that Susan B. Anthony was born in the United
States, and is therefore a citizen of the United States, and of the
State wherein she resides, which is this State of New York. It cannot be
denied that she is a person,--one of the people,--there is not a word in
the Constitution of the United States which militates against the
recognition of woman as a person, as one of the people, as a citizen.
The whole question, then, to-day, turns on the power of the United
States over the political rights of citizens--the whole question then,
to-day, turns on the supreme authority of the National Constitution.

The Constitution recognizes native-born women as citizens, both of the
United States, and of the States in which they reside, and the
Enforcement Act of 1870, in unison with our national fundamental
principles, is entitled "An Act _to enforce the right of citizens of the
United States to vote_ in the several States of the Union." Out of those
three words, "for other purposes," or any provisions of this act
included in them, cannot be found authority for restraining any citizen
not "guilty of participating in the rebellion, or other crime," from
voting, and we brand this prosecution of Miss Anthony by United States
officials, under claim of provisions in this act, as _an illegal
prosecution_--_an infamous prosecution_, in direct defiance of national
law--dangerous in its principles, tending to subvert a republican form
of government, and a direct step, whether so designed or not, to the
establishment of a monarchy in this country. Where the right of one
individual is attacked, the rights of all are menaced. A blow against
one citizen, is a blow against every citizen.

The government has shown itself very weak in prosecuting Miss Anthony.
No astute lawyer could be found on a side so pregnant of flaws as this
one, were not the plaintiff in the case, the sovereign United States.
The very fact of the prosecution is at one and the same time weakness on
the part of the government, and an act of unauthorized authority. It is
weakness, because by it, the United States comes onto the ground of the
defendant, and, at once admits voting is an United States right, because
United States rights _are citizens' rights_. By this prosecution, the
United States clearly admits that protection of the ballot is an United
States duty, instead of a State duty. It is an United States duty
instead of a State duty, because voting is an United States right