on, in his
annual message to the legislature, made a memorable suggestion:

I know of no more useful object to which the commonwealth can
lend its aid, than that of a movement, adopted in a practical
way, to open the door of emigration to young women who are wanted
for teachers and for every appropriate, as well as domestic,
employment in the remote West, but who are leading anxious and
aimless lives in New England.

By the "anxious and aimless" it was supposed the governor meant the
widowed, single or otherwise unrepresented portion of the citizens
of the State. No action was taken by the legislature on this
portion of the governor's message. But a member of the Senate
actually made the following proposition before that body:

That the "anxious and aimless women" of the State should assemble
on the Common on a certain day of the year (to be hereafter
named), and that Western men who wanted wives, should be invited
to come here and select them.

Legislators who make such propositions, do not foresee that the
time may come, when perhaps those nearest and dearest to them, may
be classed among the superfluous or "anxious and aimless" women!

In 1865 bills allowing married women to testify in suits at law
where their husbands are parties, and permitting them to hold trust
estates were rejected. It will be seen that though all this
legislation was adverse to woman's interest, the question had
forced itself upon the attention of the members of both House and
Senate. In 1866 a joint committee of both houses was appointed to
consider:

If any additional legislation can be adopted, whereby the means
of obtaining a livelihood by the women of this commonwealth may
be increased and a more equal and just compensation be allowed
for their labor.

In 1867, Francis W. Bird presented the petition of Mehitable
Haskell of Gloucester for "an amendment to the constitution
extending suffrage to women." In 1868 Mr. King of Boston presented
the same petition, and it was at this time, and in answer thereto,
that the subject first entered into the regular orders of the day,
and became a part of the official business of the House of
Representatives. Attempts to legislate on the property question
were continued in 1868, in bills "to further protect the property
of married women," "to allow married women to contract for
necessaries," and if "divorced from bed and board,