NT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES EXTENDING THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE TO WOMEN.

_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of
each House concurring therein)_, That the following article be
proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an
amendment to the Constitution of the United States; which, when
ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, shall be
valid as part of said Constitution, namely:

SECTION 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any
State on account of sex.

SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power, by appropriate
legislation, to enforce the provisions of this article.

Senator Blair supported this resolution in a long and comprehensive
speech, that will be recorded in history as one of the ablest ever
made on this subject, in the course of which he said:[32]

Upon solemn occasions concerning grave public affairs, and when
large numbers of the citizens of the country desire to test the
sentiments of the people upon an amendment of the organic law in
the manner provided by the provisions of that law, it may well
become the duty of Congress to submit the proposition to the
amending power, which is the same as that which created the
original instrument itself--the electors of the several States.
It can hardly be claimed that two-thirds of each branch of
Congress must necessarily be convinced that the Constitution
should be amended, before it submits the same to the judgment of
the States.

If there be any principle upon which our form of government is
founded, and wherein it is different from aristocracies,
monarchies and despotisms, that principle is this: Every human
being of mature powers, not disqualified by ignorance, vice or
crime, is the equal of and is entitled to all the rights and
privileges which belong to any other human being under the law.

The independence, equality and dignity of all human souls is the
fundamental assertion of those who believe in what we call human
freedom. But we are informed that women are represented by men.
This can not reasonably be claimed unless it first be shown that
their consent has been given to such representation,