House Unpassed Legislation 1858, referred to special committee on voter qualifications, SC1/series 230, Petition of Sarah E. Wall

Petition subject: Equal elective franchise for women Original: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:11029838 Date of creation: (unknown) Petition location: Worcester Legislator, committee, or address that the petition was sent to: John Milton Earle, Worcester; joint special committee on the qualifications of voters Selected signatures:Sarah E. Wall Actions taken on dates: 1858-01-13,1858-01-14 Legislative action: Received in the Senate on January 13, 1858 and referred to the joint special committee on the qualification of voters and sent for concurrence and received in the House on January 14, 1858 and concurred Total signatures: 1 Legislative action summary: Received, referred, sent, received, concurred Female signatures: 1 Female only signatures: Yes Identifications of signatories: a taxpayer of the city of Worcester, [females] Prayer format was printed vs. manuscript: Manuscript Additional non-petition or unrelated documents available at archive: no additional documents Additional archivist notes: women's suffrage, 4 pages of text, [To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of Massachusetts. Twice before has your petitioner protested against the injustice and inconsistency of a legislation based on the principle, that taxation and representation are inseparable which allows women to be taxed, while she is unrepresented, and twice has she had leave to withdraw. For the third and last time, she now presents her appeal to you. During the last session of the Legislature, a petition for the right of suffrage, headed by one who has earned for herself the rights she claims, was presented to the body, and advocated by some of the ablest minds of the Commonwealth. What was the result? The Committee very courteously reported “leave to withdraw.” Why is this? Why is it, that a question, involving the rights and destinies of the whole human race, should thus be summarily disposed of, while a minor one, such as the measurement of milk is allowed to engross their attention for days and weeks in succession? The Constitutional Convention, after due consideration of this subject, reported that it would be inexpedient to act upon it, because, only two thousand, out of the two hundred thousand, women of Massachusetts, petition for it. A weaker argument than this could not have been stated. Who, that ever circulated a petition, does not know the manifold objections it is possible to raise against signing it, when it is of the most simple nature, even by those apparently in favor of it. Again, very few are willing to spend the time and labor requisite for its faithful circulation, so, that it is not probable that one twentieth part of that two hundred thousand ever had it presented to them. Suppose it had been, and a majority of them had refused to sign it, as it is very likely they might for obvious reasons, it would not at all affect the point at issue. When so few men have the courage to brave public opinion, in the defence of an unpopular idea, even when they know it to be right, and ultimately for their own interest, it cannot be expected that woman, reared in seclusion, will be bolder still, to confront the customs and prejudices, not merely of a generation, but of centuries. It was cited, as a proof that she did not want the right to vote, because, having the right of petition, she availed herself of it in the cause of Temperance, but failed to so here. It would be just as rational to maintain, as a law of science, that, as the sun and moon are both heavenly bodies, and both give light, therefore every body can see to read by moonlight. It needs no argument, to prove, that if the sale of intoxicating drinks were suppressed, the deathly gloom now shrouding so many hearts and homes, would be dispelled by the glowing beams of joy and love. It is an easy thing to do what has already received the sanction of public approval, as in the Loving petitions, that have since flooded the Legislature, with their thousands of female signatures. It requires thought, reason, and, what is rarer still, moral courage, to understand the laws by which society ascends the scale of human progress, and apply them to the relations of social life. It is not the masses who take the lead in any reform; being led by impulse rather than by reflection, it is not until a movement becomes sufficiently familiar, to present itself readily to the mind, in its general bearings, that they are ready to adopt it; but, it is because their impulses naturally lead them in the right direction, that we rely on them for its ultimate success. It would be extremely absurd, to notice the various objections that meet us at every step, were it not for the high sources whence they come. To hear men of intelligence and refinement discount on the frightful picture of deserted homes and neglected children, on the formidable spectre of woman scrambling for office, and the almost endless catalogue of disorders and confusions, such as the world has...