ge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United
States, those provisions of the several State constitutions that
exclude citizens from the franchise on account of sex, alike
violate the spirit and letter of the Federal constitution.
_Fourth_--As the question of naturalization is expressly withheld
from the States, and as the States would clearly have no right to
deprive of the franchise naturalized citizens, among whom women
are expressly included, still more clearly have they no right to
deprive native-born women-citizens of the right.

Let me give you a few extracts from the national constitution
upon which these propositions are based:

_Preamble:_ We, the people of the United States, in order to
form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this constitution.

This is declared to be a government "of the people." All power,
it is said, centers in the people. Our State constitutions also
open with the words, "We, the people." Does any one pretend to
say that men alone constitute races and peoples? When we say
parents, do we not mean mothers as well as fathers? When we say
children, do we not mean girls as well as boys? When we say
people, do we not mean women as well as men? When the race shall
spring, Minerva-like, from the brains of their fathers, it will
be time enough thus to ignore the fact that one-half the human
family are women. Individual rights, individual conscience and
judgment are our great American ideas, the fundamental principles
of our political and religious faith. Men may as well attempt to
do our repenting, confessing, and believing, as our voting--as
well represent us at the throne of grace as at the ballot-box.

ARTICLE 1, SEC. 9.--No bill of attainder, or _ex post facto_
law shall be passed; no title of nobility shall be granted
by the United States.

SEC. 10.--No State shall pass any bill of attainder, _ex
post facto_ law, or law impairing the obligation of
contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

Notwithstanding these provisions of the constitution, bills