“When the constitutionality of an act of the General Assembly is questioned, the courts place the act by the side of the Constitution, with the purpose and the desire to uphold it if it can be reasonably done, but under the obligation, if there is an irreconcilable conflict, to sustain the will of the people as expressed in the Constitution, and not the will of the legislators, who are but agents of the people.”
How later courts described this case
- “When the constitutionality of an act of the General Assembly is questioned, the courts place the act by the side of the Constitution, with the purpose and the desire to uphold it if it can be reasonably done, but under the obligation, if there is an irreconcilable conflict, to sustain the will of the people as expressed in the Constitution, and not the will of the legislators, who are but agents of the people.”
- Women could not vote, therefore not eligible to elective office
Written by the judges who cited it.
The opinion
BbowN, J.,
dissenting: I concur in tbe opinion of tbe Court except as to tbe conclusion tbat tbe position of notary public is a public office. Therefore, I bold tbat a woman may well fill such place.
While I think tbe weight of authority is tbat it is a public office, there is some decided conflict of opinion upon tbe subject, and as I think it is a position a woman may well fill, I do not agree to tbe judgment rendered.