The History of Woman Suffrage Volume III Part 64

In the suit of Mr. Edward Jones to recover $860 which he alleged he had loaned to the Rev. Anna Oliver for the Willoughby Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, of which she was pastor, a verdict for the defendant was rendered. Miss Oliver addressed the following letter to the court:

_To his Honor, the Judge, the Intelligent Jury, the Lawyers and all who are engaged in the case of Jones vs. Oliver_:

GENTLEMEN:--Thanking you for the politeness, the courtesy, the chivalry even, that has been shown me to-day, allow me to make of you the following request: Please sit down at your earliest leisure, and endeavor to realize in imagination how you would feel if you were sued by a woman, and the case was brought before a court composed entirely of women; the judge a woman; every member of the jury a woman; women to read the oath to you, and hold the Bible, and every lawyer a woman. Further, your case to be tried under laws framed entirely by women, in which neither you nor any man had ever been allowed a voice. Somewhat as you would feel under such circ.u.mstances, you may be a.s.sured, on reading this, I have felt during the trial to-day. Perhaps the women would be lenient to you (the s.e.xes do favor each other), but would you be satisfied? Would you feel that such an arrangement was exactly the just and fair thing? If you would not, I ask you on the principle of the Golden Rule, to use your influence for the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of women.

_New York, 1881._

Mrs. Roebling, wife of the engineer in charge of the construction of the marvelous Brooklyn bridge, made the patterns for various necessary shapes of iron and steel such as no mills were making, after her husband and other engineers had for weeks puzzled their brains over the difficulties.

When Frank Leslie died, his printing-house was involved, and Mrs.

Leslie undertook to redeem it, which she did, and in a very short time. Speaking of it she says:

"I had the property in reach, and the a.s.signees were ready to turn it over to me, but to get it, it was necessary for me to raise $50,000, I borrowed it from a woman. How happy I was when she signed the check, and how beautiful it seemed to me to see one woman helping another. I borrowed the money in June, and was to make the first payment of $5,000, on the 1st of November. On the 29th of October I paid the $50,000 with interest. From June to the 29th of October, I made $50,000 clear. I had also to pay $30,000 to the creditors who did not come under the contract.

While I was paying this $80,000 of my husband's debts, I spent but $30 for myself, except for my board. I lived in a little attic room, without a carpet, and the window was so high that I could not get a glimpse of the sky unless I stood on a chair and looked out. When I had paid the debts and raised a monument to my husband, then I said to myself, 'now for a great big pair of diamond earrings,' and away I went to Europe, and here are the diamonds." The diamonds are perfect matches, twenty-seven carats in weight, and are nearly as large as nickles.

In Lansingburgh the women tax-payers offered their ballots and were repulsed, as follows:

September 2, 1885, the special election of the taxable inhabitants of the village of Lansingburgh took place, to vote upon a proposition to raise by tax the sum of $15,000 for water-works purposes. The measure was voted by 102 for it to 46 against. But a small amount of interest was manifested in the election. Several women tax-payers offered their votes, but the inspectors would not receive them, and the matter will be contested in the courts. The call for the election asked for an expression from "the taxable inhabitants," and women tax-payers in the 'burgh claim under the law their rights must be recognized. Lansingburgh inspectors have on numerous occasions refused to receive the ballots thus tendered, and the women have lost patience. They are to employ the best of counsel and settle the question at as early a day as possible. Women pay tax upon $367,394 of the property within the village boundaries, and they believe that they, to the number of 317 at least, are ent.i.tled to votes on all questions involving a monetary expenditure. In Saratoga, Clinton, and a number of other places in this State, where elections in relation to water-works have taken place, it has been held by legal authority that women property owners have a right to vote, and they have voted accordingly the same as other tax-payers.

