The Representatives Hall yesterday
afternoon was completely filled, galleries and all, to hear the
arguments before the Judiciary Committee, to whom was referred
the petition of Lucy Stone and others for equal rights for
"females" in the administration of government, for the right of
suffrage, etc.

Rev. JAMES FREEMAN CLARKE was the first speaker. He said:
Gentlemen, the question before you is, Shall the women of
Massachusetts have equal rights with the men? The fundamental
principles of the Constitution set forth equal rights to all. A
large portion of the property of Massachusetts is owned by women,
probably one-third of the whole amount, and yet they are not
represented, though compelled to pay taxes. It has been said they
are represented by their husbands. So it was said that the
American colonies were represented in the British Parliament, but
the colonies were not contented with such representation; neither
are women contented to be represented by men. As long as we put
woman's name on the tax-list we should put it in the ballot-box.

WENDELL PHILLIPS said: Self-government was the foundation of our
institutions. July 4, 1776, sent the message round the world that
every man can take care of himself better than any one else can
do it for him. If you tax me, consult me. If you hang me, first
try me by a jury of my own peers. What I ask for myself, I ask
for woman. In the banks, a woman, as a stockholder, is allowed to
vote. In the Bank of England, in the East India Company, in State
Street, her power is felt, her voice controls millions.

Three hundred years ago it was said woman had no right to profess
any religion, as it would make discord in the family if she
differed from her husband. The same conservatism warns us of the
danger of allowing her any political opinions.

LUCY STONE said: The argument that the wife, having the right of
suffrage, would cause discord in the family, is entirely
incorrect. When men wish to procure the vote of a neighbor, do
they not approach them with the utmost suavity, and would not the
husband who wished to influence the wife's vote be far more
gracious than usual? She instanced the heroic conduct of Mrs.
Patton, who navigated her husband's ship into the harbor of San
Francisco, as an argument in