in the nine localities we found that the proportion of women in favor was very large as against those opposed.  The total of women canvassed was 814.  Those in favor were 405; those opposed, 44; indifferent, 166; refused to sign, 160; not seen, 39.  This, you see, is a very large proportion in favor.  Those indifferent, and those who were not seen, were not included, because we claim that nobody can yet say that they are opposed or in favor until they declare themselves; but the 405 in favor against the 44 opposed were as 9 to 1.  These canvasses were made by women who were of perfect respectability and responsibility, and they swore before a justice of the peace as to the truth of their statements.

    So we have in Massachusetts this reliable canvass of the number of
    women in favor as to those opposed, and we find that it is 9 to 1.

These women, then, are the class whom I represent here, and they are women who can not come here themselves.  Very few women in the country can come here and do this work, or do the work in their States, because they are in their homes attending to their duties, but none the less are they believers in this cause.  We would not any more than any man in the country ask a woman to leave her home duties to go into this work, but a few of us are so situated that we can do it, and we come here and we go to the State Legislatures representing all the women of the country in this work.

What we ask is, not that we may have the ballot to obtain any particular thing, although we know that better things will come about from it, but merely because it is our right, and as a matter of justice we claim it as human beings and as citizens, and as moral, responsible, and spiritual beings, whose voice ought to be heard in the Government, and who ought to take hand with men and help the world to become better.

Gentlemen, you have kept women just a little step below you.  It is only a short step.  You shower down favors upon us it is true, still we remain below you, the recipients of favors without the right to take what is our own.  We ask that this shall be changed; that you shall take us by the hand and lift us up to the same political level with you, where we shall have rights with you, and stand equal with you before the law.

    REMARKS BY MRS. MAY WRIGHT SEWALL.

    Miss ANTHONY.  I will now introduce to the committee Mrs. May
    Wright Sewall, of Indianapolis, who is the chairman of our
    executive committee.

Mrs. SEWALL.  Gentlemen of the committee:  Gentlemen, I believe, differ somewhat in their political opinions.  It will not then be surprising, I suppose, that I should differ somewhat from my friend in regard to the knowledge that you probably possess upon our question.  I do not believe that you know all that we know about the women of this country, for I believe that if you did know even