That, nevertheless, the right to vote is denied to women citizens of the United States by the operation of election laws in the several States and Territories, which laws were enacted prior to the adoption of the said fifteenth article, and which article is inconsistent with the Constitution as amended, and therefore are void and of no effect; but, which, being still invoked by the said States and Territories, render the Constitution inoperative as regards the right of women citizens to vote.
And whereas article six, section second, declares “That this Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made or which shall be made under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and all judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution and laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”
And whereas no distinction between citizens is made in the Constitution of the United States on account of sex, but the fourteenth article of amendments to it provides that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges and immunities of the citizens of the United States nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
And whereas Congress has power to make laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution all powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of the United States, and to make or alter all regulations in relation to holding elections for Senators and Representatives, and especially to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of the fourteenth article.
And whereas the continuance of the enforcement of said local election laws, denying and abridging the right of citizens to vote on account of sex, is a grievance to your memorialists and to various other persons, citizens of the United States, being women.
Therefore your memorialists would most respectfully petition your honorable bodies to make such laws as in the wisdom of Congress shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the right vested by the Constitution in the citizens of the United States to vote without regard to sex.
And your memorialists will ever pray.
Victoria C. Woodhull.
New York City, December 19, 1870.
After Mrs. Woodhull had finished her memorial, Miss Susan B. Anthony took the floor and told the committee that she had hurried as fast as railroad and speed would allow her from Kansas, last winter, at this time, in order to get a petition before this body, but after all she was glad that Wall Street had spoken.