ight of
female citizens to suffrage is vested by the Constitution, that
right can be established in the courts." We respectfully submit
that, with regard to the competency and qualification of electors
for members of this House, the courts have no jurisdiction. This
House is the sole judge of the election return and qualification
of its own members (article 1, section 5, of Constitution); and
it is for the House alone to decide upon a contest, who are, and
who are not, competent and qualified to vote. The judicial
department can not thus invade the prerogatives of the political
department. And it is therefore perfectly proper, in our opinion,
for the House to pass a declaratory resolution, which would be an
index to the action of the House, should the question be brought
before it by a contest for a seat. We, therefore, recommend to
the House the adoption of the following resolution:

_Resolved, by the House of Representatives_, That the right
of suffrage is one of the inalienable rights of citizens of
the United States, subject to regulation by the States,
through equal and just laws.

That this right is included in the "privileges of citizens of the
United States," which are guaranteed by section 1 of article XIV.
of Amendments to the Constitution of the United States; and that
women citizens, who are otherwise qualified by the laws of the
State where they reside, are competent voters for Representatives
in Congress.

WM. LOUGHRIDGE.
BENJ. F. BUTLER.
H. Rep. 22, pt. 2----2.

On January 20, 1871, in the House of Representatives, a bill for the
better government of the District of Columbia came up. The Hon. George
W. Julian, of Indiana, moved to strike out the word "male" in the
section providing who shall vote, and supported his amendment as
follows:

The establishment of universal male suffrage throughout the
United States was preceded by its establishment in the District
of Columbia and in the Territories. Following the same order, I
desire that the District of Columbia shall first enjoy the
further and full extension of the Democratic principle, by giving
the ballot to all the people here, irrespective of sex. I know of
no re