First Suffrage Petition

Suffrage--Rhode Island.

Image of the first suffrage petition submitted to the Rhode Island General Assembly on March 6, 1867.

Women of Rhode Island

C#1179

Rhode Island State Archives

1867 March 6

jpeg

eng

To the Honorable the General Assembly
of the State of Rhode Island
We, the undersigned, women of
Rhode Island, would respectfully represent,
That, being law abiding citizens of
said State, we are denied the elective
franchise, solely on account of our sex;
that we are taxed without our consent,
and compelled to obey laws, in the making
of which we have no voice, that, by the
theory of our Government, "Taxation without
representation is tyranny," and that-
"Governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed." We,
therefore, respectfully petition your Hon
Body- to take such steps as may be
necessary, to so amend the Constitution
of this State, as to secure to the women
the exercise of the elective franchise
and thus make the theory and the
practice of the Government harmonise.
March 6-1867

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