d including nearly fifty names prefixed by "Rev." He next
drew from his budget a letter from Clara T. Leonard, of Boston, praying
that the suffrage should not be granted to women, and Mr. Hoar remarked
that the lady herself had been holding public office for a number of
years.

Continuing Senator Vest said: "If we are to tear down all the blessed
traditions, if we are to desolate our homes and firesides, if we are to
unsex our mothers, wives and sisters, and turn our blessed temples of
domestic peace into ward political assembly rooms, pass this joint
resolution!" He now produced a document, entitled "The Law of Woman
Life," and said: "This is signed Adeline D. T. Whitney--I can not say
whether she be wife or mother. It contains not one impure or
unintellectual aspiration. Would to God that I knew her so I could thank
her in behalf of the society and politics of the United States. I shall
ask that it be printed, as my strength does not suffice for me to read
it."[32] It proved to be a long and involved essay begging that the
ballot should not be given to women, and saying: "Are the daughters and
granddaughters about to leap the fence, leave their own realm little
cared for, undertake the whole scheme of outside creation, or contest it
with the men? Then God help the men! God save the commonwealth!" Mr.
Vest concluded with a blood-curdling picture of the French Revolution
which would be repeated in this country if women were enfranchised.

Senator Blair then offered the appeal of the W. C. T. U. for the ballot,
representing over 200,000 women, presented by Zerelda G. Wallace, who
had reared thirteen children and grandchildren, among them the author
of Ben Hur. He submitted also the matchless arguments which had been
made by the most intellectual women of the nation before the
congressional committees from year to year, including that of Miss
Anthony in 1880, and urged that the question should be submitted to the
legislatures of the various States for settlement.

The vote was taken on the question of submitting a Sixteenth Amendment
to the Constitution to the State legislatures for ratification, and
resulted in 16 yeas and 34 nays, 26 absent.[33] Of the affirmative
votes, all were Republican; of the negative, 24 Democratic and 10
Republican. Senator Farwell, of Illinois, was roundly denounced by the
Chicago Tribune for his affirmative vote. Senators Chace, Dawes and
Stanford, who were paired, and Plumb, who was absent,