A Journal for the Tcoplc.
Devoted to the Interests of Humanity.
Independent In Politics and Itellglon.
Mlve to all Urc Issue, and Thoroughly
Rad leal In Opposing ml Bxporie the "Wrongs
ot the Manes.
JIBS. A. J. Dl'A'lTVAT, Editor and Proprietor
OFFICE Cor. Third and Washington St.
TBItJIS, IX ADVAXCK:
One vear.
-3fO
1 75
Six months-
CaSpondents writing over assumed signa
tures mint mate known their names to the
Editor, or no attention will be given to their
communications.
Ft.ee Sriuxn, Fr.ER I'aess, Fuke PnontE.
Three months
I 00
VOTJZFZrEi 1.
POKTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, 2.XA.Y 3,
Terms.
'LETTEE'PEOM HON. T. W. DAVEN
POET. Kihtok New Xorthwkht:
Our great want in Oregon has been a
freo aud independent, liberal journal
one of high moral convictions and firm
purpose, and withal a toleration that
can patiently boar contradiction and
givo a fair presentation to all sides of a
. disputed question. A paper in the pay
of a party or a church is generally too
mueh in leading strings for free discus
sion, and even so-called independent
journals, a great majority of them, are
inoro echoes of the babbling crowd.
Notwithstanding the difficulties In the
way of success?, I am glad to say that
the paper which you control appears to
be the long wished-for journal. A great
many editors seem to think that the
only puriw.se of a newspaper is to venti
late the editorial opinions and ecotism.
that soon become very repulsive to lib
eral minus. There must be a rare en
dowment of logical acumen, united to
rare facility and beauty of expression, to
malto such egotism agreeaplc through a
course of years. Some of our best and
most powerful editors are constantly
animated by tho delusion that they are
- especially lilted by nature, aud predes
tined from the foundation of the world,
to promulgate certain doctrines which
alone can save the race of mankind
Such persons cannot bear any difference
or opposition, inasmuch as it would be
against God's will and have a tendency
to thwart his plan of salvation. You
will not deny that preachers are called
by Cfod to preach I have heard them
say so and it is just as reasonable that
God calls editors also. There is one sin
gular coincidence about these called
prenohers aud editors phrenologically
considered, they have very large bumps
of vanity and self-esteem, which seem
to spur them onward and forward quite
as forcibly as Hie other voice, which j
they my called them. In fact, a good
deal of the time the voices get so mixed
that it is impossible to tell who is which.
I have seen many other well meaning
persons that were equally puzzled in
trying to separate the voices. The Lord
would confer a great favor on us if ho
would call modest men and women into
his service, for then we should know his
voice and have no doubts as to who is
sued the call.
The Lord undoubtedly called Gamaliel
Bailey to edit the Rational Era, and as
a consequence, that paper was the best
conducted journal ever published in the
United States of America. It was can
did, truthful, impartial and able beyond
that of any great newspaper published
before or since. No man but Bailey
could edit such a newspaper, and it died
with him. Greeley, and Prentice, and
Forney, and Bennett, aud Bayinond,
and Curtlss, were as able and more pro
line, but none so gifted with pure, un
selfish wisdom. lie was wholly free
from that species of small smartness so
often brought Into use to avoid the point
. of a hostile argument. lie met opposi
tion manfully, and with no tinge of
hatred to his opponents. During the
long war of words against the slave
power, in which lie bore so conspicuous
a part, he maintained his equanimity of
temper to the lost, notwithstanding the
tempestuous sea of prejudice and passion
whlehswallo wed up nearly every one else
at the National Capital. He was at no
time an alarmist, never pretended to be
a pacificator or compromiser, but radi
cal aud reformatory as he was, his hu
manitarian influence and kindness did
more to soothe the troubled elements of
mind to truthfulness than all the con
servatives of the land. However the
Congress might ilame with passion, the
X&tfomU Era was peace. The ardent
radical of the North and the fire-eater of
the South could each find food for cool
reflection in its dispassionate pages,
which over kept in view the brother
hood of man aud the incompatibility of
slavery with the animating spirit of the
Great Republic. , No Southern man
could know Bailey aud hate him, and
probably no other man could have been
allowed to conduct a free soil paper at
our pro-slavery National Capital until
lie had established the Rational Era,
Ho was patient to hear, admitted the
full force of an objection, aud never mis
represented those who differed with his
opluions. In these and many other
qualities he was very much like
Abraham Liucoln. I should like to
adopt them as representative Atneri
cans. It is my deliberate conviction
that the Lord called them to their la
bors, which were so thoroughly aud un
selfishly performed.
