Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 5.djvu/655

FEDERAL AMENDMENT FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE a complete statement of woman's right to the franchise. In Miss Anthony's address she said: "Up to this hour we have looked only to State action for recognition of our rights but now, by the results of the war, the whole question of suffrage reverts to Congress and the United States Constitution. The duty of ( 'ongress at this moment is to declare what shall be the true basis of representation in a republican form of government." As soon as the intention to submit the I4th Amendment was announced Miss Anthony and her co-workers began rolling up petitions to Congress that it should provide for the enfranchise- ment of women and tens of thousands of names had been sent to Yashingtnn. These petitions represented the first effort ever made for an amendment to the Federal Constitution for woman suffrage and the action of this convention marked the first or- ganized demand May 10, 1866. At this time the American Kcjiial Rights Association was formed and the Woman's Rights Society merged with it, as having a larger scope. 1 The following month the I4th Amendment was submitted by Congress for the ratification of the State Legislatures and it was declarer! adopted by the necessary three-fourths in July, 1868. liy this amendment the status of citizenship was for the first time definitely established "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens." This plainly put men and women on an exact equality as to citizenship. Then followed the broad statement : "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States" This al-o Denned to guarantee the equal rights of men and women. It was the second section which aroused the advocates of suffrage for women to vigorous protest: Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several 3 according to their respective numbers, counting the whole numl)er of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to v<>te at any election for the choice of electors for lent and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives Tigress, the Kxe- 'udicial officers of a State or the nietnl.fi- 'ature thereof, is denied to the wiilc inhabitants i years of age and eiti/cns <>i the United States, < Life and Work of SUMO B. Anthony. Chapter XVI.