The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1917-02-21
CIRCULAR LETTER
MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE
ASSOCIATION
MRS. JAMES BENNETT


4h Amendment, had legal right
vote public elections ptned Congress to make federal law
tectng them in the exercise of that right
So write other members of National American
Woman Suffrage Association attention the above mentioned
Supreme the United States that
bear in the hope that thereby induce to join with and
ladies' signing which
the Resolution regard the m Amendment National Cons
tuition that adopted its annual convention of 1914 and of 1916
Resolution which said"We petition protect
agant State denial the right of citizens of the United States to vote for
Members of Congress- Presidential Electors and United States senators
the State wherein they reside by making federal laws of that
the 14 Amendment National Constitution which SAYS
No State shall make which shall abridge the privileges or
mmunities of citizens of the United States.
Miss Susan B. Anthony tells in her Wmoan Suffrage History VOL
97 and 1885, that December 1871 She Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Isabella Beecher Hooker Elizabeth Bdn Olympia Brown and Josephine
, a. .n Iy.h ,y.n "s " g gp. Al, Nf n
addressed The Honorable House of Representatives of the
United States Congress assembled and read flows:"The under
signed citizens of the United States believing that the Federal
United the right to
honorable body law during the present session.
that shall assist and protect them in the exercise of that right
The 14h Amendment"
which State shall make enforce
United States"
Supreme
Mrs Virginia Minor that this clause of the lh Amendment did not
annu the word male" the Constitutions of States which confined the
and Presidential Electors and
thereby enable right vote for these federal officers
as counsel for Mrs. Minor claimed that did
And the Court decided this by holding deciding its House
cases decision OF 1873 that the above quoted clause of the 1th
only prohibited States from making enforcing laws which deprived citizens
of such rights owed their existence to the Federal Government its
national character its Constitution laws and then deciding that the
did
its existence Federal Constitution deciding that the Constitution
luirc tho below uod words in the orcu Of tic Minor We .nnersett
decision of S5Beg unanimously the opinion that the Constitution
the United States does the right and
that the Constitutions and laws of the several States which commit that
important trust alone necessarily void affirm the judgment
of the Court below"
Supreme part Happersett
decision quoted
hbed States form making enforcing law which deprived female
citizens of the United States of right that did its existence
Federal Constitution
right of
and Presidential Electors owed its existence Federal Con-
tuo by deciding Yabrough the
right Original
Constitution of the United
Happeset
and Elk Pae Yaough decisions that the 1 Amendment prohibited
our States from making or enforcing law which depves female citizens
of the United States right for Members Congress and
private vonied
its existence the 18th Amendment Natn Constitution, the
which depves of legal right vote for United States Senator's
as well of legal right Members of Congress and Presidential
Electors
the Constitutions of the majority of States which confined the right
Congress-
o and thereby left their of legal right
these federal "mae"
qualification voting
left
gress Presidential Electors and United States Senator's
Because the l Amendment Federal Constitution which
the of
State to the contrary Notwithstanding as its 9th Article expressly declares
The that their right the
above named federal officers States
because these States are enforcing laws which forbid their officers to
lister the of legal federal well state
tons And because Congress has refused neglected make federal laws
under the 4th Amendment to protect their women IN their legal
right at federal econ National American Women Suffrage
this Association petiond Congress
the decided
that the right of citizens for Members Congress Presidential
Electors owed its existence Federal Constitution Miss Anthony
pointed chairman the Federal Suffrage Committee" National
Woman
mit petition make federal laws under the 14 Amendment
to
States to vote federal elections the State wherein they reside
And from present
tinued to petition Congress to do this justice
We peitnng
federal laws under the 14t Amendment
NAL the right the United
wherein reside,
against State dnia of this right.
But Congress made federal oed exercising
rights that them State
18th Amendments National
like these that provides that
by appropriate legislation"
the this
quoted words speaking of the 1 18th 18th
are Virginia decision 1879 at said the judicial the
Government shall the prohibitions
rights immunie said
shall be authorized declare void of
enlarged
Some legislation contemplated
Very sincerely
MRS JAMES BENNETT
Richmond Kentucky February