There is one trick which I have fre
quently noticed in our journals, great
aud small. Even the N. Y. Tribune has
occasionally descended so far below its
usual dignity as to parade the false or
thography and grammar of a communi
cation when it contained criticisms lev-
oieu against uie editorial career. It is
funny to know that equally as faulty
onmmniiimi(innc In .1.
vimmuuivauuu lu Ult'SC TCSDeCtS TC-
ceive a favorable notice from the editor
and the ideas of the correspondent get a
iriuuuij uressiug up wiien they har
monize with the editorial vanity. I
havo failed to see that you have ever re
sorted to this Hiflwly way of avoiding the
strictures of those common sense but il
literate persons who do not endorse all
you write, x never expect to see the
columns of your
such small spleen.
paper disgraced by
Every literary person knows that our
orthography is an absurd monstrosity,
impossible of acquirement except by
memorizing every word in the language,
and that the fewest number of even ed
ucated persons spell correctly according
to tho present arbitrary method. Those
editors who did not come up from the
printing case are no better spellers than
other folks, and punctuation with such
is one of the lost arts. It is said that
Horace Greeley is critically correct in
orthography and punctuation, which
may be so. However, if I did not know
that H. G. is a living American, aud I
had not learned hi3 autograph, I should
certainly decide that his manuscript is,
or ought to be, the first dead language.
How any man can.be said to bo a good
speller when his script docs not contain
any letters belonging to any known lan
guage is more than I can gues3. The
wittiest, most humorous aud most sar
castic remark that Horace ever made
was when he handed his manuscript to
uie typo with tho instruction to "follow
copy." That beats Mark Twain's best.
mere Is nothing in the "Innocents
Abroad" to compare with it. Not even
the celebrated witticism upon the chi
rography of Christopher Columbus, for,
If there were any connection between
common sense and the orthography of
H. G., he would be voted an idiot by ev
ery school in the United States.
In looking over the ground of contest
for the future year, one cannot help but
see that the Bible is the Molakoft from
which the enemies of Universal Suffrage
expect to do most of their fighting; and
indeed it is their most advantageous po
sition, no you suppose that auy person
of sound mind would be guilty of as
much folly in ouo communication as
your correspondent who writes uudcr
tho heading of "What will you do with
it?" signing himself with three stars (I
will call him "Tri-aster" for conven
ience,), unless he could repose his non
sense upon tho authority of Holy Writ?
lou know African slavery was repug
nant to every better feeling of human
nature, and totally indefensible except
for the examples and directions of the
Old Testament Scriptures. "Of the
heathen round about you yo shall buy
bondwomen and bondmen," etc: land
forthwith that relic of barbarism claimed
respectability among Christian nations.
The Mormons derive polyiramy from
the Bible, and they obtain a certain re-'
spectability and security and hundreds
of defenders for anothor swerving relic
because Jew David had a hundred wives
and concubines, and was a man after
God's own heart. Now, when the en
lightened moral sentiments of progres
sive civilization ask for the recognition
of woman's equality with man, we aro
met with the same stale old plea of "it's
contrary to the Bible." "God made
woman to bo ruled by man and ordained
her subjugation to him, and wo cannot
change the relation without disobeying
the Divine will." The Bible docs not
seem to be harmonious in its teachings,
or else the theological scholars arc such
numskulls that they cannot under
stand them. The Sermon on the Mount
would abolish slavery of every descrip
tion. There is no serfdom or repression
contained in that genuine Bepublicau
document; but our Christian friends
don't preach often from that text, and I
have never yet heard of one practicing
its requirements. Why, what would be
thought of a Christian who, when lie is
struck upon one check, should turn the
other? Or when a brother minister had
taken his coat should bestow his cloak
also? Or when ho Is asked to go a mile
with his enemy Bkould go two more?
Or should oven attempt to love his
neighbor as liimself? Or to love his
enemies at all, aud to do good for evil?
etc., etc Everybody knows that no
body practices Christ's precepts or fol
lows his example. The practice gener
ally, among professing Christians, is
quite the reverse. They, like the Mor
mons are practicing the Old Testament
doctrines of an eye for an cyo and a tooth
for a tooth, and holding their wives un
der Bible subjection according to tho
Mosaic Laws. If any person doubts this
assertion, there is a very easy way to
test the matter. Offer one of our divines
a 000 dollar bill aud see if lie don't take
It, and quite quickly, too, for fear he
may never have another chance. Insult
liim once, watch close, and see if he
don't "go for you." Steal his horse,
and observe with what alacrity he will
deposit your body in the penitentiary.
