Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Speeches & Writings File. Article: "Women Do Not Wish to Vote", The National Bulletin April 1894

THE NATIONAL BULLETIN
Governments Derive Their Power From the Consent of the Governed.
ol. 2.  WASHINGTON D.C., APRIL, 1894.                                                           No. 3

Women do not Wish to Vote.
BY ELIZABETH CADY STANTON

The patent answer opponents make to our 
present demand for political equality, is that 
the women themselves do not ask it; that 
they are happy and satisfied in their present 
condition.

In the old days of antislavery opponents 
jeered abolitionists the same way.  They 
said why make all this noise about emancipation, 
the slaves are contented and happy.  
When asked if they wish to be free, in the 
presence of their masters, they say no; we 
are well fed, clothed and sheltered, and all 
our wants supplied.  And yet in the full 
enjoyment of all these blessings Sambo ran 
off to Canada the next day.

But, said the immortal Channing, if you 
could prove to me that the slaves were contented 
in their degrading bondage I should 
consider that the very strongest reason for 
the emancipation.  If a human soul born 
with the love of Justice, Liberty and Equality, 
can be happy in a condition in which 
all affections are starved; all personal pride, 
dignity and self-respect withered; held in 
complete subjection to the will of another; 
if man made in the image of God can be so 
transformed, it is the most unanswerable 
impeachment of the system under which he 
has lived; for it shows that every element 
of manhood, every spark of the divine has 
been wholly obliterated.  But it was never 
true, generations of bondage, centuries of 
oppression, never could blot out the love of 
freedom in the human soul.

And if it is true that the women of this 
republic, whose fathers sent forth that grand
declaration, "All men created free and 
equal," who gave us that masterpiece of 
statesmanship, the National Constitution, 
which Gladstone pronounced the most wonderful 
document that ever emanated from 
the brain of man; whose fathers have given 
us a government and religion, based on individual 
rights, individual conscience and 
judgment, and maintained the republican 
principle in two prolonged eventful wars; 
if it is possible that the daughters of such 
ancestors, with such a heritage, can be satisfied 
in their present political status, in 
which every principle of our government is 
violated, this is the strongest reason for 
their speedy enfranchisement.

Have the women of the present day so 
far degenerated from their foremothers, 
who in the inauguration of the government 
protested against the disfranchisement of 
women and negroes?  In both Massachusetts 

and North Carolina, their names 
gild many a page in History.  They saw at 
once that in the recognition of any privileged 
classes, the fathers stultified every 
principle of republican government.  But in 
the deadly struggle for the life of the Nation 
they held their just claims in abeyance.  
Have all the glowing peans to Justice, Liberty 
and Equality, that have echoed down 
the century, had no significance for women?  
If it is true that they do not want to vote, 
with Channing we say, that is the strongest 
season why they should do so.  Because it 
shows the degradation of disfranchisement; 
not only crippling all woman's powers, narrowing 
her outlook in every direction, but 
endangering the State.  If one-half the 
people do not believe in republican institutions, 
in the right of self-government and 
feel no interest or responsibility in public 
affairs, indifference will gradually creep 
over the other half.  There are hundreds of 
men to-day who never vote and take no 
interest in political questions.

They do not believe in the first principles 
of a republican government.  Talk with 
them on the suffrage question and you will 
find the vast majority of men in the educated 
classes believe in restricted suffrage, 
on a property or educational qualification.  
They travel in the old world and come back 
charmed with monarchical institutions, with 
royalty and nobility, the humility, the deference 
and respect of the masses for their 
superiors.  This is the direct effect of imbuing 
women with the idea that they hold 
too exalted a position to exercise the suffrage.  
The only way we can get the Beaux 
Brummels of our fashionable world to take 
some interest in politics, to go to primary 
meetings, political conventions and the polling 
booth, is to encourage fair ladies to go 
with them.  To this end we must urge the 
grave and reverend members of the Constitutional 
Convention to expunge the word 
"male" from Article 2nd Section 1st of the 
Constitution.  If men believe what they say 
that "women do not want to vote," why bar 
the privilege against them?  We do not 
fence the corn fields because we think the 
cattle will not eat the corn, but because we 
know they will.  And the word "male" in 
the Constitution, is a standing admission 
that men know women would vote if the 
barriers were all down, no matter what they 
say to the contrary.  We are not left to 
speculation on this point, women have uniformly 
exercised the right of suffrage as 
soon as it was granted them although the 
men of the households said, "no lady 
would go to the polls," "all the good women 
would stay away, I should be ashamed to

