Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
If the party now in the ascendency makes its demand for "Negro
Suffrage" in good faith, on the ground of natural right, and
because the highest good of the State demands that the republican
idea be vindicated, on no principle of justice or safety can the
women of the nation be ignored. In view of the fact that the
Freedmen of the South and the millions of foreigners now crowding
our shores, most of whom represent neither property, education,
nor civilization, are all in the progress of events to be
enfranchised, the best interests of the nation demand that we
outweigh this incoming pauperism, ignorance, and degradation,
with the wealth, education, and refinement of the women of the
republic. On the high ground of safety to the Nation, and justice
to citizens, I ask your support in the coming election.
New York, _Oct. 10, 1866_. ELIZABETH CADY STANTON.
The New York _Herald_, though, of course, with no sincerity,
since that journal is never sincere in anything--warmly advocated
Mrs. Stanton's election. "A lady of fine presence and
accomplishments in the House of Representatives," it said (and
said truly), "would wield a wholesome influence over the rough
and disorderly elements of that body." The _Anti-Slavery
Standard_, with genuine commendation, said: "The electors of the
Eighth District would honor themselves and do well by the country
in giving her a triumphant election." The other candidates in the
same district were Mr. James Brooks, Democrat, and Mr. Le Grand
B. Cannon, Republican. The result of the election was as follows:
Mr. Brooks received 13,816 votes, Mr. Cannon 8,210, and Mrs.
Stanton 24. It will be seen that the number of sensible people in
the district was limited! The excellent lady, in looking back
upon her successful defeat, regrets only that she did not, before
it became too late, procure the photographs of her two dozen
unknown friends.[68]
The years of 1866 and '67 were marked by unusual activity among the
friends of this movement in both England and America. John Stuart
Mill, a member of Parliament, proposed an amendment to the "Household
Suffrage Bill," by striking out the word "man," sustained by many able
speeches, which finally carried the measure triumphantly there. New
York held a Constitutional Convention, Michigan a Commission, and
Kansas submitted the proposition of woman suffrage to a vote of her
people. Twenty thousand petitions were rolled up and presented in the
Constitutional Convention, asking that the word "male" be stricken
from Article II, sec. 1, and as many more were poured into Congress
and the Legislatures of several of the States. A series of
conventions, commencing in Albany, were held in all the chief cities
of New York.[69]
THE AMERICAN EQUAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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