States. These are solely and entirely
man-made laws. No woman had finger or tongue in the matter.

But Mr. Albany _Law Journal_ editor, after acknowledging their
injustice toward accused persons, and their dangers to the liberties
of every individual, tells Miss Anthony that "if she" is dissatisfied
with "our laws," meaning, of course, man-made laws like these, "she
would better adopt the methods of reform that men use, or, better
still, emigrate." Was ever a more disreputable phrase penned?
Disgraceful to its author, and doubly so, as he pretends to be a
teacher of law. This is the language of a very Nero come to judgment.

"Our laws." Whose laws, pray? The laws of men made for "our" benefit
alone. Is this what Mr. Editor of the Albany _Law Journal_ means?
Pray, Mr. Albany _Law Journal_, what are "the methods of reform that
men use," when they are dissatisfied with "our laws," only to speak
against such laws, and to vote for men to make better ones? Miss
Anthony has tried both of "the methods of reform men use," and for
doing the last was arrested, tried, fined, and all but imprisoned. It
seems "the methods of reform men use" are, after all, not just the
kind of methods for Miss Anthony and her friends to use. But then, Mr.
Albany _Law Journal_ allows Miss Anthony and Mrs. Gage one other
alternative, which he deems a "better one," _i.e._, to "emigrate."

Mr. Editor continues: "We can well afford to lose her who rehearsed
the story of her wrongs in public addresses, in twenty-nine of the
post-office districts of Monroe, and twenty-one of Ontario, in her
canvass of those counties prior to her trial, and Mrs. Matilda Joslyn
Gage, who made a speech on this subject in Canandaigua and sixteen
other towns of Ontario County, previous to Miss Anthony's trial, June
17, 1873, with a view, of course, of influencing public opinion in
that region, so that a conviction could not be had."

As Judge Hunt trampled on the citizen's right of trial by jury, so Mr.
Albany _Law Journal_ shows himself to be of the same ilk, by desiring
to trample on that other guaranteed constitutional right of free
speech. He would ostracise Miss Anthony and Mrs. Gage; he would banish
them from the country because they dared to use one of "the methods of
reform that men use," _i.e._, speaking of their "wrongs" in order to
educate and enlighten public opinion. If old Greece could banish her
best citizen, Aristides, simply because he was her most just one,