176

see you there."  Women are too proud to 
admit that they want what they think they 
cannot get.  They fear the ridicule of the 
men of their households, of the press, the 
disapproval of their clergyman who quotes 
Bible against larger liberties for their sex.  
They fear the sharp pens of literary women, 
who know all the most vulnerable points of 
their own sex and just where they can stab 
most effectively.  The cowardice and treachery 
of this class has been the most pitiful 
phase of our movement.  The seeming indifference 
among women to their own emancipation
is philosophical.  They have been 
trained for centuries to obedience to the 
powers that be, submission to established 
usages.  They have been taught that their 
chief virtue is self-sacrifice, their chief duty 
to deny themselves.  Hence women today 
are more interested in every reform 
great and small, than in their own emancipation.  
You can arouse more enthusiasm 
among them in a charity ball, a church fair, 
a yacht race or naval parade, a horse show, 
than in a hearing before Congress or a State 
Constitutional Convention that may decide 
their political status for twenty years to 
come.  This one lesson of subjection and 
self sacrifice has been taught by creeds, 
codes, customs and constitutions all through 
the centuries and no wonder that woman 
has learned it so well.  The most powerful 
influence on the human mind is through the
religious emotions, and all the leading religions 
on the earth teach the subjection of 
one sex and the domination of the other, 
thus enfeebling the love of liberty on the
one side and stimulating the love of tyranny 
on the other.
If it were possible for woman to rise above 
her religious superstition of man's headship, 
what encouragement can she find in the 
State?  None whatever, the laws and constitutions 
teach the same lesson: Lord 
Brougham in a burst of indignation declared 
long ago, the laws on our statute books for 
women are a disgrace to the christianity of 
the 19th century.  Gentlemen, if women do 
not want to vote, behold in their indifference 
to their most sacred rights, their lack 
of self respect, dignity and independence, 
your own handiwork.  You have educated 
them to be satisfied, while deprived of rights 
you consider most sacred for every boy of 
twenty-one and every foreigner landing on 
our shores, who can neither read not write 
the English language.  And the most insidious 
influence you have exerted on woman, 
has been in making her believe that she was 
too good, too pure, too refined to take part 
in politics, that the science of government 
was beneath her consideration.  Thus her 
degradation in the laws and constitution is 
made to appear as man's highest tribute to 
her exalted position.   But in her conceit she 
has never noticed that idiots, lunatics, and 

criminais and Indians are on the same privileged 
platform.  If you would fully appreciate 
the timidity of women in asserting 
themselves see what slaves they are to 
fashions.  In spite of their desire to dress 
with good taste in a becoming manner; to 
bring out their good points and veil their defects, 
they hide the one and exaggerate the 
other.  The succession of styles in the 
world of fashion, invented by the courtesans 
of Paris, is as regular as the seasons and 
one might as well resist the climatic effects 
of spring, summer, autumn and winter, as 
the fashions, that hold their votaries in absolute 
bondage.  It is all in vain that sensible 
people invent a comfortable dress for women 
and urge its adoption with all the physiological 
argument so potent to the most 
casual observer, until some one can invent 
a new type of woman, to be more readily 
governed by reason that "custom"; "that 
tyrant," as Milton says, "who makes cowards
of us all."  Sedulously taught submission
to existing conditions the ordinary woman
cannot resist long established usages,
and successfully combat the majority of
people, who believe that any change involves
the entire disruption of society.  To
propose a new step in progress is to encounter
bitter prejudice that knows no reason:
ridicule that stings like a wasp and to 
which there is no answer.  And yet change
is the law and each new fashion illustrates it
and women submits to it no matter how
comical or unbecoming.  At one time her
garments are as tight as her skin and her
drapery so limp that she look as if she had
been drawn through a knot hole and lost
her pocket in the process; left to carry
everything in her hands: purse, card case,
watch, handkerchief, smelling bottle, umbrella
and ballot if on the way to the polls.
Then gradually emerging from this compression
she begins to expand, until each
arm is larger than the main body, then
wings spring from her shoulders until the
receding head looks like that of the turtle
taking his constitutional walk in the sunshine
on the seashore.  Imagine a man without 
a pocket: what would he care for his
political status until he could find a place
to put his purse, spectacles and handkerchief
and his hands too when embarassed.
If with all woman's love of beauty, all the 
pride she has in her appearance, she will
thus obey the behests of custom in regard
to dress, we need not be surprised that she
so readily sacrifices her political rights for
the same reasons.  How vain to look for
any independent, heroic action, any self-respect
or self-assertion from these helpless 
crushed women, especially when the men 
of their households wish them to adopt
every style fresh from Paris.  Trained to
submission in the State, the church, in society
and the world of work, it would require

