Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
WENDELL PHILLIPS was introduced and made an eloquent appeal in
behalf of the object of the League. He congratulated the Society
on the progress it had made, contrasted the past with the
present, referred to his experience at former meetings, and
argued that woman should have a voice and a vote in the affairs
of the nation. He showed the importance of woman's moral power
infused into the politics of the country, and of the independence
of those outside of party lines, who neither vote or hold office,
to criticise the shortcomings of our rulers. He eulogized the
manner in which Anna Dickinson had arraigned both men and
measures before the judgment-seat of the people; deplored the
slavery of party, that puts padlocks on the lips of leading
politicians. While the sons of the Puritans, with bated breath,
see in the violation of the most sacred rights of citizens the
swift-coming destruction of the Republic, and in silence wait the
shock, an inspired girl comes forward, sounds the alarm, raises
the signal of distress, and fearlessly calls the captain, pilot,
crew, and all to duty, for the Ship of State is drifting on a
rock-bound coast. Again and again is this young girl put forward
to tell the people what men in high places dare not say
themselves.
The following resolutions were then read and submitted for
discussion:
1. _Whereas_, The testimony of all history, the teachings of all
sound philosophy, and our national experience for almost a
hundred years, have demonstrated that in the Divine economy there
is an "irrepressible conflict" between slavery and freedom; and
WHEREAS, The present war is but the legitimate fruit of this
unnatural union; therefore
_Resolved_, That any attempt to reconstruct the Government with
any root or branch of the slave system remaining, will surely
prove disastrous, and therefore should be met at the outset with
the stern rebuke of every true patriot and friend of humanity.
2. _Resolved_, That this Government _still_ upholds slavery by
military as well as civil power, and is, therefore, itself, still
in daring rebellion against the GOD OF JUSTICE, before whom
Jefferson "trembled" and whose "exterminating thunders" he warned
us would be our destruction, unless, by "the diffusion of light
and liberality," we were led to exterminate it forever from the
land.
3. _Resolved_, That until the old union with slavery be broken,
and the Constitution so amended as to secure the elective
franchise to all citizens who bear arms, or are taxed to support
the Government, we have no foundations on which to build a TRUE
REPUBLIC.
4. WHEREAS, The _Anti_ or _Pro_-slavery character of the
Constitution has long been a question of dispute among statesmen
and judges, as well as reformers, therefore
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