t, and very few people do
now, for the simple reason that the XIV. Amendment was directed,
as everybody knows, by its language, by its history, by its
relation to other laws, to what are called civil rights; but I am
not going to define what they are, because to do so takes time.
So, Mr. President, the XV. Amendment was passed in order to
secure a right to vote without regard to race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.

Then you come to the real question which is involved here; and
that is the propriety of providing that females, twenty-one years
of age, not idiots, not lunatics, not in the
penitentiary--standing upon the same limitations that men do in
these respects--are to vote. That presents a fair question, one
that we have a perfect right to pass upon; and I have only said
what I have in order to show that we had not better run crazy
over the idea that we were dealing with natural and inalienable
rights, and that we were violating human rights if we happened to
say no, or that we were vindicating human rights in the sense now
spoken of if we should say yes. We are merely considering a
question of political expediency, as confessedly we have the
power in governing the Territories to let anybody vote we choose.
We can put the whole concern in Pembina, if we think it wise,
into the hands of the madmen up there, and I do not know but that
they are in the majority, for I certainly know nothing about
it.... If no other Senator wishes to make any remarks, I move to
lay the bill upon the table.

Mr. SARGENT: I ask for the yeas and nays on that motion.

Mr. HAGER: I hope the Senator from Vermont will withdraw his
motion. I desire to make a few remarks.

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Clayton in the chair). The motion is
not debatable.

Mr. HAGER: I ask the Senator to withdraw the motion for a few
minutes.

Mr. EDMUNDS: If the Senator will renew it when he finishes his
remarks, I will do so.

Mr. HAGER: Very well.

Mr. EDMUNDS: I withdraw the motion.

Mr. HAGER: Mr. President, it seems to me strange that a question
of so much importance as that raised by this amendment appears to
be, from the positions taken by Senators on the floor, should be
presented upon this bill, which, if amended as proposed, will not