the pris-
oncr if she had anything to say why
sentence should not be pronounced.
The response of Miss Anthony, who
was repeatedly Interrupted by the
court, constitutes a very interesting
chapter of forensic literature.
The CoIloquy.
Judge Hunt Ordering the defendant
to stand upl: Has the prisoner any
thing to say why the sentence should
not be pronounced?
Miss Anthony-Yes, Your Honor,
have many things to say; for in your
ordered verdict of guilty, you have
ciple Of our government. My natural |
rights, my civil rights, my political
rights. my judicial rights, are all alike i
ignored, Robbed OF the fundamental
privilege of citizenship, I am degraded
from the status Of citizen to that
of subject; and not only myself in
dividually, but all of my sex are, by
Your Henor's verdict doomed to po- |
IiticaI subsection under this so-called |
form of government.
Judge Hunt-The court cannot lis |
ten to a rehearsal of arguments the |
prisoners counsel has already con-
sumed three hours in presenting
Miss Anthony-May 1t please Your t
Honor. I am not arguing the question,
but simply stating the reasons why
sentence cannot, in justice, be pro-
nounced against me. Your denial of /
my citizens right to vote is the denial
Of my right of consent as one Of
the governed, the denial of my right |
Of representation as one Of the taxed,
the denial of my right to a trial by
r jury Of my peers as an offender
against the law; therefore, the de-
NAL of my sacred rights to life, lib
arty, property, and
Judge Hunt-The court cannot al !
low the prisoner to go on.
Miss Anthony-But Your Honor will
hot deny me this one and only poor
OF protest against this high
handed outrage upon my citizens
rights. May it please the court to
remember that since the day of my
arrest last November, this is the first
ime that either myself or any person
IF my DISTINGUISHED class has been
allowed a word of defense before
Judge or jury
Judge Hunt-The prisoner must sit
iown-the court cannot allow it.
Miss Anthony-All of my prosecu-
ors, from the Eighth Ward corner
grocery politician, who entered the |
to the United States mar