Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Of political suffrage I had, as I confidentially told my friends of
the Association, no hope, and for the very reason given me later by
members of the Convention who consented to school suffrage; viz: "even
if endorsed by popular vote, such a provision would probably defeat
admission to the Union." None the less, however, was the necessity for
disarming the prejudices and impressing upon delegates and citizens
the justice of the demand for political enfranchisement.
Fortunately, the hospitable tea-table of Mrs. Armstrong, with whom I
was domiciled for the session, offered abundant womanly opportunity
for conference and discussion with delegates; and in the homes of
leading citizens I met a hearty sympathy which I can never forget.
During a recess of the Convention, a friendly member introduced me to
Governor Medary, as "the lady who, by vote of the Convention, will
speak here this evening in behalf of equal Constitutional rights for
the women of Kansas." "But, Mrs. Nichols, you would not have women go
down into the muddy pool of politics?" asked the Governor. "Even so,
Governor, I admit that you know best how muddy that pool is, but you
remember the Bethesda of old; how the angel had to go in and trouble
the waters before the sick could be healed. So I would have the angels
trouble this muddy pool that it may be well with the people; for you
know, Governor Medary, that this people is very sick. But here is a
petition to which I am adding names as I find opportunity; will you
place your name on the roll of honor?" "Not now, Madam, not now. I
will _sign the bill_." And the Governor, quite unconscious of his
mistake, with a smile and a bow, hurried away amid the good-natured
raillery of the little circle that had gathered around us. But it was
Governor Robinson, the life-long friend of woman and a free humanity,
that had the pleasure of "signing the bills."
In compliance with the earnest request of delegates, supported by the
action of the Association, I labored from the adjournment of the
Convention till the vote on the adoption of the Constitution, to
"remove the prejudices"--as the delegates expressed it--"of their
constituents, against the Woman's Rights provisions" of that document.
The death of Mr. Wattles on the eve of the campaign sent me alone into
the lecture field. For with the exception of Hon. Charles Robinson,
our first State Governor, and always an outspoken friend of our cause,
the politicians in the field either ignored or ridiculed the idea of
women being entitled under the school provision to vote.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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