of the outside world and purify the home.
As political equality is the door to civil, religious and social
liberty, here must our work begin.

Constituting, as we do, one-half the people, bearing the burdens
of one-half the national debt, equally responsible with man for
the education, religion and morals of the rising generation, let
us with united voice send forth a protest against the present
political status of woman, that shall echo and reecho through the
land. In view of the numbers and character of those making the
demand, this should be the largest petition ever yet rolled up in
the old world or the new; a petition that shall settle forever
the popular objection that "women do not want to vote."

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, _President._
MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE, _Chairman Executive Committee._
SUSAN B. ANTHONY, _Corresponding Secretary._

_Tenafly, N. J._, November 10, 1876.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress
assembled:_

The undersigned citizens of the United States, residents of
the State of ----, earnestly pray your honorable bodies to
adopt measures for so amending the constitution as to
prohibit the several States from disfranchising United
States citizens on account of sex.

In addition to the general petition asking for a sixteenth
amendment, Matilda Joslyn Gage, this year (1877) sent an individual
petition, similar in form to those offered by disfranchised male
citizens, asking to be relieved from her political disabilities.
This petition was presented by Hon. Elias W. Leavenworth, of the
House of Representatives, member from the thirty-third New York
congressional district. It read as follows:

_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
in Congress assembled:_

Matilda Joslyn Gage, a native born citizen of the United States,
and of the State of New York, wherein she resides, most earnestly
petitions your honorable body for the removal of her political
disabilities and that she may be declared invested with full
power to exercise her right of self government at the ballot-box,
all State constitutions, or statute laws to the contrary
notwithstanding.

The above petition was presented January 24, and the following bill
introduced Februar