the strength of Sampson to rise above all
such influences. It is vain to talk to women
of comfort and convenience, so long as
they believe that self-sacrifice is their highest
virtue, self-development a minor consideration.
But in spite of all these artificial
characteristics, the outgrowth of false and
unnatural conditions, in the depths of 
her soul woman, too, loves liberty and in her
hours of solitude longs for emancipation
from the petty restrictions of her every day
life. The assertion that "women do not
want to vote" has no foundation in fact,
nor philosophy. The right to vote is the
right to protect one's person and property;
to govern one's-self; to have a voice in the
laws and rulers; to enjoy all the advantages
and opportunities of life of which one is
capable.
This is citizenship in a republic. The
natural right to life, liberty and happiness.
Who seriously believes that woman is indifferent
to all these blessings. No, no, these
rights every intelligent woman desires. Like 
the slaves, women will say before their 
fathers, husbands, brothers and sons what 
they think will please those who give them
food, clothes and shelter, or the lover who
gives them flowers, diamonds, drives in the
park, or a box at the opera. When all these
gentlemen believe in woman's right of suffrage,
they will have no difficulty in pursuading
women to go with them to the polls
to vote. It is amusing to see how long men
will speculate on a point after facts have
settled it beyond a peradventure. Women
have taken part in government since the
first pair appeared on the planet, and voted
in one way and another all through the centuries.
'To go no farther back than our
own day, women voted in New Jersey down
to 1807.' In 1869 Municipal Suffrage was 
granted in England to spinsters and widows
and the London Times said "as large a proportion
of women voted, as men on the same
basis." About the same time full suffrage
was granted to the women of Wyoming and
they have voted ever since. For a long
period the women of Utah exercised the
right to vote. In 1887 Municipal Suffrage
was granted to the women of Kansas and
they have exercised it ever since. School 
suffrage has been extended to women in
half the States of the Union and on educational
questions women vote. A bill giving
women the right to vote for school commissioners
was passed in New York in 1892 and
thousands of women registered and voted,
not even deterred by opinions of Supreme
Court Judges that the bill was unconstitutional.
Many when challenged swore their
votes in and many were rejected. Women
have had full suffrage in the Isle of Man for
years and faithfully exercised it.
A correspondent, of the Birmingham

(Eng.) Daily Post, writing from Wellington,
New Zealand, gives an entertaining account
of the manner in which the women of that
colony made use of their newly-acquired
voting privileges. He says: "They registered
in thousands, and throughout the
whole election campaign displayed a most
laudable desire to learn their new duties. 
Afternoon meetings for women only, at
which the more social sides of politics were
dealt with, and the new electors instructed
how to use their votes, became part of every
candidate's work. It is estimated that one-third
of the total vote was cast by women,
and the number of defective ballots was
astonishingly small."
In Colorado which has just enfranchised
women by a vote of 7,000 majority, the women
will vote on all questions at the next
election. A large body of intelligent respectable 
women, in New York, Pennsylvania,
Masschusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio
Indiana, nearly fifty years ago held conventions
in all these States and demanded
the right of suffrage, and have continued
to hold conventions and make this demand
ever since and many other States have followed
their example. Gentlemen did your
ever hear of a large association of people
contending half a century for a right they
they did not want?
We have had conventions in Washington
for a quarter of a century every year with
hearings before Committees of the House
and Senate and able reports by distinguished
members on our appeals. Did not those
clear sighted statesmen know that we desired
the rights for which we argued? How 
can any fair minded person in the face of
all these facts, continue to sing that old refrain, 
"women do not wish to vote."
How could intelligent women be so indifferent 
to a privilege that the most ignorant
men appreciate so highly. Born of the same
parents, reared under the same flag, reading
the same national history, and arguments
for Justice, Liberty and Equality; singing
the same songs of freedom; worshipping the
same God who created man and woman in
his own image, simultaneously, and gave 
them equal dominion over every living 
thing, an equal title deed to this green earth;
how could the daughters of this Republic
with such education and experience differ
so essentially from their brothers as to
abjure all the rights, privileges and immunities
that man holds most sacred for himself?
As we need the same atmosphere to
breathe, the same food to sustain life, so we
need the same liberty for our growth and
development: the same justice to ensure
our happiness.
In the history of the race there has been
no struggle for liberty like this. Whenever

