ow, Madam, not now. I
will _sign the bill_." And the Governor, quite unconscious of his
mistake, with a smile and a bow, hurried away amid the good-natured
raillery of the little circle that had gathered around us. But it was
Governor Robinson, the life-long friend of woman and a free humanity,
that had the pleasure of "signing the bills."

In compliance with the earnest request of delegates, supported by the
action of the Association, I labored from the adjournment of the
Convention till the vote on the adoption of the Constitution, to
"remove the prejudices"--as the delegates expressed it--"of their
constituents, against the Woman's Rights provisions" of that document.
The death of Mr. Wattles on the eve of the campaign sent me alone into
the lecture field. For with the exception of Hon. Charles Robinson,
our first State Governor, and always an outspoken friend of our cause,
the politicians in the field either ignored or ridiculed the idea of
women being entitled under the school provision to vote.

At Bloomington, when I had presented its merits in contrast with
existing legal provisions, a venerable man in the audience rose and
remarked that the Hon. James H. Lane, in addressing them a few days
before, denied that the provision regarding Common Schools meant
anything more than equal educational privileges, and that the Courts
would so decide. That it would never do to allow women to vote, for
only vile women would go to the polls. And now, added the old
gentleman, "I would like to hear what Mrs. Nichols has to say on this
point?" Taking counsel only of my indignation, I replied: "Mrs.
Nichols has to say, that vile men who seek out vile women elsewhere,
may better meet them at the polls under the eyes of good men and good
women:" and dropped into my seat 'mid a perfect storm of applause, in
which women joined as heartily as men.

Policy restrained the few Republican members who had voted against the
provisions[24] from open opposition, and the more that everywhere
Democrats, whom I appealed to as "friends in political disguise,"
treated me with marked courtesy; often contributing to my expenses.
One such remarked, "There, Mrs. Nichols, is a Democratic half-dollar;
I like your Woman's Rights."

At Troy, Don. Co., sitting behind the closed shutters of an open
window, I heard outside a debate between Republicans and Democrats.
One of the latter, an ex-Secretary of the Territory, at one time
acting Governor, and a m