first. It is one of the evidences of the advance of
civilization in America that woman does occupy the position she
does here; and it is idle to say that society will be destroyed
by recognizing her as having rights to protect.

It is very well for women who chance to have kind husbands and
luxurious homes, under the flattery of their husbands, to sneer
at their less fortunate sisters who are debarred every right. It
is very well for those who have luxury and power and wealth to
trample upon the unfortunate that cry for bread and for help. It
is very easy to philosophize about laws and say that women are
not fit for this place and not fit for that; that it is
indelicate, and all that kind of thing, to allow her to earn an
honest living or to have a place in a Department where she can do
work; it is very well for us to say, "Here, we will give her only
half pay for the same labor;" but they who serve and they who
suffer feel it differently. How is the voice of women on this
subject to be heard? Shall it be heard from that class only who
are satisfied with their protection, or shall the voice of the
weak and the starving be heard? There is no way for it to be
heard. We see it daily. You talk about degradation. One of the
great sources of the degradation of this country, one of the
great sources of the breaking up of families and destroying
society is your low groggeries and your gambling-houses and your
places of resort for bad men, that are tolerated in spite of your
laws and will be so long as men only vote. The women suffer by
these things; and that consideration alone has often made me
hesitate upon this question. I do believe that if the good women
of America could speak to-day they would reform many evils that
we wink at or allow to exist because we want the votes of the
parties who are committing these sins against society. I say let
the women have a voice; and when it is said that this is
ill-considered, that this is not the proper time, and that this
is too serious a business to be considered by the Senate of the
United States on this bill, I tell you society is marching on to
it, and as I remarked before, it will not be ten years before
there will be no voice in this Senate against female suffrage. It
is necessary for women, if they ar