the negroes, who, it is said, are
ignorant, the moment you confer the franchise on them it will
lead them to struggle to get an understanding of the affairs of
Government, so as to be able to participate intelligently in
them. They will then understand that they are made responsible
for the Government under which they live. In my judgment, this is
the reason why the fact exists, which is acknowledged everywhere,
that the great mass of our population rise immensely higher in
intellect and every quality that should adorn human nature, above
the peasantry and working-classes of the Old World. Why is this?
I think much of it results from the fact that the people of this
country are compelled to serve on juries, to participate in the
government of their own localities in various capacities, and
finally to take part in all the great concerns of Government.
That elevates a man, and makes him feel his own consequence in
the community in which he lives.

It is for these reasons as much as any other, that I wish to see
the franchise extended to every person of mature age and
discretion who has committed no crime. I know very well that
prejudices against female voting have descended legitimately to
us from the Old World; yea, more than anything else, from that
common law which we lawyers have all studied as the first element
in jurisprudence. That system of law really sank the female to
total contempt and insignificance, almost annihilated her from
the face of the earth. It made her responsible for nothing. So
far was she removed from participating in anything or being
responsible for anything, that if she even committed a crime in
the presence of her husband she was not by that old law
answerable for it. He was her guardian; he had the right to
correct her as the master did his slave in the South. Such was
the chivalry of that old common law from which we derive our
judicial education. A vast remnant of that old prejudice is still
lurking in the minds of our community. It is a mere figment of
proscription and nothing else, descended to us, and we have not
overcome it. It is not founded in reason; it is not founded in
common sense; and it is being done away with very fast too.

I know that those women who have taken these things into
consideratio