Reagan, John H. Letter to Meriwether, Elizabeth

Reagan, John H. Letter to Meriwether, Elizabeth

Activism

This is a hand written letter from a member of the House of Representatives, John H. Reagan, to a Mrs. Elisabeth A. Meriwether. The letter is a response to a letter that Mrs. Meriwether sent to Mr. Reagan on the matter of his position of opposing a raising of what was called the Woman’s Suffrage Committee of the House. In this letter he first begins by trying to convince Mr. Meriwether that he has the most respect for women than any man he knows and meant no disrespect by taking the position on the matter. He goes on to tell her that he is personally responding because she was the sister to his best friend from the postal service during the confederacy. Mr. Reagan they goes on to inform Mr. Meriwether that he did not agree with congress trying to force individual states to regulate the rights of suffrage, he believed it was the individual states decision and when he offered an amendment to that affect it was turned down by the majority. He goes on to say that he believes that women’s suffrage would be an injury to women and society instead of a benefit. Then he goes on to tell her that throughout his career connected to the administration of the law he has never see an instance where the woman’s rights were rights were ever in danger. He follows this up with the fact that if women were to go further into politics that the rights they currently have would come under fire because they are no longer in need of protection by law. He believes that it was never meant for women to do all of the things that men do, such as fight in the military, work the roads, and make fences. That women were meant to be the mistresses of the household and take care of the family. He concludes that he feels that the furthering into politics will corrupt women and that he is attempting to guard the rights of women by opposing the suffrage committee’s formation.

Reagan, John H.

Mississippi Valley Collection

The University of Memphis Libraries

January 3, 1884

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Hist4851, Spring 2015