form the laborious
task of depositing his vote in the ballot-box, I thought if I
braced myself up I might be equal to the task. So, summoning all
my strength, I walked up to the desk behind which sat the august
officers of election, and presented my vote. When behold! I was
pompously met with the assertion, "You are not an American
citizen; hence not entitled to vote." The great unabridged
dictionary of Noah Webster was opened, and the definition of the
word citizen read to me. They all looked to see me vanquished;
they thought I would have to retreat before such an overwhelming
array of sagacity. The countenances of the judges wore a pleased
expression that they had hit on so easy an expedient to put me
_hors du combat_, while the crowd looked astonished that I did
not sink out of sight. Waiting a moment, I said, "The definition
is correct. A citizen of the United States, is a _person_ owing
allegiance to the government; but then all persons are not _men_;
and the definition of "citizeness" is a female citizen. I claim
to be an American citizen, and a native-born citizen at that; and
I wish to show you from the fourteenth amendment to the
constitution of the United States, that women are not only
citizens having the constitutional right to vote, but also that
our territorial election law gives women the privilege of
exercising that right."

When I commenced speaking, all the men, with the exception of
two--the one who had urged my husband not to let me go to the
school-house, and a low, degraded fellow, who had a squaw for a
wife--came and ranged themselves around me and the judges before
whom I stood, and listened attentively. It was a new subject to
them. They had heard of woman suffrage, but only in ridicule. Now
it was being presented to them in a very different light. As I
proceeded there was a death-like stillness, so intent were they
to catch every word. Even the man who had declared he would go
home if the women were going to vote, was among the most
interested of the listeners. There was but one interruption; the
two men, of whom I have spoken, to make good their assertion that
I would be insulted, got behind a desk in the far corner of the
room, and began talking and laughing very loudly; but they were
promptly called to order