Borrow money of him, and see with
wnat gusto ne iai;cs uie highest per
cent, with a compound regularly per
annum.
There are some glorious exceptions to
the above criticisms, but generally the
effort of Jesus Christ to make men lov
ing, kind, gentle, deferential, humble,
generous and human, aud above all to
"do unto otherS as you would havo oth
ers do unto you," has been so much of a
failure with our present day Christians
that they arc not entitled more than
other people to dictate and explain the
moral and social relations of mankind
Their opinions arc so sectarian, and
their practice so adverse, that their
opinions concerning Holy Writ are not
entitled to much weight. All things
considered, the best plan is to go for
ward with our progressive enterprises,
abolish slavery wherever wo can find it,
anu art up mankind everywhere to a
j true appreciation of his condition and
i destiny.
I There ia one consolation for us deriva
blc from experience, as wo proceed with
our labors', that it is much easier for the
theologians to reconstruct their creeds
so as to include the reforms than for the
world to stop moving. The Bible, un
der priestly control, has been made a
drag upon progress ever since wo can re
member. Whether by right or wrong
construction, I shall not stop to inquire
which, it has been made to endorse a
great share of the popular errors that
have warred against the progressive
tendencies of tho human race. In the
end, however, tho priests manage by
hook or by crook to make the Bible con
form to each step of development which
they could not successfully oppose.
They ought by this time to havo learned
something from the success which has
attended them on previous occasions!
aud commence the work of conforming
before they are pushed to tho wall.
It is high time that your correspond
ent "Tri-aster" had begun to make his
view of the Bible status of woman em
brace her full equality beforo the law,
for such is the inevitable, Jiiblc or no
Bible. If the Bible stands in the way
of Human Bights, so much the worse
for the Bible If it be a good book, it
will not oppose, but support good things.
Ho says that the Bible has sustained
some rude shocks from Astronomy and
Geology, and it is plain that if he docs
not set himself at work pretty soon ho
will be obliged to record another severe
shock by adding Anthropology on tho
Scienco of Government to the list.
"Tri-aster" and all the rest of mankind
should know before a great while that
the Bible has no power to make wrong
right or right wrong, for the Almighty
established these conditions several
years before the Bible was written aud
complied, and in order to place them
out of the reach of vain-glorious and
supersorviccable priests to interpolate
and alter aud of cunning and selfish lay
men to steal, He engraved them not
upon stone, but upon the enduring tab
lets of the human heart. T. W. D.
A PEW THOUGHTS ON THE WOMAN
QUESTION.
Dear Mrs. Duniway:Itras suggested
to mo some time since that I should
contribute something to the New
Noutjiwkst. At first I thought that I
could not. I had been "out of practice"
for a long time, and it also seemed to
me that in these days, when every sub
ject under the sun is so freely discussed,
there could be but little chance for orig
inality of thought or expression. So I
feared that after I had written it would
be discovered that some one else had
been over the same ground, and so I
should be accused of plagiarism, al
though none had been intended. But
an article in ono or your papers has
given me a text, anu i win venture a
few thoughts. If I wished to dignify tills
witli a name I should be puzzled what
to call it "Woman's Bights," "Wom
an's Wrongs," or "Subjugation." I
rather think it would be mixed.
Bless you forever and ever, that you
exercised the moral courage to show up
in his true light tho man who insulted
his wife by rendering her act of courtesy
"null and void," and her guests by send
ing them in such a manner from under
his roof. If I could reach my hand half
way across the continent, I would like
to grasp yours; and if you could hear
me, thank you in behalf of all the sub
jugated women in Christendom. Then
I would like to turn to that poor wife,
and assuring her of my sympathy, bid
her be of good cheer and hope for better
days. Then but I won't say what I
would like to do to him. But really he
was no worse, and perhaps not quito as
bad, as some I know. For his insuffer
able meanness there can be no excuse ;
but he was no hypocrite. Give even
the devil his due. Ho might have en
tcred his parlor with bows and smiles
and welcomed the ladles with apparent
ly the utmost cordiality, and maintained
tho deception until they had passed be
yond his threshold, impressed with tho
belief that "Mr." was a charming man
aud "Mrs." a fortunate and happy
woman, and then uncorked tho vials of
Ilia wrath and poured them on tho head
of his devoted wife. The hypocrisy
would have saved her from tho iutenso
mortification she must have expert
enced. She would also have missed tho
sympathy since accorded her.
