olitical equality of all citizens.

A delegation[64] went to the Greenback convention and presented the
following memorial:

When a new political party is formed it should be based upon the
principles of justice to all classes hitherto unrecognized. The
finance question, as broad as it is, does not reach down to the
deepest wrong in the nation. Beneath this question lies that of
the denial of the right of self-government to one-half the
people. It is impossible to secure the property rights of the
people without first recognizing their personal rights. More than
any class of men, woman represents the great unpaid laborer of
the world--a slave, who, as wife and daughter, absolutely works
for her board and clothes. The question of finance deeply
interests woman, but her opinions upon it are valueless while
deprived of the right of enforcing them at the ballot box. You
are here in convention assembled, not alone to nominate a
candidate for president, but also to promulgate your platform of
principles to the world. Now is your golden opportunity. The
Republican party presents no vital issue to the country; its
platform is a repetition of the platitudes of the past twenty
years. It has ceased to be a party of principles. It lives on the
past. The deeds of dead men hold it together. Its disregard of
principles has thrown opportunity into your hands. Will you make
yourselves the party of the future? Will you recognize woman's
right of self-government? Will you make woman suffrage an
underlying principle in your platform? If you will make these
pledges, the National Association will work for the triumph of
your party in the approaching closely contested campaign.

The ladies were accorded hearings by several delegations previous
to the assembling of the convention. A resolution committee of one
from each State was appointed, and each member allowed two minutes
to present either by speech or writing such principles as it
requested incorporated in the platform. Lucinda B. Chandler, being
a Greenbacker on principle, was a regularly elected delegate and by
courtesy was added to a sub-committee on resolutions. The one
prepared by the National Association was placed in her hands, but,
as she was forbidden to speak upon it, her support could only be
given by vote, and a meaningless substitute took its place.