THE SENECA FALLS DECLARATION
(1848)
1. Declaration of Sentiments
When, in the course of human
events, it becomes necessary for one portion of the family of man to assume
among the people of the earth a position different from that which they have
hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes that impel them to such a course.
We hold these truths to be
self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments
are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the
right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist
upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such
principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate
that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient
causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more
disposed to suffer. While evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of
abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design
to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off such
government, and to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been
the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the
necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are
entitled. The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and
usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the
establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be
submitted to a candid world.
He has never permitted her
to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.
He has compelled her to
submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice.
He has withheld from her
rights which are given to the most ignorant and degraded men both natives and
foreigners.
Having deprived her of this
first right of a citizen, the elective franchise. thereby leaving her without
representation in the halls of legislation, he has oppressed her on all sides.
He has made her, if married,
in the eye of the law, civilly dead. He has taken from her all right in
property. even to the wages she earns.
He has made her, morally. an
irresponsible being. as she can commit many crimes with impunity, provided they
be done in the presence of her husband.
In the covenant of marriage,
she is compelled to promise obedience to her husband, he becoming, to all
intents and purposes, her master the law giving him power to deprive her of her
liberty. and to administer chastisement.
He has so framed the laws of
divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes, and in case of separation, to
whom the guardianship of the children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless
of the happiness of women the law, in all cases, going upon a false supposition
of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands.
After depriving her of all
rights as a married woman, if single, and the owner of property, he has taxed her
to support a government which recognizes her only when her property can be made
profitable to it.
He has monopolized nearly
all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she
receives but a scanty remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to
wealth and distinction which he considers most honorable to himself. As a
teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.
He has denied her the
facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all colleges being closed against
her.
He allows her in Church, as
well as State, but a subordinate position, claiming Apostolic authority for her
exclusion from the ministry, and. with some exceptions, from any public
participation in the affairs of the Church.
He has created a false
public sentiment by giving to the world a different code of morals for men and
women, by which moral delinquencies which exclude women from society are not
only tolerated, but deemed of little account in man.
He has usurped the
prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a
sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and to her God.
He has endeavored, in every
way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her
self-respect and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.
Now, in view of this entire
disfranchisement of one-half the people of this country, their social and
religious degradation in view of the unjust laws above mentioned, and because
women do feel themselves aggrieved, oppressed, and fraudulently deprived of
their most sacred rights, we insist that they have immediate admission to all
the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United
States.
In entering upon the great
work before us. we anticipate no small amount of misconception,
misrepresentation, and ridicule; but we shall use every instrumentality within
our power to affect our object. We shall employ agents, circulate tracts,
petition the State and National legislatures, and endeavor to enlist the pulpit
and the press in our behalf. We hope this Convention will be followed by a
series of Conventions embracing every part of the country.
2. resolutions
WHEREAS, The great precept
of nature is conceded to be, that ' man shall pursue his own true and
substantial happiness." Blackstone in his Commentaries remarks, that this
law of Nature being coeval with mankind, and dictated by God himself, is of
course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe,
in all countries and at all times; no human laws are of any validity if
contrary to this. and such of them as are valid, derive all their force. and
all their validity, and all their authority, mediately and immediately, from
this original; therefore,
Resolved, That such laws as
conflict, in any way with the true and substantial happiness of woman, are
contrary to the great precept of nature and of no validity, for this is
"superior in obligation to any other."
Resolved, That all laws
which prevent woman from occupying such a station in society as her conscience
shall dictate, or which place her in a position inferior to that of man, are
contrary to the great precept of nature, and therefore of no force or
authority.
Resolved, That woman is
man's equal was intended to be so by the Creator, and the highest good of the
race demands that she should be recognized as such.
Resolved, That the women of
this country ought to be enlightened in regard to the laws under which they
live, that they may no longer publish their degradation by declaring themselves
satisfied with their present position, nor their ignorance. by asserting that
they have all the rights they want.
Resolved. That inasmuch as
man, while claiming for himself intellectual superiority. does accord to woman
moral superiority. it is pre-eminently his duty to encourage her to speak and
teach. as she has an opportunity, in all religious assemblies.
Resolved, That the same
amount of virtue, delicacy, and refinement of behavior that is required of
woman in the social state, should also be required of man, and the same
transgressions should be visited with equal severity on both man and woman.
Resolved, That the objection
of indelicacy and impropriety, which is so often brought against woman when she
addresses a public audience, comes with a very ill-grace from those who
encourage, by their attendance, her appearance on the stage, in the concert. Or
in feats of the circus.
Resolved, That woman has too
long rested satisfied in the circumscribed limits which corrupt customs and a
perverted application of the Scriptures have marked out for her, and that it is
time she should move in the enlarged sphere which her great Creator has
assigned her.
Resolved, That it is the
duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to
the elective franchise.
Resolved, That the equality
of human rights results necessarily from the fact of the identity of the race
in capabilities and responsibilities.
Resolved, therefore. That.
being invested by the creator with the same capabilities. and the same
consciousness of responsibility for their exercise, it is demonstrably the
right and duty of woman, equally with man, to promote every righteous cause by
every righteous means; and especially in regard to the great subjects of morals
and religion, it is self-evidently her right to participate with her brother in
teaching them, both in private and in public, by writing and by speaking. by
any instrumentalities proper to be used. and in any assemblies proper to be
held; and this being a self evident truth growing out of the divinely implanted
principles of human nature, any custom or authority adverse to it. whether
modern or wearing the hoary sanction of antiquity, is to be regarded as a self-
evident falsehood, and at war with mankind.
Resolved, That the speedy
success of our cause depends upon the zealous and untiring efforts of both men
and women, for the overthrow of the monopoly of the pulpit. and for the
securing to women an equal participation with men in the various trades.
professions. and commerce.