In regard to recent efforts to secure legislation favorable to women, Mr. Wilc.o.x writes:

The impression that the School Act, pa.s.sed in 1880, did not apply to cities, led to the introduction by the Hon. Charles S. Baker of Rochester, of a bill covering cities. A test vote showed the a.s.sembly practically unanimous for it, but it was referred to the Judiciary Committee to examine its const.i.tutionality. The chairman, Hon. Geo. L. Ferry, and other members, asked me to look up the point and inform the committee, supposing a const.i.tutional amendment needful. When the point was made on this bill, I for the first time closely examined the const.i.tution, and finding there was nought to prevent the legislature enfranchising anyone, promptly apprised the committee of the discovery. The acting-chairman, Major Wm. D. Brennan, requested me to furnish the committee a legal brief on the matter. This (Feb. 19, 1880) I did, and arranged a public hearing before them in the a.s.sembly-chamber, which was attended by Governor Cornell, Lieutenant-Governor Hoskins, many senators, a.s.semblymen, and State officers; at which Mrs. Blake, the sainted Helen M. Sloc.u.m and Mrs. Elizabeth L. Saxon were the speakers. From that year to the present there has been a "Bill to Prohibit Disfranchis.e.m.e.nt"

before each legislature. In 1881, it was carried to a majority vote in the a.s.sembly. In 1883, two-thirds of the a.s.sembly were ready to pa.s.s the bill when the attorney-general declared it unconst.i.tutional. In 1884, Governor Cleveland had approved two suffrage acts, and promised to sign all the friends could carry.

In 1885, growing tired of the senseless clamor of "unconst.i.tutionality," I resolved to show how little law the clamorers knew. To the knowledge gained by five years'

discussion, I added that obtained by several months' research in the State Library at Albany, that of the New York Bar a.s.sociation, those of the New York Law Inst.i.tute and Columbia College, and elsewhere. The result was the publication of "Cases of the Legislature's Power over Suffrage," wherein it was shown, condensed from a great number of authorities, that all cla.s.ses have received suffrage, not from the const.i.tution but from the legislature, and that the latter has exercised the power of extending suffrage in hundreds of cases. This doc.u.ment received high praise from General James W. Husted and Major James Haggerty, who have manfully championed our bills in the a.s.sembly, General Husted reading from it in his speech and it was signally sanctioned by the a.s.sembly which, after being supplied with copies, voted down by more than three to one a motion to subst.i.tute a const.i.tutional amendment.

But while working at this doc.u.ment, I was fortunate enough to make a still greater discovery--that portions of statute law which formerly prevented women's voting were repealed long since; that the const.i.tution and statutes in their present shape secure women the legal right to vote.

February 19, 1885, a hearing was granted to Mrs. Stanton, Mrs.

Rogers and Mrs. Blake in the a.s.sembly-chamber before the Committee on Grievances, on the "Bill to Prohibit Disfranchis.e.m.e.nt." The splendid auditorium was crowded for two hours, and members of the committee lingered a long time after the audience had dispersed to discuss the whole question still further with the speakers. On the next day Mrs. Mary Seymour Howell and Governor John W. Hoyt of Wyoming Territory had a second hearing. The committee reported for consideration. When the bill came up for a third reading, General Martin L. Curtis of St. Lawrence moved that it be sent to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to subst.i.tute a const.i.tutional amendment; lost, ayes 25, noes 75; carried to a third reading by _viva voce_ vote. The vote on the final pa.s.sage was, ayes 57, noes 56; the const.i.tutional majority in this State being 65 of the 128 members, it was lost by eight votes. Of the 73 Republicans, 29 voted for the bill; of the 55 Democrats, 28 voted for the bill, showing that more than half the Democratic vote was in favor, and only two-fifths of the Republican; thus our defeat was due to the Republican party.

Thus stands the question of woman suffrage in the Empire State to-day, where women are in the majority.[254] After long years of unremitting efforts who can read this chapter of woman's faith and patience, under such oft-repeated disappointments, but with pity for her humiliations and admiration for her courage and persistence. For nearly half a century the pet.i.tions, the appeals, the arguments of the women of New York have been before the legislature for consideration, and the trivial concessions of justice thus far wrung from our rulers bear no proportion to the prolonged labors we have gone through to achieve them.

