created man as the representative of the
race; that after his creation, his Creator took from his side the
material for woman's creation; and that, by the institution of
matrimony, woman was restored to the side of man, and they became
one flesh and one being, he the head....

But we are now asked to have the ordinance of matrimony based on
jealousy and distrust; and, as in Italy, so in this country, should
this mischievous scheme be carried out to its legitimate results,
we, instead of reposing safe confidence against assaults upon our
honor in the love and affection of our wives, shall find ourselves
obliged to close the approaches to those assaults by the padlock.

The petitions were referred to a select committee of the Senate and the
Assembly, which Miss Anthony addressed. The Albany Argus reported her
speech as follows:

Miss Anthony said that she appeared on behalf of the signers of the
petitions and tendered to the Legislature thanks for the courteous
manner in which they had been received. They asked that husband and
wife should be tenants in common of property, but with a partition
upon the death of one; that a wife should be competent to discharge
trusts and powers, the same as a single woman; that the statute in
respect to married women's property should be made effectual, and
the wife's property descend as though she had been unmarried; that
married women should be entitled to execute letters testamentary
and of administration; that they should have power to make
contracts and transact business; that they should be entitled to
their own earnings, subject to their proportionate liability for
support of children; that post nuptial acquisitions should belong
equally to husband and wife; that married women should stand on the
same footing with single as parties or witnesses in legal
proceedings; that they should be equal guardians of their minor
children; that the homestead should be inviolable and inalienable
for widows and their children; that laws in relation to divorce
should be revised, and habitual drunkenness be made cause of
absolute divorce; that the preference of males in descent of real
estate should be abolished; that women should exercise the right of
suffrage, be eligible to all offices, occupations and professions,
entitled to act as jurors, eligible to employment