1884 Extending the Right of Suffrage to Women." “Every citizen in the US is made more intelligent, more learned, and better educated by his participation in politics.”

[Woman Suffrage] US House of Representatives. "Extending the Right of Suffrage to Women." 48th Congress, 1st Session. Report No. 1330. April 24, 1884. First edition. 8 pages. Original paper wrappers. 9 x 6 in. “We believe that every citizen in the United States in made more intelligent, more learned, and better educated by his participation in politics and political campaigns.” The minority opinion rails against the ruling that failed to pass women’s suffrage as being detrimental to society as a whole. “Every improvement in the status of woman in the matter of education has been an improvement to the whole race.” Includes the majority opinion from Mr. Maybury, Congressman from Michigan: “The right of suffrage is not and never has, under our system of government, been one of the essential rights of citizenship.” Notable for the early date in which this issue was brought before Congress. After this time, women suffrage groups in the US pivoted efforts towards gradual, state-by-state suffrage initiatives (rather than national policies). (Inventory #: 16572)