Now, if this was but the solitary act
of one individual, and we could believe
there was no other like him, we might
look upon him as a sort of monstrosity
in society, and say no more. But, unfor
tunately, he is but tho representative of
a large class or men. Circumstances
may difl!r, but tho principle is the
same. They look upon women as the
weaker sex, and weakness with them is
synonymous with inferiority. They do
not mean to be ruled by a womau, and
acting upon the principle that "pre
ventive is better than cure," they
deny her reasonable requests, thwart
her innocent plans, and in all possible
ways give her to understand that she is
to obey. Doubtless, in the case you
have mentioned, the subjugating pro
cess has been going on ever since the
wane of the honeymoon. Every mar
ried woman is considered as sustaining
the relation of mistress in her own fam
ily, but often tho title Is merely nomi
nal. There is a master, and he is the
head of the house; no united head-
there such talk is all fiction but one
absolutely independent head, and the
mistress to use a phrase more expres
sive than elegant is "nowhere." Such
a woman's position is exceedingly
anomolous. If she ha3 the temerity to
act as If she possessed some rights of her
own, her husband has the veto power,
and he uses it unsparingly, often merely
for the sake of Using it. She is not a
partner in the concern; she has no voice
in its management. She is not the
hired help. If wages were given, her
wardrobo often would not be iu such a
dilapidated condition. Divest it of all
disguises, and in reality her condition is
one of slavery a slavery not far re
moved from that which so lately dis
graced us a nation. This may bo called
strong language, but 1 am not making
mere assertions. All I write can be
abundantly proved. Many a sad woman
will respond to its truth. Half a score
of cases are fresh in my mind now,
which I could use as illustrations. And
this brings mo to a thought which may
be in some slight degree original. Act
ing upon the presumption that it is, I
will at once lay it beforo your readers.
You say, among other good things, your
paper Is devoted to the "exposing and
opposing of wrong." Now I would like
to have all these domestic despots ex
posed, by being held up to public in
spection through its columns. Let
those who aro cognizant of the small
meanness aud petty tyranny of any
such just write an account of the matter
for publication. Write briefly, fearless
ly, and without exaggeration. No need
of calling names; let the picture be so
true to life that when the original shall
see it ho will say in his heart, "That
means me," and blush If capable of
blushing. There will bo small danger
of prosecution for libel. Perhaps some
may be converted, althongh my faith is
weak at this point, for, "Can tho Ethco
pian change his skin or the leopard his
spot?" But, if not converted, they may
at least he shamed into belter manners.
But what a work I have planned. No
one paper could accomplish it perhaps
not all tho journals in the land devoted
to Human Bights. I see my error my
original idea Is impracticable; never
theless let us have a "case" now and
then, just to "salivate" them, as you
say. Thero is much said about the
"amelioration of the condition of worn-
vii in iieuuieii juiius , mm we nave a i
society for the "preventation of cruelty
to animals." Does not tho condition of
some teives in this Christian land need
"ameliorating?" Is there no cruelty to
bo prevented? Iam not writing about
libertines or drunkards. There are
enough to deal with them. I mean men
who pride themselves upon their re
spectability church members, minis
ters of tho gospel even who at home
are guilty of cruelty cruelty to the
woman whom they havo won from
home and friends, and who lias trusted
all her happiness to their keeping. A
wounded spirit Is far more soro than a
broken bone; and yet many a man who
would be shocked at the Idea of striking
a woman will cause her heart to throb
with bitter anguish by his unkind acts
and words. If a woman of spirit, stung
to the quick by a keen senso of tlie
wrongs inflicted upon her, resents tlie
indignities with severe, yet merited lan
guage, she is termed a termagant. If
she weeps and pines in silence, then she
is moping, aud the author of her misery
falls to pitying himself because of his
misalliance. Aud if one even hints of
these wrongs in some publication or
meeting, he or she is accused of attempt
ing to undermine the foundations of so
ciety.
That AVomau Suffrage will yet prevail
I do not doubt. It is only a question of
time. Public sentiment is advancing
and prejudice giving way. When this
good time shall arrive, I trust thnt while
the women of our land s-hall exorcise
their rights in public affairs, they may
also bo permitted to "vote" in "home"
matters, and that the "veto" power may
be somewhat more limited than it now
is. Syhii, Emjieksox.
EEFLEOTIONS.