FOOTNOTES:

[200] It has recently been ascertained that the first woman's rights pet.i.tion sent to the New York State legislature was by Miss Mary Ayers, in 1834, for a change in the property laws. It was ten or fifteen feet long when unrolled, and is still buried in the vaults of the capitol at Albany.

[201] Many years afterwards, lecturing in Texas, I met a party of ladies from Georgia, thoroughly awake on all questions relating to women. Finding ourselves quite in accord, I said, "how did you get those ideas in Georgia?" "Why," said one, "some of our friends attended a woman's convention at Saratoga, and told us what was said there, and gave us several tracts on all phases of the question, which were the chief topics of discussion among us long after." Southern women have suffered so many evils growing out of the system of slavery that they readily learn the lessons of freedom.--[E. C. S.

[202] The following were elected officers of the a.s.sociation.

_President_, Martha C. Wright, Auburn. _Vice-Presidents_, Celia Burleigh, Brooklyn; Rachel S. Martin, Albany; Lydia A. Strowbridge, Cortland; Jennie White, Syracuse; Eliza W. Osborn, Auburn; Sarah G.

Love, Ithaca; W. S. V. Rosa, Watertown; Mary M. R. Parks, Utica; Amy Post, Rochester; Candace S. Brockett, Brockett's Bridge; Ida Greeley, Chappaqua; Mary Hunt, Waterloo. _Secretary_, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Fayetteville. _Executive Committee_, Lucy A. Brand, Emeline A. Morgan, Mrs. H. Stewart, Samuel J. May, Rhoda Price, all of Syracuse. _Advisory Counsel_, for First Judicial District, Susan B. Anthony, New York; Second, Sarah Schram, Newburgh; Third, Sarah H. Hallock, Milton; Fourth, Caroline Mowry Holmes, Greenwich; Fifth, Ann T. Randall, Oswego; Sixth, Mrs. Professor Sprague, Ithaca, Seventh, Harriet N. Austin, Dansville; Eighth, Helen P.

Jenkins, Buffalo.

[203] The speakers were Celia Burleigh, Susan B. Anthony, Charlotte B. Wilbour, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Mrs. Bedortha, of Saratoga, Mrs.

Strowbridge, of Cortland, Mrs. Norton, J. N. Holmes, esq., Judge McKean, Rev. Mr. Angier, Hon. Wm. Hay. See Vol. II., page 402, for Mrs. Burleigh's letter on this Saratoga convention.

[204] The Board of Trustees of Mt. Vernon, Westchester county, called a meeting of taxpayers of that village on July 19, 1868, to vote upon the question of levying a tax of $6,000 for the purpose of making and repairing highways and sidewalks, and for sundry other public improvements. Over sixty per cent. of the real-estate owners being women, they resolved upon a.s.serting their right to a voice in the matter, and issued a call for a meeting, signed by the following influential ladies: Mrs. M. J. Law, Mrs. H. H. Leaver, Mrs. Olive Leaver, Mrs. J. Haggerty, Mary H. Macdonald, Mrs.

Dorothy Ferguson, Mrs. M. J. Farrand, Mrs. Jeanette Oron, Mrs.

Thirza Clark, Mrs. S. J. Clark, Mrs. Nettie Morgan, Mrs. D. Downs, Miss L. M. Hale, Miss Susie Law, Mrs. Celia Pratt, Mrs. Sabra Talcott, Mrs. Mary Wilkie, Mrs. Elizabeth Latham, Mrs. Mary C.

Brown, Mrs. J. M. Lockwood, Mrs. May Howe, Mrs. Adaline Baylis, Mrs. J. Harper, Miss Elizabeth Eaton, Miss C. Frederiska Scharft, Mrs. S. A. Hathaway, Mrs. Margaret Hick, Mrs. Rebecca Dimmic, Mrs.

