Woman Suffrage In Illinois

In the Superior Court, yesterday afternoon, Judgo íameson dolircred a deqisiqij, in tho case of the people, at the relation. óf Catherine V. , Waite, agaiust Horaco li. Stebbins and others, judges of elcetion. of the First Procinct of Hydc Park, Tho document is very lengthy, which fiict alono precludes our pub ishiög it in lull. ïhe petition of the rnlp.tor i-i this case,' which was pubüshed in tho Journal at tlio time of filing, sets forth that she is abovo the agó of 21 years, married a freeholder in said town, and a reáiden't hereof, as well as of Cook county, in the Sate of Illinois, for the periods of time ryquired by law to entitle male citizens to vote theror in, rospectivcly, at all general aád special clectiono. Her petition ano sets forth thet on the - day of November lust the relator tendored to the respondent, sitting as judges of the eleotion fhc-n held in Hydo Park, h(r vote, oflering to make tho oath," and othor proof required by law as conditions of the right to vote, but that the vote tendered was refused by thom, contrary to law and right. U])on this petition an alternativo writ was issued, to which a gonieral demntrer has been liled, and tho question whit-h tho court determined was, whothur, úpon a ground of law, a poreraptory writ should now be issupd. The opinión of the Court trayeipes t"ho ontiro ground on whicb. suftrage is based, and, after oarefully ml eoncisely defining tho national govcrnniont ; tho term. " eitizon," a citizen who is entitled tp vote.; tho privileges and immunitics of oiüzenship ; tho question of natural right to suffrage, and tho meaning and intent of tho various late amendiueuts to the Federal Constitution, the conclusión is that. women havo not a right uuder our govoinraent - nor havo they natural right on the ground of more citizenship - to tho suffrago franchise ;' and, in aceordanco with this conclusión, the prayer of tho writ must bo áenied. Subsequent to tho general statement mul boforc denying the motion, the Court said that " upon the policy of sft. a uv.".n 1ing our laws as to permit women to vote, 1 íiliull only observe that, on principie, 1 spc no ground for rpfusing to do so.N.yhenever a general demand for the suffrág is made by tho women themselves. Thcy form a distinct class of persons, having peculiar rights and interest1! of which they might be the best guardians if thcy would is.sumc the labor and respoftsLbilï'ty of that office. Be this as it may, ónè thing seems to me clear, that if wpmeö are t o enter the Capítol with a viow to i a' themetvsB by the :-i-li i' the eoiiRcript fathors aa legislators and administrators, thoy ought to Wiút until tlmy can effect an entrone? tbere legally ami tirocfly by tho door, and not cidoavor, as by this motion the relator soems dusirons ot' dotng, to clijnb tliitlior sonio otlicr way, tlirough pas3ag68 intondad torwliolly filffcreut purposos."