be
found to suggest most of the important demands, afterward made in
every State, for a change of laws relating to woman. The fallacy of
"sacredness" for these restrictive laws was shown; the rights of
humanity as superior to any outside authority, asserted; and justice
made the basis of the proposed reformation. The right of woman to
trial by a jury of her peers was claimed, followed by the suggestion
that woman is capable of making the laws by which she is governed. The
memorial excited much attention, and was printed by order of the
Legislature, though the possibility of a woman having written it was
denied.[36]

But in 1850, as in 1849, no action was taken, the petitioners having
"leave to withdraw." Petitions of a similar character were again
circulated throughout Salem and Danvers, in 1850, '51, '52, '53,
making six successive years, in each of which the petitioners had
"leave to withdraw," as the only reply to their prayers for relief.
The Hon. Mr. Upham, however, remained woman's steadfast friend through
all this period, and Mrs. Phebe Upton King was as constantly found
among the petitioners.

In 1852 the petitions were signed only by ladies over sixty years of
age, women of large experience and matured judgment, whose prayers
should have received at least respectful consideration from the
legislators of the State. We give the appeal accompanying their
petition:

GENTLEMEN:--Your petitioners, who are tax-payers and originators
of these petitions, are upwards of three-score years; ten of them
are past three-score years and ten; three of them three-score and
twenty. If length of days, a knowledge of the world and the
rights of man and woman entitle them to a respectful hearing,
few, if any, have prior or more potent claims, for reason has
taught them what individual rights are, experience, what woman
and her children suffer for the want of just protection in those,
and humanity impels them once more to appear before you, it may
be for the last time. Let not their gray hairs go down in sorrow
to the grave for the want of this justice in your power to
extend, as have several of their number whose names are no longer
to be found with theirs, whose voices can plead never more in
behalf of your own children and those of your constituents.

In 1853 a petition[37] bearing only Mrs. King's name was presented. In
1854 the political organization ca