Year: 1878

WASHINGTON, D. c., January 9.


The object of this Convention of wo-
men here at present in Washington is to
impress upon Congress the propriety Of
adopting a sixteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, con-
ferring upon all citizens the right Of suf-
frage, without distinction Of sex There
are two opinions among friends of wo-
man suffrage as to how woman suffrage
should be brought about. One party, at
the head Of which is the distinguished
Colonel T. w. Higginson, advocate the
plan of leaving the matter to be regulat
ed by the Legislatures OF the several
States, affirming that such Legislatures
have full power from the United States
Constitution as il is TO determine each
for itself all suffrage qualifications with
in its own limits. The other woman sul-
frage wing, on the other hand, declare
this will never do at all. They say that
the great stamp and seal of the United
States Government must be set upon the
instrument which gives them the right
to vote-in short, that Congress itself
must pass a sixteenth amendment to the
Federal Constitution. They particularly
object, say they, to being remanded to
the State Legislatures TO ask for their
rights. 1t is like booming them anew to
hopelessness on the suffrage question, to
send them back to the "unwashed, un-
lettered, unthinking masses" as Mrs
Cady Stanton puts it. In my own mind,
I'm by no means so certain, since I've
been in Washington and seen EN-, that
United States Congressman are such an
almighty improvement on the ''unwash-
ed, unlettered, unthinking State legisla.
tors after all, but perhaps I'm mistaken
The uncultivated ear is deaf to the finer
notes in music, so maybe my rustic ear
can not hear the inetfably lofty and in
spring music that sings within the soul
of the average Congressman. / think 1t
| is quite likely) There is one thing the
/ Sixteenth Amendment party do not fully
/ take accoun'of, think, and that is this:
| Though the United States Congress
/ should pass a woman's suffrage amend
ment unanimously, still women could
| never vote until this amendment had
been ratified by a majority of the very
"unwashed unlettered and unthinking


State Legislatures they object TO so
strongly. So It is just as broad as IL is
long, after all


However it will come, though, believe
this much is certain TO every thinking
mind: Woman suffrage will be fixed
fact in this country before many years,
whether one likes it or not. 1t is prada
ble that a majority of the legal profession
favor it already As nearly as / can
Judge specifically half the adult popu.
lation OF the District OF Columbia are in
favor OF it. l have been surprised to hear
fashionable ladies, whom one would new
er fancy gave a thought to anything be
yond the irizzles OF their hair, speak out
strongly and well in favor Of woman suf.
frage / have heard other fashionable
ladies, and the very last from whom
should expect such an expression, de
clare themselves converted to woman
suffrage by this Convention. The Wash
ington ladies, should say, were better
instructed IN public matters and meas
ures than those IN any other part OF the
Union. and that is probably why so many
of them favor woman suffrage.


THE woNEN OF The CONVENTION.


There are some notable women here
in attendance; also some notorious ones
The women quacks, always such a griey
Gus burden tor honest women TO carry
have tiocked to this Convention with
their little vanities and their little axe.
TO grind. These feminine bummers hoy
eTing on the outskirts of the main army