upremacy,
spiritual slavery. By what authority do you say that the country
is not prepared for a more enlightened franchise, for political
equality, if six women citizens, earnest, eloquent,
long-suffering, come to you and demand both? No words can express
my regret if to the minority report I see appended only the
honored name of George F. Hoar of Massachusetts.

Your friend, MARY CLEMMER.

In response to all these arguments, appeals and petitions, Senator
Wadleigh, from the Committee on Privileges and Elections, presented
the following adverse report, June 14, 1878:

_The Committee on Privileges and Elections, to whom was referred
the Resolution (S. Res. 12) proposing an Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, and certain Petitions for and
Remonstrances against the same, make the following Report:_

This proposed amendment forbids the United States, or any State
to deny or abridge the right to vote on account of sex. If
adopted, it will make several millions of female voters, totally
inexperienced in political affairs, quite generally dependent
upon the other sex, all incapable of performing military duty and
without the power to enforce the laws which their numerical
strength may enable them to make, and comparatively very few of
whom wish to assume the irksome and responsible political duties
which this measure thrusts upon them. An experiment so novel, a
change so great, should only be made slowly and in response to a
general public demand, of the existence of which there is no
evidence before your committee.

[Illustration: Marilla M. Ricker]

Petitions from various parts of the country, containing by
estimate about 30,000 names, have been presented to congress
asking for this legislation. They were procured through the
efforts of woman suffrage societies, thoroughly organized, with
active and zealous managers. The ease with which signatures may
be procured to any petition is well known. The small number of
petitioners, when compared with that of the intelligent women in
the country, is striking evidence that there exists among them no
general desire to take up the heavy burden of governing, which so
many men seek to evade. It would be unjust, unwise and impolitic
to impose that burden on the