want to defeat a
measure, make it as hateful and odious and absurd as possible and
you have done it. That is the proposition. Does he believe in the
absolute right of women to vote? Not a bit of it, for he has said
here time and again in the beginning, middle, and end of his
discourse that he does not believe a word of it.

Mr. COWAN: And never did.

Mr. MORRILL: He says it is no natural right whatever either to
man or woman, and therefore he does not stand here to vindicate a
right.

Mr. COWAN: I should like to ask the honorable Senator whether he
believes it is a natural right either in man or woman.

Mr. MORRILL: I have said distinctly on a former occasion that I
did not; and therefore I am not to be put in the attitude of so
arguing. The Senator does not believe that; he is not here urging
a principle in which he believes. What is he doing? Trying to do
mischief; trying to make somebody believe he is sincere. That is
labor lost here. It will not succeed, of course. Now, what is his
position? "I do not believe in woman suffrage, and do not believe
in negro suffrage, but if you will insist upon male negro
suffrage I will insist upon woman negro suffrage." That is his
position exactly. "If you insist that the male negro shall vote,
I insist the female shall." That is his attitude, nothing more
nor less. Mr. President, I do not think there is much force in
the position. He has not offered an argument on the subject. He
has read from a paper. He has introduced here the discourse of
some ladies in some section of the country, upon what they esteem
to be their own rights, in illustration; that is all; not as
argument; he does not offer it as an argument, but to illustrate
his theme and to put us in an attitude, as he supposes, of
embarrassment on that subject. He has read papers which are
altogether foreign from his view of this subject, and which he
for a moment will not indorse. He offers these as an illustration
with a view of illustrating his side of the question, and
particularly with a view of embarrassing this measure.

Mr. COWAN: Well, now, Mr. President, I desire to answer a
question of the Senator. He alleges that I am not serious in the
amendment I have moved, that I am not in earnest about it. How
does he know? By wha