that society is authorized to impose any limitation upon it
that does not spring out of the necessities of the social
state itself.

When Mrs. Francis Minor, of St. Louis, who had given the subject
much thought, read the report of Senator Brown's speech, she
considered that it was due to him from the women of the State
that he should receive a letter of thanks for his bold and
out-spoken utterances in their behalf. She accordingly wrote him
such a letter, obtaining to it all the signatures she could, and
it was presented to Senator Brown on his return home. But
although first an advocate of the measure, he soon recanted, and
gave his influence against it.

It was next determined to petition the legislature of the State
then in session, January, 1867, to propose an amendment to the
constitution, striking out the word "male," in the article on
suffrage. Such a petition was presented, and attracted much
attention, as it was the first instance of the kind in the
history of the State. This move was followed by a formal
organization of the friends of the cause, and on May 8, 1867, the
"Missouri Woman Suffrage Association" was organized, and officers
elected.[378]

We find the following letter from Mr. Minor in _The Revolution_
of January 22, 1868:

_Editors of The Revolution_: In order to show the steady
progress that the grand idea of equal rights is slowly but
surely making among the people of these United States, I
think it would be well, in the beginning, at least, to make
a record in _The Revolution_ of the fact of each successive
State organization; and for that purpose I send you the list
of officers for the association in Missouri not yet a year
old; as also their petition to the legislature for a change
in the organic law, and a brief address to the voters of the
State, in support of the movement:

_To the Voters of Missouri:_

The women of this State, having organized for the purpose of
agitating their claims to the ballot, it becomes every
intelligent and reflecting mind to consider the question
fairly and dispassionately. If it has merits, it will
eventually succeed; if not, it will fail. I am of the number
of those