Editing Seneca Falls Convention (section)

=== Afternoon session, day two ===

[[File:Frederick Douglass (1840s).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Frederick Douglass]] stood up to speak in favor of women's right to vote.]]

At the afternoon session, the eleven resolutions were read again, and each one was voted on individually. The only one that was materially questioned was the ninth, the one Stanton had added regarding women's right to vote. It read: {{blockquote|Resolved, that it is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred right to the elective franchise.<ref name=Text>USConstitution.net. [http://www.usconstitution.net/sentiments.html Text of the "Declaration of Sentiments", and the resolutions]. Retrieved on April 24, 2009.</ref>}}
Those who opposed this resolution argued that its presence would cause the other, more rational resolutions to lose support.<ref>Buhle, 1978 p. 97.</ref> Others argued that only the social, civil and religious rights of women should be addressed, not the political rights.<ref name=McMillen93/> James and Lucretia Mott were against the resolution; Lucretia said to Stanton, "Why Lizzie, thee will make us ridiculous."<ref name=McMillen93/> Stanton defended the concept of woman suffrage, saying women would then be able to affect future legislation and gain further rights.<ref name=McMillen93/> Frederick Douglass, the only African American at the meeting,<ref>Stanton, 1997, p. 85.</ref> stood and spoke eloquently in favor; he said that he could not accept the right to vote himself as a black man if women could not also claim that right. Douglass projected that the world would be a better place if women were involved in the political sphere. "In this denial of the right to participate in government, not merely the degradation of woman and the perpetuation of a great injustice happens, but the maiming and repudiation of one-half of the moral and intellectual power of the government of the world."<ref>McMillen, 2008, pp. 93–94.</ref> Douglass's powerful words rang true with many in attendance, and the resolution passed by a large majority.<ref name="nps report"/> Lucretia Mott spoke to end the session.<ref name="nps report"/>