Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
Mrs. Colby thus closed her address on Wyoming: "Having thus shown that
the twenty-two years' experience of woman suffrage has been
satisfactory to the citizens of Wyoming; that it has conduced to good
order in the elections and to the purity of politics; that the
educational system is improved and that teachers are paid without
regard to sex; that Wyoming stands alone in a decreased proportion of
crime and divorce; and that it has elevated the personal character of
both sexes--what possible good is there left to speak of as coming to
that State from woman suffrage save its position as the vanguard of
progress and human freedom. Not the Bartholdi statue in New York
harbor, but Wyoming on the crest of the continent, the first true
republic, represents Liberty enlightening the world."
Short addresses were made also by Mrs. Caroline McCullough Everhard,
Mrs. Mary Jewett Telford, the Rev. Mila F. Tupper, Mrs. Marble, Dr.
Frances Dickinson, Miss H. Augusta Howard, Mrs. Saxon, Mrs. Hannah J.
Bailey, Mrs. Evaleen L. Mason and Mrs. Olive Pond Amies.[87]
The _Post_, in an account of the Senate hearing, said: "Miss Anthony
called attention to Senator Hoar as the gentleman who had presented
the first favorable suffrage report to the Senate in 1879. Everybody
shouted "Stand up," and as he retired deeper into his leather chair
they continued to cry, "Up, up!" It was a tableau when the Senator
found his feet, and at the same time was confronted with a round of
applause and a volley of white handkerchiefs waved at him in
Chautauqua style. He capped the climax by moving at once a favorable
report. Laurel wreaths and bouquets would have been Senator Hoar's
portion if they had been available, but the women all assured him
afterward of their sincere appreciation. The hearing was held in the
ladies' reception room, which was completely filled."
These matchless arguments had no effect upon the Democratic members of
the committee, but Senator Warren of Wyoming made a favorable report
for himself, Senators Hoar of Massachusetts, Quay of Pennsylvania and
Allen of Washington, which concluded by saying: "The majority of the
members of this committee, believing that equal suffrage, regardless
of sex, should be the legitimate outgrowth of the principles of a
republican form of government, and that the right of suffrage should
be conferred upon the women of the United States, earnestly recommend
the passage of the amendment submitted herewith."
Senators Vance of North Carolina and George of Mississippi filed the
same minority report which already had done duty several times,
although the former was said to have declared that the speeches of the
women surpassed anything he ever had heard, and that their logic, if
used in favor of any other measure, could not fail to carry it.
FOOTNOTES:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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