the interest of the ruling classes has induced them to confer new rights on a subject class, it has been done with no effort on the part of the latter. Neither the African slave nor the English laborer demanded the right to suffrage. It was given in both cases to strengthen the liberal party. The philanthropy of the few may have entered into those reforms, but political expediency carried the measure. Women, on the contrary, have fought their own battles, and in their rebellion against existing conditions have inaugurated the most fundamental revolution the world has ever witnessed. The magnitude and multiplicity of the changes involved, make the obstacles in the way of success seem almost insurmountable.
The darkest page in the future history of New York will be the indifference of our fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, to all woman's appeals for her civil and political rights for the last half century. The vast majority have stood silent spectators while leading men in the Nation, Congressmen, Judges of the Supreme Court, Legislators and Editors have all alike played foot ball with our most sacred rights.
The National Constitution says, "No State shall disfranchise any of its citizens on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude." But, say learned Judges, this does not include women, although our laws and customs show that their previous condition has been and still is one of servitude. Our immortal Benjamin Franklin said long ago, "They who have no voice in the laws and rulers under which they live are slaves."
When we ask Congress for a 16th Amendment for woman's enfranchisement in plain unmistakable terms our representatives refer us to our respective States. It is nearly fifty years since women were granted hearings for the first time before the Legislature of New York and from time to time some minor civil right have been conceded. Three Governors have recommended some mild attempts at suffrage for women.
When Alonzo B. Cornell was Governor he signed a bill for a limited school suffrage for women. In 1892 under Governor Hill another act was passed, extending the right to vote for school commissioners in the rural districts. Women registered by the thousand and hurried to the polls at the last November election, but there they encountered Judges of the Supreme Court, who declared the act of '92 unconstitutional, denying the right of the Legislature to extend and limit the suffrage, although the Legislature has exercised that right both to extend and limit the suffrage, not only in New York, but in many other Statues. In 1801 and 1821 when all men, black and white voted on a property qualification the Legislature declared their right to vote for members to a Constitutional Convention. "In the revision of a State Constitution," said Judge Beach Lawrence, "the State is for the time being

resolved into its original elements and all the people have a right to vote for members who are to frame the fundamental laws under which they are to live." Although both Governor Hill and Governor Flower recommended that this right be extended to women, there was no action taken, and women, one-half the people, will have no representation in the coming Convention.
Now gentlemen we are tired running this gauntlet of pettifoggers in the National and State councils, in the courts and in popular elections. With united voice they say there is no law nor Constitution for such an innovation as the right of suffrage for women. And there with them the question rests. On the contrary with a fair interpretation of the principles of our government, there is no authority in law or Constitution for the disfranchisement of one-half the people. In a republican form of government we have all the authority we need for extending equal rights to all. "Universal Suffrage is the first truth and only basis of a genuine Republic." We have all the law and Constitution necessary to secure Justice, Equality and Liberty to every citizen.
All we need now is some liberal, clear-sighted statesman to arise, who will interpret our laws and Constitutions in harmony with the acknowledged principles of our government. "Any interpretation in favor of Liberty," said Charles Sumner, "is law and Constitution, when the letter and spirit of a document conflict the latter must govern."
When Chief Justice Mansfield in the Somerset case declared that no slave could breathe on British soil by the provisions of Magna Charta, he rose above the technicalities of his profession and with inspired vision saw the man through the black skin and the slave walked out of Court crowned with all the rights of a British subject.
Where and when shall we look for some great statesman to arise, who like Lord Mansfield, shall proclaim Justice, Liberty and Equality as the birthright of every human soul, black and white, man and woman.
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