; and it is only through its aid that
the ultimate truth of any question can be reached and its
principles be correctly established. Nor can courts of justice
take exception to such criticism, since the reports abound with
evidences of the fact that there is no judicial immunity from
error; and we believe that if the glamour of supposed legal
impeccability, that shrouds the judiciary in the eyes of many,
could be removed, a public service would be accomplished. In the
case under consideration an important question of constitutional
law was involved, the construction of which affected not only the
plaintiff therein, but the entire class of persons to which she
belonged, while the decision extends it still further, and makes
it applicable to every citizen of the United States. Thus, while
the particular case may be ended, the entire community has an
interest in the conclusion announced. It is not our purpose to
consider the subject of suffrage as an abstract right; with this
aspect of it we have nothing to do in this article. We shall
treat it solely as a legal right. Under a government of law,
indeed, there are, properly speaking, no abstract rights. All
rights, of person or of property, are legal rights, and it shall
be our purpose to show that the right of Federal suffrage is
recognized in the Constitution of the United States, and
certainly no one will deny its practical exercise during nearly
ninety years. An inspection of the Opinion will show that the
whole matter was summed up in the question, whether suffrage is a
right or privilege appertaining to citizenship of the United
States, for if it be, then the plaintiff's suit was rightly
brought. The opinion, which was delivered by the Chief Justice,
states the matter as follows:

It is contended that the provisions of the Constitution and
laws of the State of Missouri, which confine the right of
suffrage and registration therefor to men, are in violation
of the Constitution of the United States, and therefore
void. The argument is, that as a woman, born or naturalized
in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, is a citizen of the United States and of the State
in which she resides, she has the right of suffrage, as one
of