"We arc rejoicing in tho glorious sun
light that floods the earth with its mel
low radiance aud seems to make all na
ture joyous and bright. We say, how
long It is since the sun shone. And yet
the sun has been shiuing just as bright
ly all this long, dreary, rainy winter as
it has to-day. Far up above the clouds,
that show to us only an aspect of gloom
and darkness, has been ail the while
brightness and beauty an eternal sum
mer; aud the upper surface of these
same lowering clouds must have been
beautiful to behold. Think of this, 0
mortals, when the sorrowful earth ia
veiled by storm-clouds; when the
warmth and light of the day-god canuot
penetrate the envious curtain that hangs
like a pall over the fair faeo of nature.
It is just so in our inner life. The
clouds of adversity and trouble close
darkly arouud us, aud we loo often de
spairingly think that tho beneficent
sunlight of God's love and providence is
not shining, when the only difficulty is,
that wo have not tho faith to look up
through the darkness and gloom and
discern tlie calm radiance of divine love
and tenderness that Is ever out shining
from our Father's face ever ready to
enfold us iu its glow.
Friends, let us learn to look beyond
the clouds. Portia.
Subscribe for the New Noiitiiwest.
LETTEE PBOM COTTAGE GBOYE.
Cottage Grove, April 11, 1872.
Editor New Kortowbst :
Although I havo never written any
thing for the public eye, I would like to
say something In regard to common
schools in Oregon. We have a school
law that has many good points, but
which almost fails in its object. The
object of common schools is to educate
the masses, by providing means from
tho common funds to educate those who
aro not able to help themselves. But to
apportion the common school money
according to tho number of children
gives it to tho populous districts and
helps the weak but little whereas the
money ought to bo apportioned accord
ing to the number of teachers employed.
It costs as much to hire a teacher of the
same grade to teach twelve children as
forty. J. P. T.
Who are tho Healthy Women Among Us ?
BY ANTOINETTE BUOWJf BLACKWEI.L.
As I write from a rural neighborhood,
I may be compelled to testify that there
still are healthy women among us
rosy-cheeked maidens, with ample
waists and well-expanded chests, who
can walk a mile or two to school, and
sometimes help milk cows; middle-aged,
unmarried women, with stout, well-knit
physique, plenty to do and cheerful
hearts, accepting and glorifying the
most menial duties; mothers, who cau
bear a reasonable number of children,
and look as wholesome still in the green
country setting as well-ripened apples in
Autumn, hanging up among their glossy
dark leaves. These aro our healthy
women. They all have somclhtny to do; ,
aud yet are not overburdened cither
with care or never-ending labor. Now, j
who aro the healthy women of the great
world? When I used to be among them,
"taking notes," I was immensely im
pressed with the fact that it was inva
riably women who had something to do,
and did it always with a vigorous and
reasonable enjoyment in the occupation.
In the field, iu tho factory, iu the house
hold, on the platform, in the study, in
the studio, and in a hundred other places,
I have seen such women; but 1 never
knew a thoroughly healthy woman who
had nothing to do except to get other
women to make her pretty little things
to wear; aud to wear them herself,
chiefly at midnight.
I am prepared to make the broad as
sertion that the average health of the
intellectually working women of the
last twenty years, hi this country, is
quite on a par with that of a small
a par witli tliat or a smaller
nlnsi nf niKii. T nlllrtn. mnroniw that.
tne neaitii oi nnnd-worKers among men
is rather below than above tlie medium
standard of health for men generally
reason obvious: they stimulate mind, at
the oxpense of bod v. On tlie eontmrv.
the average health of tho women who
coin money with their brains is above
tne average Health or women generally
reason obvious: they have gained an
additional object in life; have estab
lished a balance of harmony between
mind and body most of them still re
taining n fair share of the ordinary
duties and privileges of womanhood. It
remains for the public to decide whether
those assertions are correct or incorrect.
If they ore facts, here is ono direct
nventio to health for women already in
dicated. I believe, moreover, that the
health of working women of all grades,
uirougnnui an uie various occupations i
in which they are now encaged, is fairl v
equai otner tilings being exactly bal
anced to tne uenmioi men m tnosamc
or similar vocations! Are these things
so ? The 19th century is not tlie 27th,
and America is not Europe. The doc
trine oi evolution nas been wonderfully
applied to nerves among us among our
women in particular and now, if we
hinder its equal application to the
quickening of womanly energies, society
must evidently be tne sullcrer in conse
quence. Airs, Uhitu, wim ncr unresting, earnest,
graceful pen, which has instructed aud
delighted tho nation for these forty
years, has yet so judiciously balanced
all this with household duties, that to
day she is a comely, portly matron, who
may be put forward with pride as a bright
exemplar to cither sex.
