Speeches of George William Curtis [And] Henry Ward Beecher (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1898 Excerpt: ... EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN. Bj GEOEGE WILLIAM CURTIS. A Speech In the Constitutional Convention of New York, at Albany, July 19,1867. The Convention resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole on the report of the Committee on the Right of Suffrage and the Qualifications to Hold Office, Mr. Alvobd, of Onondaga, in the Chair. The Chaibman announced the question to be on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Cayuga (Mr. C. C. Dwight. Me. Ctjetis offered the following amendment: "In the first section, strike out the word 'male, ' and wherever in that section the word 'he' occurs, add 'or she, ' and wherever the word ' his' occurs, add ' or her.'" Me. Cuetis--In proposing a change so new to our political practice, but so harmonious with the spirit and principles of our government, it is only just that I should attempt to show that it is neither repugnant to reason nor hurtful to the State. Yet I confess some embarrassment, for while the essential reason of the proposition seems to me to be clearly denned, the objection to it is vague and shadowy. From the formal opening of the general discussion of the question in this country, by the Convention at Seneca Falls, in 1848, down to the present moment, the opposition to the suggestion, so far as I am acquainted with it, has been only the repetition of a traditional prejudice, or the protest of mere sentimentality, and to cope with these is like wrestling with a malaria or arguing with the east wind. I do not know, indeed, why the Committee have changed the phrase male inhabitant or citizen, which is uniformly used in a constitutional clause limiting the elective franchise. Under the circumstances, the word "man" is obscure and undoubtedly includes women as much as the word "mankind." But the intention of the cl...