Catharine Alphonse, Miss Julia Cheney, Mrs. E. Watkins, Mrs. L. M.

Pease, Mrs. Margaret Coles, Mrs. Ruth Smith, Mrs. Mary A. Douglas, Mrs. Sarah Valentine, Mrs. H. C. Jones, Mrs. J. Tomlinson, Mrs.

Amanda Carr, Mrs. Margaret Wooley, Mrs. S. Seeber, Mrs. B. Powers, Mrs. S. A. Waterhouse, Mrs. H. M. Smith. But notwithstanding the numbers, wealth, and social influence of the women, their demand was rejected, while hundreds of men, who had never paid a dollar's tax into the village treasury, were permitted to deposit their votes, though challenged by friends, and well known to the officers as not possessors of a foot of real estate.

[205] The Working Women's a.s.sociation was organized in New York, September 17, 1868, with Mrs. Anna Tobitt, _President_; Miss Augusta Lewis, Miss Susan Johns, Miss Mary Peers.

_Vice-Presidents_; Miss Elizabeth C. Browne, _Secretary_, and Miss Julia Browne, _Treasurer_. The three vice-presidents were young ladies of about twenty. Miss Lewis worked upon a newly invented type-setting machine.

[206] "Sergeant Robinson, of the Twenty-sixth Precinct, made a raid on the abandoned women patroling the park last evening. At 11 p. m.

six unfortunates were caged." Thus runs the record. Will some one now be kind enough to tell us whether Sergeant Robinson, or any other sergeant, made a raid upon the abandoned men who were patrolling Broadway at the same hour? Did any one on that night, or, indeed, upon any other night, within the memory of the oldest Knickerbocker, make a raid upon the gamblers, thieves, drunkards and panders that infest Houston street? By what authority do the police call women "abandoned" and arrest them because they are patrolling any public park or square? If these women belonged to the cla.s.s euphemistically called "unfortunate," they were doubtless there because men were already there before them. And if it was illegal in women and deserving of punishment, why should men escape? _Prima facie_, if crime were committed, the latter are the greater criminals of the two. We humbly suggest to all who are endeavoring to reform this cla.s.s of women, that they turn their attention to reforming the opposite s.e.x. If you can make men so pure that they will not seek the society of prost.i.tutes, you will soon have no prost.i.tutes for them to seek; in other words, prost.i.tution will cease when men become sufficiently pure to make no demand for prost.i.tutes. In any event, the police should treat both s.e.xes alike. Making a raid, as it is called, upon abandoned women, and shutting them up in prison, never can procure good results. The most repulsive and b.e.s.t.i.a.l features of "the social evil" have their origin in the treatment that women receive at the hands of the police; and society itself would be much better if the police would keep their hands off such women.--[P. P. in _The Revolution_.

[207] An important decision relating to the eligibility of candidates for the Cornell free scholars.h.i.+p has been rendered by Judge Martin of the Supreme Court. Mary E. Wright, who stood third in the recent examination here for the scholars.h.i.+p, contested the appointment on the ground that the candidates who were first and second in the examination were not pupils of a school in the county. The judge decided that candidates for the position must be residents of the county and pupils of a school therein, to be eligible, and he awarded the scholars.h.i.+p to Miss Wright. This is the first contested scholars.h.i.+p since the establishment of the University.--_Ithaca dispatch to New York Times._

[208] Dr. Lewis H. Morgan, who died in 1882, famed in both hemispheres as an ethnologist, left a considerable estate to be devoted at the death of his wife (which has since occurred) and of his son without issue, to the establishment, in connection with the University of Rochester, of a collegiate inst.i.tution for women.

This makes it very probable that Rochester will ultimately offer equal opportunities to both s.e.xes.

