stablish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for
the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of
America."--_United States Constitution, Preamble_.

"WE THE PEOPLE of Maine do agree," etc.--_Constitution of Maine_.

"All government of right originates from THE PEOPLE, is founded in
their consent, and instituted for the general good."--_Constitution
of New Hampshire_.

"The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of
individuals; it is a social compact, 'by which THE WHOLE PEOPLE
covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people,
that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common
good."--_Constitution of Massachusetts_.

"WE THE PEOPLE of the State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations ... do ordain and establish this constitution of
government."--_Constitution of Rhode Island_.

"The people of Connecticut do, in order more effectually to define,
secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights, and privileges which
they have derived from their ancestors, hereby ordain and establish
the following constitution and form of civil
government."--_Constitution of Connecticut_.

And so on through the constitutions of almost every State in the Union. Our
government is, as Lincoln said, "a government of the people, by the people,
and for the people." There is no escaping it. To question this is to deny
the foundations of the American government. Granted that those who framed
these provisions may not have understood the full extent of the principles
they announced. No matter: they gave us those principles; and, having them,
we must apply them.

Now, women may be voters or not, citizens or not; but that they are a part
of the people, no one has denied in Christendom--however it may be in
Japan, where, as Mrs. Leonowens tells us, the census of population takes in
only men, and the women and children are left to be inferred. "WE THE
PEOPLE," then, includes women. Be the superstructure what it may, the
foundation of the government clearly provides a place for them: it is
impossible to state the national theory in such a way that it shall not
include them. It is impossible to deny the natural right of women to vote,
except on grounds which exclude all natural right.