abuse
men have heaped upon the advocates of woman suffrage. Men have
made it a terrible martyrdom for women even to ask for their
rights, and then say to us, "convert the women." No, no, men have
put up the bars. They must take them down. Mrs. Hooker reviewed
the Chinese question, the labor question, the subjects of
compulsory education, reformation, police regulations, the social
evil, and many other topics upon which men vainly attempt to
legislate without the loving wisdom of mothers, sisters and
daughters. The senators most interested in the argument were
observed to be those previously most unfriendly to woman
suffrage.

It was during this winter that Marilla M. Ricker of New Hampshire,
then studying criminal law in Washington and already having quite
an extensive practice, applied to the commissioners of the District
of Columbia for an appointment as notary public. The question of
the eligibility of woman to the office was referred to the
district-attorney, Hon. Albert G. Riddle, formerly a member of
congress from Ohio, and at that time one of the most prominent
criminal and civil lawyers before the bar. Mr. Riddle's reply was
an able and exhaustive argument, clearly showing there was no law
to prevent women from holding the office. But notwithstanding this
opinion from their own attorney, the commissioners rejected Mrs.
Ricker's application.[35]

Bills to prohibit the Supreme Court from denying the admission of
lawyers on the ground of sex had been introduced at each session of
congress during the past four years. The House bill No. 1,077,
entitled "A bill to relieve certain disabilities of women," was
this year championed by Hon. John M. Glover of Missouri, and passed
by a vote of 169 ayes to 87 nays. In the Senate, Hon. George F.
Edmunds of Vermont, chairman of the Judiciary Committee reported
adversely. While the question was pending, Mrs. Lockwood addressed
a brief to the Senate, ably refuting the assertion of the Court
that it was contrary to English precedent:

_To the Honorable, the Senate of the United States:_

The provisions of this bill are so stringent, that to the
ordinary mind it would seem that the conditions are hard enough
for the applicant to have well earned the honor of the
preferment, without making _sex_ a disability. The fourteenth
amendment to the constitution declares that:

All persons