cised even in opposition to law. I would give them an
opportunity to exercise them under the forms of law, and I would
enforce the law by the accession of this pure element. I do not
think that they would be corrupted by it, but rather that society
and politics would be purified by admitting them to the
ballot-box and giving them this opportunity.

I therefore trust that, in the spirit of the pledge that was made
by us as Republicans, in the spirit of the adhesion to the
Constitution professed by our democratic friends, there may be an
assent to this amendment, and that the United States will engraft
this feature in the organic law of this new Territory. There is
nothing peculiar in the form of this proposition. All the
original steps which we took toward circumscribing slavery were
taken by engrafting provisos on the organic laws of Territories,
from Nebraska down, providing that the Territories, when
organized, should not do this or that affecting the liberty of
human beings. In the mode pursued by that legislation, and
according to those precedents, I now propose that the
Constitution shall be invoked; that women shall have the right in
this Territory which is guaranteed by the organic law.

Mr. STEWART.--If this region is to be created into a Territory, I
think it eminently proper that this amendment should be adopted.
The question of female suffrage is a question that is being
seriously considered by a large portion of the people of the
United States. We may think lightly of it here; we may think it
never will be accomplished; but there are a great many earnest
people who believe if females had the ballot they could better
protect themselves, be more independent, and occupy useful
positions in life which are now denied to them. Whether they be
correct or not, it is not necessary for us to determine in
passing upon this amendment. Here is a new Territory to be
created, and it is a good opportunity to try this experiment. If
it works badly, when the Territory becomes a State there is
nobody committed. It is not an amendment of the organic law of
the nation. This is a bill simply providing for the organization
of a Territory and for a preliminary government, and I should
like for one to see this experiment tried. It is suggested by my