. R. A. went to Frankfort to ask
legislation on the property rights of women, and for women physicians
in the State asylums for the insane. A petition for property rights
was presented, signed with 9,000 names. Of these 2,240 were collected
by Mrs. S. M. Hubbard. On January 10 appeals were made in
Representatives' Hall by Miss Laura Clay for the Women Physicians
Bill, and by Mrs. Josephine K. Henry for the Property Rights Bill. The
latter had carefully prepared a compendium of the married women's
property laws in all the States, which was of incalculable value
throughout the years of labor necessary to secure this bill.

The press of the State, with few exceptions, espoused the cause of
property rights for women. Seven bills were presented to this General
Assembly, among them one drawn and introduced into the Senate by Judge
William Lindsay, afterward United States Senator. This secured to
married women the enjoyment of their property, gave them the power to
make a will and equalized curtesy and dower. Although reported
adversely by the committee, it was taken up for discussion and was
eloquently defended by Judge Lindsay. It passed the Senate, but, was
defeated in the House by the opposing members withdrawing and
breaking the quorum.[283] A bill introduced by the Hon. William B.
Smith, making it obligatory upon employers to pay wages earned by
married women to themselves and not their husbands, became a law at
this session.

The Constitutional Convention held in 1890-91 was the field of much
labor by the State association. In October a committee consisting of
Mrs. Henry, Miss Clay, Mrs. Eugenia B. Farmer, Mrs. Isabella H.
Shepard and Mrs. Sarah Clay Bennett went to Frankfort to appeal for
clauses in the new constitution empowering the General Assembly to
extend Full Suffrage to women; to secure the property rights of wives;
and to grant School Suffrage to all women. The importance of their
claims was so impressed upon the convention that it appointed a
special Committee on Woman's Rights, with one of its most esteemed
members, the Hon. Jep. C. Jonson, as chairman, who did all in his
power to bring their cause favorably before this body.

On the evening of October 9, in Representatives' Hall, Miss Clay, Mrs.
Shepard and Mrs. Bennett addressed an audience composed largely of
members, being introduced by Mr. Jonson. Later, Mrs. Henry was given a
hearing before the committee. Her tract appealing for property rights
was