Woman Suffrage Association, I am instructed to ask
you, if, in the event of your election, you, as President of the
United States, would recommend to congress, in your message to
that body, the submission to the several legislatures of a
sixteenth amendment to the national constitution, prohibiting the
disfranchisement of United States citizens on account of sex.
What we wish to ascertain is whether you, as president, would use
your _official influence_ to secure to the women of the several
States a _national guarantee_ of their right to a voice in the
government on the same terms with men. Neither platform makes any
pledge to secure political equality to women--hence we are
waiting and hoping that one candidate or the other, or both, will
declare favorably, and thereby make it possible for women, with
self-respect, to work for the success of one or the other or both
nominees. Hoping for a prompt and explicit statement, I am, sir,
very respectfully yours,

SUSAN B. ANTHONY.

To this General Hancock vouchsafed no reply, while General Garfield
responded as follows:

MENTOR, O., August 25, 1880.

Dear MISS ANTHONY: Your letter of the 17th inst. came duly to
hand. I take the liberty of asking your personal advice before I
answer your official letter. I assume that all the traditions and
impulses of your life lead you to believe that the Republican
party has been and is more nearly in the line of liberty than its
antagonist the Democratic party; and I know you desire to advance
the cause of woman. Now, in view of the fact that the Republican
convention has not discussed your question, do you not think it
would be a violation of the trust they have reposed in me, to
speak, "as their nominee"--and add to the present contest an
issue that they have not authorized? Again, if I answer your
question on the ground of my own private opinion, I shall be
compelled to say, that while I am open to the freest discussion
and fairest consideration of your question, I have not yet
reached the conclusion that it would be best for woman and for
the country that she should have the suffrage. I may reach it;
but whatever time may do to me, that fruit is not yet ripe on my
tree. I ask you, therefore,