agging efforts
of the members of the association in the circulation of
petitions; and so successful were they that when their delegates
presented themselves with 1,500 signatures, asking for an
amendment securing the right of suffrage to women, a member of
the convention, on scanning the roll, exclaimed: "Why, you have
here all the solid men of Lucas county." Mr. M. R. Waite, since
chief-justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, was
president of the convention, and in presenting the petition said
the names on that paper represented fifteen millions of dollars.
Mr. Waite's courtesy indicated stronger convictions regarding the
rights of women than he really possessed. In an interview with
our committee, appointed to secure a hearing from the
members-elect--Mr. Waite and Mr. Scribner--Mr. Waite declared
himself in favor of according equal wages to women, and believed
them entitled to all other rights, except the right to vote. He
thought women were entitled to a hearing in the convention, and
would aid them all he could to secure the privilege. Mr. Waite,
with great kindness of nature, possesses an inborn conservatism
which curbs his more generous impulses. He adhered to this
position in his decision in the case of _Minor vs. Happersett_,
declaring that "the constitution of the United States has no
voters." Many of the most sanguine friends were greatly
disappointed. They had fully believed his love of justice would
lead him to the broad interpretation of the constitution, so
clearly the true one, set forth in the first article of the
fourteenth amendment. It did prevail, however, when, after saying
the constitution does not confer the right of suffrage with
citizenship, he said: "If the law is wrong, it ought to be
changed; but the power is not with the Supreme Court."

When, in February, 1873, an irascible judge of the Court of
Common Pleas refused to ratify the appointment of a woman--Miss
Mary Sibley--to the office of deputy clerk, which she had filled
for eight years with unusual acceptance, on the ground that not
being an elector she was legally disqualified, the association
determined to dispute the decision in her behalf, and on applying
through their president to Mr. Waite to act as counsel, he gave
his unhesitating accept