on the ground that taxation and
representation go together. The whole question resolves itself
into this; there has been no attempt to dispute this. No man will
venture to deny the right of woman to vote. He may urge many
objections against the expediency of her exercising it, but the
right is hers.

But though women are deprived of political rights, there are
other rights which no law prevents. We can take our rights as
merchants and in other avocations, by investing our capital in
them; but we stand back and wait till it is popular for us to
become merchants, doctors, lecturers, or practitioners of the
mechanic arts. I know girls who have mechanical genius sufficient
to become Arkwrights and Fultons, but their mothers would not
apprentice them. Which of the women of this Convention have sent
their daughters as apprentices to a watchmaker? There is no law
against this!!

Mrs. MOTT: The Church and public opinion are stronger than law.

LYDIA JENKINS: Is there any law to prevent women voting in this
State? The Constitution says "white male citizens" may vote, but
does not say that white female citizens may not.

Mrs. JONES said: I do not understand that point sufficiently well
to explain, but whether the statute book is in favor or opposed,
every citizen in a republic (and a woman is a citizen) has a
natural right to vote which no human laws can abrogate; the right
to vote is the right of self-government.

ANTOINETTE BROWN said: I know instances of colored persons voting
under the same circumstances, and their votes being allowed by
the legal authorities; but John A. Dix declared the proceedings
of a school meeting void because two women voted at it.

BENJAMIN S. JONES said, in Ohio where there is much splitting of
hairs between white and black blood, the judges decided in favor
of a certain colored man's right to vote, because there was 50
per cent. of white blood in the person in question.

Mrs. DAVIS: The first draft of the Rhode Island Constitution said
"all citizens," but as soon as some one suggested that the door
was thus left open for women to vote, the word "male" was
promptly inserted.

Mrs. Davis read an interesting letter from the Rev. A. D. Mayo.[110]
Samuel J. May read letters from William Lloyd Garrison, of Boston, and