Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Early the next fall, similar petitions were circulated. It was
determined to attack the Legislature in such good season, that
lateness of time would not again be brought up as an excuse for
non-attention to the prayers of women. Mrs. King's interest continued
unabated, and through her advice, Mrs. Ferrin prepared an address to
accompany the petitions. Hon. Charles W. Upham, minister of the First
Unitarian church of Salem, afterward Representative in Congress, was
State Senator that year. From him they received much encouragement. "I
concur with you in every sentiment," said he, "but please re-write
your address, making two of it; one in the form of a memorial to the
Legislature, and the other, an address to the Judiciary Committee, to
whom your petitions will be referred." These two documents will be
found to suggest most of the important demands, afterward made in
every State, for a change of laws relating to woman. The fallacy of
"sacredness" for these restrictive laws was shown; the rights of
humanity as superior to any outside authority, asserted; and justice
made the basis of the proposed reformation. The right of woman to
trial by a jury of her peers was claimed, followed by the suggestion
that woman is capable of making the laws by which she is governed. The
memorial excited much attention, and was printed by order of the
Legislature, though the possibility of a woman having written it was
denied.[36]
But in 1850, as in 1849, no action was taken, the petitioners having
"leave to withdraw." Petitions of a similar character were again
circulated throughout Salem and Danvers, in 1850, '51, '52, '53,
making six successive years, in each of which the petitioners had
"leave to withdraw," as the only reply to their prayers for relief.
The Hon. Mr. Upham, however, remained woman's steadfast friend through
all this period, and Mrs. Phebe Upton King was as constantly found
among the petitioners.
In 1852 the petitions were signed only by ladies over sixty years of
age, women of large experience and matured judgment, whose prayers
should have received at least respectful consideration from the
legislators of the State. We give the appeal accompanying their
petition:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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