42 pages • 1 hour read
Elaine WeissThe Woman's Hour
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 17-19Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 17 Summary: “In Justice to Womanhood”
On Monday morning, when the legislature convenes, Governor Roberts makes a surprisingly strong introductory statement in favor of suffrage:
Both parties have clearly and unequivocally declared for the ratification of this amendment […] But there is another and higher ground on which ratification may be made to depend, upon the ground of justice to the womanhood of America (220).
A glitch occurs in the proceedings when the paperwork necessary to formally introduce the amendment is missing because Roberts forgot to file it. This mistake delays the proceedings for a day, which allows time for the Suff cause to take a downturn:
By breakfast, the bleary-eyed Suffs were hit with another concussive blow from Seth Walker. He announced he intended to lead the opposition to the amendment on the house floor. He would “go down the line” to defeat the amendment, using his power as Speaker to bring as many house members with him as he could (226).
Later that day, an angry Suff calls out Walker for his turncoat behavior, accusing him of receiving a bribe from railroad interests to change his vote. The newspapers pick up this story immediately, and the accusation causes some legislators to demand a Suff apology for the insult.
