_To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States in Congress assembled, respectfully showeth_:
That she was born in the State of Ohio, and is above the age of
twenty-one years; that she has resided in the State of New York during
the past three years; that she is still a resident thereof, and that she
is a citizen of the United States, as declared by the XIV. Article of
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States.
That since the adoption of the XV. Article of Amendments to the
Constitution, neither the State of New York nor any other State, nor any
Territory, has passed any law to abridge the right of any citizen of the
United States to vote, as established by said article, neither on
account of sex or otherwise:
That, nevertheless, the right to vote is denied to women citizens of the
United States by the operation of Election Laws in the several States
and Territories, which laws were enacted prior to the adoption of the
said XV. Article, and which are inconsistent with the Constitution as
amended, and, therefore, are void and of no effect; but which, being
still enforced by the said States and Territories, render the
Constitution inoperative as regards the right of women citizens to vote:
And whereas, Article VI., Section 2, declares “That this Constitution,
and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance
thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the
authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land;
and all judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the
Constitution and laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding:” And
whereas, no distinction between citizens is made in the Constitution of
the United States on account of sex; but the XV. Article of Amendments
to it provides that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States,
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws:”
And whereas, Congress has power to make laws which shall be necessary
and proper for carrying into execution all powers vested by the
Constitution in the Government of the United States; and to make or
alter all regulations in relation to holding elections for senators or
representatives, and especially to enforce, by appropriate legislation,
the provisions of the said XIV. Article:
And whereas, the continuance of the enforcement of said local election
laws, denying and abridging the Right of Citizens to Vote on account of
sex, is a grievance to your memorialist and to various other persons,
citizens of the United States, being women,—
Therefore, your memorialist would most respectfully petition your
Honorable Bodies to make such laws as in the wisdom of Congress shall be
necessary and proper for carrying into execution the right vested by the
Constitution in the citizens of the United States to vote, without
regard to sex.
And your memorialist will ever pray.