1876-1886 - Four postally used envelopes promoting Women's Suffrage including one sent by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, addressed in her hand

Tenafly, New Jersey; Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois, 1886. Envelope or Cover. Very good. Three of these four postally used 'propaganda' envelopes promoting Women's Suffrage are addressed to Francis E. Abbott of Boston (a progressive theologian and the editor of The Index, a newsletter championing "free religious inquiry"); one is addressed to Dr. Hunt (likely Mary Olive Hunt, a noted physician and suffragist) of Manchester, New Hampshire. All are in nice shape

This group includes two printing variations of envelopes that were specifically issued to call attention to the suffrage movement at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, where members of the National Woman Suffrage Association would storm the official Independence Day ceremony on July 4th and Susan B. Anthony would famously read the "Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States," which was written by primarily by Mildred Joslyn Gage and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

The earlier of the two, which is franked with a green 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #158) postmarked in Boston on 8 May [1876], identifies the officers of the Association in the upper left corner as

President: Matilda Josely Gage of Fayetteville, N. Y. / First Vice Presidents: Lucretia Mott of Philadelphia, Pa. and Elizabeth Cady Stanton of Tenafly, N. J. / Treasurer: Ellen C. Sargent of Washington D. C. / Recording Secretary: Henrietta Payne Westbrook of New York / Chairman of the Executive Committee: Susan B. Anthony, Rochester, N.Y.

Its text asks and answers four "Centennial Questions":

"What is the difference between a Monarchy and a Republic? A Monarchy is a government of force; a Republic is a government of consent.

In what way is consent given? By and through the ballot alone; that says yes or no.

What part of this nation live in a Republic? The men; they have consented to the government.

What part of the nation live under a Monarchy? The women; they have never consented to the government; they are ruled by force."

The second cover, which was also intended to call attention to the suffrage movement at the Centennial Exposition, is franked with a green 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #147) and was mailed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is addressed in her hand and was postmarked in Tenafly, N. J., Stanton's hometown. It identifies a second set of officers of the Association in the upper left corner as

President: Elizabeth Cady Stanton of Tenafly, N. J. / First Vice President: Lucretia Mott of Philadelphia, Pa. / Chairman of the Executive Committee: Matilda Joslyn Gage of Fayetteville, N. Y. / Corresponding Secretary: Susan B. Anthony, Rochester, N. Y.

Its text asks four different, additional "Centennial Questions":

"Why should women, more than men, be governed without their consent?

Why should women, more than men, be taxed without representation?

Why should women, more than men, be tried without a jury of her peers?

By what right do men declare themselves invested with power to legislate for women in all cases whatsoever?"

The third cover in this group was issued by Citizens' Suffrage Association circa 1776. It is franked with a green 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #158) and postmarked in Philadelphia. It displays a manifesto on its front panel that reads in part:

"Women in the country are Citizens.
Suffrage, in a republic is the citizen's right, else it is a privilege and can be taken away by the same power which confers it. Unless the ballot be a right of citizenship . . . That power which can deny suffrage, embodied, is a monarch; its denial tyranny.

Taxation without representation was tyranny for men citizens in 1779. Is it less tyranny for women citizens in 1876? . . .

Women of these United States! Are you satisfied with the way in which men represent you in temperance, education, government, and laws? If not, demand the ballot.

The best interest of humanity require that men and women should co-operate in framing our laws. . ..

Men have tried to represent women, and have signally failed. They have made laws for their protection which do not protect. . ..

Does the present condition of society in our country justify a man's boasted superiority?

Equality of citizenship - In rights, duties, responsibilities, and privileges - irrespective of sex or creed. . ..

The subjection of women implies tyranny in men."

The fourth cover in the group is not attributed to any specific organization. This cover is franked with a brown 2-cent Washington stamp (Scott #210) and postmarked in Chicago on 22 April 1886. It also bears a sound National Letter Association return label. Its front panel reads:

"Woman's Patriotic Duty.
Equity knows no difference of sex. Herbert Spencer.

The equal interest of morality imperatively requires that the ballot shou be places in the hands of women. Bishop Simpson.
While woman is admitted to the gallows, the jail and the tax list, we have not right to debar her from the ballot box. Wennell Phillips.

No sectarianism in religion; no sectionalism in politics; no sex in citizenship. Frances E. Willard.

What right have all you women to leave all this work of caring for the country to the men? James Freeman Clark."

. The National Woman Suffrage Association was founded in 1869 by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to secure women's right to vote through a federal constitutional amendment, and it also championed a broad spectrum of women's rights beyond the ballot, including equal pay, property rights, and divorce reform.

Although the National Woman Suffrage Association was a racist organization, the Citizens' Suffrage Association, a local voting rights group active in Philadelphia, which was founded in 1876, was not. It fostered a multi-racial, collaborative platform for local and national activists and attempted to unite the usually opposing factions of the early civil rights and women's suffrage movements. Its official platform explicitly attempted to bring together both white female suffragists and prominent people of color to campaign for universal franchise.

The cover posted in Chicago was not produced by any specific suffrage group. The 1 February 1886 issue of The Alpha, a Washington, DC, human rights newsletter, reported simply that these envelopes were being used by "Chicago suffrage women."

Although all postally-used women's suffrage advertising envelopes are scarce, three in this group are especially so: the cover addressed and mailed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the cover issued by the local Citizen's Suffrage Association in Philadelphia, and the Women's Patriotic Duty cover from Chicago.

These covers seldom appear on the market, and when they do, they are usually offered for sale by postal history dealers or in philatelic auctions. At the time of listing, no similar items are for sale in the trade. The Rare Book Hub and ASBA show none having appeared at auction, although they occasionally appear at philatelic sales. OCLC shows none in institution holdings, although it is like some may be in personal papers collections.

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