Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
The meeting adjourned without action, and on Friday morning the
same subject was resumed. A motion to table Mrs. Stanton's
resolution was lost. Miss Anthony then moved that both letter and
resolution be placed in her hands, as the representative of the
president of the association, to be read in open convention
without indorsement. "I do not want any one to say that we young
folks strangle Mrs. Stanton's thought."
THE REV. DR. MCMURDY (D. C.): I do not intend to oppose or favor
the motion, but as a clergyman and a High Church Episcopalian, I
can not see any particular objections to Mrs. Stanton's letter.
The Scriptures must be interpreted naturally. Whenever Paul's
remarks are brought up I explain them in the light of this
nineteenth century as contrasted with the first.
It was finally voted that the letter be read without the
resolution.
The resolution was brought up later in open convention and the final
vote resulted in 32 ayes and 24 noes. This was not at that time a
delegate body, but usually only those voted who were especially
connected with the work of the association. Before the present
convention adjourned a basis of delegate representation was adopted,
and provision made that hereafter only regularly accredited delegates
should be entitled to vote.
The resolution calling upon Congress to take the necessary measures to
secure the ballot for women through an amendment to the Federal
Constitution, was vigorously opposed by the Southern delegates as
contrary to States' Rights, but was finally adopted. There was some
discussion also on the resolution which condemned the disfranchising
of Gentile as well as Mormon women, but which approved the action of
Congress in making disfranchisement a punishment for the crime of
polygamy. A difference of opinion was shown in regard to the latter
clause. This closed the convention.
As a favorable Senate report was pending, no hearing was held before
that committee.
The House Judiciary Committee[28] granted a hearing on the morning of
February 20. The speakers, as usual, were introduced to the chairman
of the committee by Miss Anthony. The first of these, Mrs. Virginia L.
Minor, had attempted to vote in St. Louis, been refused permission,
carried her case to the Supreme Court and received an adverse
decision.[29] Miss Anthony said in reference to this decision: "Chief
Justice Waite declared the United States had no voters. The Dred Scott
Decision was that the negro, not being a voter, was not a citizen. The
Supreme Court decided that women, although citizens, were not
protected in the rights of citizenship by the Fourteenth Amendment."
Mrs. Minor said in part:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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