1895 Constitutional Convention Files; 95-96; March 16-18, 1895

P 5160

Salt Lake City, Utah, March 18th, 1895.

To the Honorable the President and Members of the Constitutional Convention.

Gentlemen:-

The undersigned delegates of the Woman Suffrage Association of Salt Lake County, appointed to represent that Association in presenting this memorial of your honorable body, respectfully state that the women of said Association together with all the women of the Territory of Utah are at present deprived of the privileges of America Citizenship, and the right of suffrage, notwithstanding the majority of them are native born citizens of the United States.

We further represent that though we are amenable to the laws, and pay taxes for the support of the municipal and territorial government exactly the same as male citizens, yet we are not permitted a voice or vote in the levying or expenditure of such taxes nor in the making the laws by which we are governed.

We further represent, that though a few women may not be willing to exercise the right of suffrage, we belive that the majority of the women of this territory desire and will conscientiously use this great privilege of citizenship, and that it is not just that the large number who do desire it should be longer deprived of their rights as citizens because of the few who are indifferent.

We rejoice that both the great political parties in Utah have declared in favor of equal suffrage, and we now ask that the pledges made to the women of Utah be kept, and that the new State of utah may have a Constitution framed upon the basis of justice and equal rights and privileges for all her citizens.

Believing that you are actuated by the sentiments of true liberty and justice, and because you have solemnly pledged yourselves to the enfranchisement of the women of this territory, we respectfully request that you insert a clause in the Constitution of the State of Utah conferring upon women the right of suffrage, and your memorialists will ever pray &c.

(Signed) Ellen B. Ferguson President

Delegates from Woman Suffrage Association of Salt Lake County

Elizabeth J Macfarlene Mary E Irvene May P Silver Jemima R Midgbey

Fifteenth Day 18/3/95

Memorial of the Women's Suffrage Association of Salt Lake County

asking for a clause in the Constitution favorable to Woman Suffrage

Introduced by Whitney of Salt Lake

95 Read first time in full, second time by title and referred to Com. on Elections and Pt of Suffrage

5139

Mr Secretary:

Please send me the Memorial of the Utah Suffrage Assoecations.

Y. D. Wiehards

The Secretary

5143

MEMORIAL.

TO THE HONORABLE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF UTAH:-

We, your Petitioners an Memorialists, representing the great majority of the women of Utah; and more particularly as the official representatives of the great women organizations of Utah numbering in aggregate membership over thirty five thousand viz.

THE UTAH SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATIONS auxiliary to the NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL WOMAN'S RELIEF SOCIETY, AND THE YOUNG LADIES' NATIONAL MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION; these thousands of women standing in a general way, or in virtue of direct official relationship, as our constituents, we, your memorialists speak in their name; and in behalf of the women of Utah herewith present the woman's cause.

It is a matter of congratulation that in those closing years of the 19th Century, the cause woman can, without the stigma of partisanship, be laid before a body of chosen men ordained to the work of creating a new sovereignty within the galaxy of States as an equal member of the indissoluble Union. The men of Utah, in their respective political parties, have with equal unamity said that women shall be accorded equal rights and privileges of citizenship, that sex distinction shall no longer be a ban and a bar to equal opportunity with men to exercise the God given powers and capabilities with which women are endowed for purpose of equal self government and equal enjoyment of the inalienable rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. We take it that the men of Utah have spoken honestly, sincerely and conscientiously as true men to that equally large number of