powers of legislation over
the District of Columbia in all cases whatsoever, here is a fair
chance to try the two houses upon this very interesting question.
There are a few out-spoken members of the Senate in favor of
Woman Suffrage, and first and foremost among them is "Old Ben
Wade," who goes for the whole programme of negroes' rights and
women's rights. Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas, has so far advanced
in the cause of Woman Suffrage that he has proposed to make it a
part of the supreme law of the land. But we like the idea of Mr.
Wilson of first trying the experiment in the District of
Columbia.

We remember the time when, in full view from the west front of
the Capitol, there was a regular slave pen which was also a
market where negroes were bought and sold. The abolitionists
first raised a hue and cry against that pen, and they kept it up
to 1850, when among the compromise measures of Henry Clay passed
that year was a provision abolishing the slave trade in the
District. Some twelve years later, during the rebellion, the
bolder and broader experiment was tried of abolishing slavery _in
toto_ in said District. These measures over a reserved bit of
territory over which Congress possesses absolute authority were
deemed judicious experiments and were demanded for the sake of
consistency, in view of the legislation resolved upon in Southern
reconstruction. So now, in view of a constitutional amendment
establishing not only manhood suffrage, but womanhood suffrage
throughout the United States, Mr. Wilson doubtless thinks it wise
first to try the experiment of Woman Suffrage in the aforesaid
District, to see how it will work. As the District of Columbia
has not only survived but has flourished and continues to
flourish under emancipation and negro suffrage, we can not
imagine why there should be any hesitation in trying therein the
experiment of Woman Suffrage. At all events let Senator Wilson
push forward his bill, so that the country may know, so that
General Grant may know, and so that the women may know who in the
Senate in favor of negroes' rights will dare to oppose woman's
rights.

CONGRESS.--DECEMBER 16, 1869.--In the House, some discussion
arose on a question involving the equality of woman to hold
appointments in the gover