ing
election, and the names of several ladies were suggested as
trustees. March 19, 1880, the Albany County Woman Suffrage
Association[239] was formed, whose first active duty was to rouse
the women to vote in the coming school election, which they did, in
spite of the attorney-general's opinion.

Mr. Edwin G. Halbert of Broome also introduced a bill in the
Senate, for a constitutional amendment, to secure to women the
right of suffrage, which was passed by that conservative body just
before its adjournment. Meantime Mr. Wilcox urged the passage of
the bill to prohibit disfranchisement, which was brought to a third
reading in the Assembly. He prepared and circulated among the
members of the legislature a brief,[240] showing their power to
extend the suffrage. The argument is unanswerable, establishing the
fact that women had voted through the early days of the Colonies,
and proving, by unanswerable authorities, their right to do so;
thus establishing the right of women to vote in 1885. Mr.
Wilcox' researches on this point will prove invaluable in the
enfranchisement of woman, as his facts are irresistible. Following
is the proposed bill:

AN ACT _to Prohibit Disfranchisement_.

Introduced in the Assembly by Hon. Alex. F. Andrews, March 31,
1880. Reported by the Judiciary Committee for consideration, May
24. Ordered to third reading, May 27. Again so reported,
unanimously, March 16, 1881. Again ordered to third reading, May
3, 1881; ayes 60, noes 40. Vote on passage, May 11, 1881; ayes
59, noes 55, majority 4. (65 necessary to pass).

_Whereas_, the common law entitles women to vote under the same
qualifications as men; and

_Whereas_, said common law has never been abrogated in this
State; and

_Whereas_, a practice nevertheless obtains of treating as
disfranchised all persons to whom suffrage is not secured by
express words of the constitution; and

_Whereas_, the constitution makes no provision for this practice,
but on the contrary declares that its own object is to secure the
blessings of freedom to the people, and provides that no member
of this State shall be disfranchised or deprived of any of the
privileges secured to any citizen unless by constitutional
provision and judicial decision thereunder; and

_Whereas_, this practice, despite the want of authority therefor,
has by continuance acquir