y or fifty of
them would not use it, except by design. It was because every
mortal man knew when tinkering up a constitution that if he did
not put male in, females would vote. They had the right, and
there had to be a constitutional barrier erected to prevent their
exercise of it. Now, the thing which we have to do is either to
strike out this term "male," which, I trust, ladies (turning to
the ladies on the platform), is not particularly odious anywhere
else, except in the constitution.

Mrs. DAVIS and others--Not at all.

Mr. RIDDLE.--I repeat, that what we have to do is either to get
rid of this word "male," or to convince Congress, the courts, and
the rest of the world, that it is already gotten rid of, which, I
think, is easier. If it remains it can be put out in a very
summary way. It makes no difference in how many constitutions it
is found, nor in how many carefully considered statutes it has
been incorporated, for a single provision in the Constitution of
the United States is of that potency that instantaneously all
constitutions and all statutes are clarified of the exclusive
"male" principle, and that without other change or repeal.

And this brings me to the immediate question to be discussed, the
XIV. Amendment of the Constitution, which stands as the XIV.
Article. And you will understand that when the people or the
legislature speak by constitution or law, and use ordinary
language, that they mean what they say, and nobody can get up and
say they do not mean that, or that they mean something else.
There is nobody that can be heard for a moment to argue against
the plain, obvious, declared, well-ascertained meaning of words.
And when such words are used, it is the end of argument and of
construction. The great object to be achieved, so far as women
are concerned, is to bring them into the possession of the rights
of citizenship. "A person" is one thing, and naturally, "a
citizen" is something a little more. He or she is the creature of
a political compact, having the rights, the privileges, the
franchises of that particular political association, whatever
they are. A very ingenious, and at the same time a very
meritorious writer, recently, in overhauling these English
words--and it is a pretty good thing my honorable frie