If, as our opponents
assert, the last clause of this section makes it the duty of the United
States to protect citizens in the several States against higher or
different qualifications for electors for representatives in Congress,
than for members of Assembly, then must the first clause make it equally
imperative for the national government to interfere with the States, and
forbid them from arbitrarily cutting off the right of one-half of the
people to become electors altogether. Section 4th says:
"The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and
Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the
Legislature thereof; but Congress may at any time, by law, make or
alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing
Senators."
Here is conceded the power only to prescribe times, places and manner of
holding the elections; and even with these Congress may interfere, with
all excepting the mere place of choosing Senators. Thus you see, there
is not the slightest permission in either section for the States to
discriminate against the right of any class of citizens to vote. Surely,
to regulate cannot be to annihilate! nor to qualify to wholly deprive.
And to this principle every true Democrat and Republican said amen, when
applied to black men by Senator Sumner in his great speeches for EQUAL
RIGHTS TO ALL from 1865 to 1869; and when, in 1871, I asked that Senator
to declare the power of the United States Constitution to protect women
in their right to vote--as he had done for black men--he handed me a
copy of all his speeches during that reconstruction period, and said:
"Miss Anthony, put 'sex' where I have 'race' or 'color,' and you
have here the best and strongest argument I can make for woman.
Pages:
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214