uick to
seize the psychological moment, and in that July of 1848 she had
not only the inspiration but the determination to grasp the
opportunity to set forth a resolution asking "votes for women."
How clear was her vision, how perfect her sense of balance!
Property rights might be gained, rights of person protected,
guardianship of children achieved, but without the ballot she saw
all would be insecure. What was given today might be taken away
tomorrow unless women themselves possessed the power to make or
remake laws. Women are getting the sense of solidarity by being
crowded together in the workshop; they are learning the lesson of
fellowship. Brought side by side in the college and in the
business world, they are beginning to learn that they have a
common interest. They know now that they form a class. The
anti-suffragist is the isolated woman, she is the belated product
of the 18th century. She is not intentionally, viciously selfish,
she has merely not developed into 20th century fellowship. She is
unrelated to our democratic society of today.... How shallow, in
the face of that idea of duty in fulfilling our obligations of
citizenship, sound the words of Governor Hughes that "when women
want the vote they will get it!" Want it? That is no measure of
social need. It was death to the nation to have slavery within
its bounds but no one advised waiting until the enslaved negroes
wanted to be free before this dire disease should be cured. The
State needs the attention of women, their thought, their service,
and so it becomes the duty of all who have the best interests of
the State at heart to seek to bind women to it in closest bonds
of citizenship.

In response to Resolution Eleven that, being held morally responsible,
woman had therefore a right to express herself in public on all
questions of morals and religion, the Rev. Mrs. Crane began with fine
sarcasm: "To women has always unquestionably been allowed the being
good. They are called too good to enter the slimy pool of politics.
They are complimented often in the spirit of the man who said to his
wife: 'Angelina, you get up and make the fire; it will seem so much
warmer if laid by your fair hands!' To women is also conceded the
right to be religious and unfortunately it often happens that all the
religion a man has is in his wife