[209] At one time it was said that Hobart College had more professors than students, and one year had arrived at such a point of exhaustion as to graduate but one young man. When the proposition to incorporate Geneva Medical College with the Syracuse University was made, Hon. George F. Comstock, a trustee of the latter inst.i.tution, vigorously opposed it unless equal advantages were pledged to women.

[210] See Volume II., page 264.

[211] The twelve were:. Mrs. H. M. Field, Mrs. Anna Lynch Botta, Miss Kate Field, Mrs. Anna B. Allen, Miss Josephine Pollard, Mrs.

Celia Burleigh, Mrs. f.a.n.n.y Barrow, Mrs. C. B. Wilbour, Mrs. J. C.

Croly, Miss Ella Dietz, Alice and Phebe Cary.

[212] She now reports the cattle-market for four New York papers including the _Tribune_ and _Times_.

[213] _President_, Charlotte B. Wilbour; _Vice-Presidents_, Dr.

Clemence S. Lozier, Mrs. Devereux Blake; _Secretary_, Frances V.

Hallock; _Treasurer_, Miss Jeannie McAdam.

[214] The pet.i.tioners were represented by Mrs. Wilbour, Mrs. Hester M. Poole, Elizabeth B. Phelps, Elizabeth Langdon, Mrs. I. D. Hull, Mrs. Charlotte L. Coleman, Mrs. M. E. Leclover, Matilda Joslyn Gage.

[215] See Vol. II., page 628.

[216] Isabella Beecher Hooker, Susan B. Anthony, Rev. Olympia Brown, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Dr. Clemence Lozier, Helen M. Sloc.u.m, Lillie Devereux Blake.

[217] Lillie Devereux Blake was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in August, 1833. Her father, George Devereux, was a wealthy Southern gentleman of Irish descent. Her mother's maiden name was Sarah Elizabeth Johnson of Stratford, Connecticut, a descendant of William Samuel Johnson who was one of the first two senators from that State. Both her parents were descended from Jonathan Edwards.

Her father died in 1837, and the widow subsequently removed to New Haven, Conn., where she was well known for her large and generous hospitality. Her daughter, the future favorite writer and lecturer, was a much admired belle, and in 1855 was married to Frank Umsted, a lawyer of Philadelphia, with whom she lived two years in St.

Louis, Mo. Mr. Umsted died in 1859, and his widow, who had written sketches for _Harper's Magazine_ and published a novel called "Southwold," from that date contributed largely to leading newspapers and magazines. She was Was.h.i.+ngton correspondent of the _Evening Post_ in the winter of 1861, published "Rockford" in 1862, and wrote many stories for _Frank Leslie's Weekly_, the _Philadelphia Press_ and other publications. In 1866 she married Greenfill Blake of New York. In 1872 Mrs. Blake published "Fettered for Life," a novel designed to show the legal disadvantages of women. Ever since she became interested in the suffrage movement Mrs. Blake has been one of the most ardent advocates. She has taken several lecturing tours in different States of the Union. Mrs.

Blake is an easy speaker and writer, and of late has contributed to many of our popular magazines. Much of the recent work in the New York legislature is due to her untiring zeal.

[218] Mrs. Jennie McAdam, Mrs. Hester Poole, Charlotte Coleman, Mrs. Hull, Mrs. Morse and others. A month before, January 23, Miss Anthony was invited to address the commission, giving her const.i.tutional argument, showing woman's right to vote under the fourteenth amendment. Hon. Henry R. Selden was in the audience, being in the city on Miss Anthony's case. At the close of her argument he said: "If I had heard that speech before, I could have made a stronger plea before Judge Hall this morning."

[219] She was escorted to the capitol by Phoebe H. Jones and the venerable Lydia Mott, who for a quarter of a century had entertained at their respective homes the various speakers that had come to Albany to plead for new liberties, and had accompanied them, one after another, to the halls of legislation.

[220] Addressed by Mrs. Wilbour, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Lozier, Mrs.

Hallock, Hamilton Wilc.o.x and Dr. Hallock.