Lucrctia Mott, at eighty years, after a
long life of many activities, retains to
day the same vigorous niiud in the still
beautiful body. Time would fail me to
oiler examples, though the tempalion is
strong, almost resistless, in that direc
tion; but instead of yielding to it, allow
me to face about and give the other side
of tho picture.
Who are the unhealthy women among
us? In tho country, our unhealthy
women are the laborers' or fanners'
wives, who havo many children, many
toils, few assistants, few diversions, and,
therefore, many nerves and ailments aud
few enjoyments or points of cheerful j
outloolc lino tuc iuiure. j.neir young
daughters, thin and sapless at birth, are.
perhaps, fed on pork and cucumbers, and
chained to a heavy baby during all the
years of growth; and iu young ladyhood
they diet on poor novels aud arc chained
to tne neeuie or iuu mauug inuciuiie.
Even country fresh air is not a fair offset
to a regimen like this, so that both tho
red and white damsels are as common
hereabout as tlie two patches of red and
whlto flax iu the country gardens, the
varieties often growing so closely to
gether that the colors arc greatly mixed.
The domestic women are not all dead
yet, cither in town or country; and the
female sex has not yet gone en masse to
Newport or to Saratoga.
No end of toil is, perhaps, as bad as no
beginning. Incessant brain-work is,
doubtless, a severe trial to the nervous
system; but ceaseless nursery details,
added to thecndloxslyrepeatingprocesses
of tlie three meals a day administration,
are a tax immeasurably more severe
upon auy human organization, male or
....! H'lin nnr mnv ltm. clnln ltn
lUUldlL ..- -.j .....w oulll iu
thousands of American men, but tho
n4I.A ltifpfllItAVP?ltv-frtllr linitre
UIIICI) ' k 1 ' ' . . j auu . V 1. L J
ueat oi cuic, tnwit nil uuMiiiu
sleep, has slain its tens of thousands of
American women. Nerve? Certainly.
Not until the maternal heart of the
nation has found the conditions where it
cau rest and enjoy tranquility, freo from
all harassing cares, some few hours, at
least, out of every day, may we even ex
pect anything except nerves, either for
tne motuers or ior mu uiuiurcii
Givo everv matron three full hours
daily for her own enjoyment, and per-
suuue uer to swuu ip m iuu u-u uir
ercise of brain, muscle, and lungs; aud,
depend upon it, wc shall speedily create
a raco of healthy women anions no
despite any exhausting peculiarities of
our western climate.
Fashion will, undoubtedly, go on still
tcacinug ncr votaries mac mere is
exouisite beautyand refinement alike In
a lady's small waist and in her delicate
health. "While she does this, her fol
lowers will unquestionably continue to
lay a little health daily, (or nightly) as
a cheerful sacrifice, upon her altar.
This is all very pitiful, but thero is no
remedy except to create for them a more
humane goddess, whom tney may less
harmfully worship. Meantime, the ele
gant lady may probably become the
mother of one or two children, and per
haps she is about as likely to entail her
iragiie constitution upon horson as upon
her daughter. In the next generation,
will it be necessary to ask, Have we a
ncaiuiy man among us V
Woman Suffrage Organization.
BY ELIZABETH CADV STANTOX.
I am frequently asked by correspond
ents about the number and differences
of tho woman suffrage organizations,
and, as I have not time to answer all
separately, will make a brief statement
of facts In the Golden Age.
At present, there are four so-called
national organizations; one on tho Pa
cific Slope, of which Mrs. Emily Pitts
Stevens is President; the Northwestern,
of which Mrs. Addie Hazlett Is Presi
dent; the Boston wing, called the
"American," of which Mrs. Lucy Stone
is President; and the National Suffrage
Committee, of which I am President.
These are all working for tlie same grand
end. Their differences it might be dif
ficult to state, as they arc based more on
personalities than principles.
The National Suffrage Committee
made Its "new departure" in tho "Wood
hull memorial," assuming that women
are already "citizens" by the Federal
Constitution, specifically declared so by
the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments, in wnicu, lor tlie hrst tune, a
"citizen" is clearly defined, and ills or
her fundamental right to vote as such
plainly declared.
With this view, our manner of agita
tion is radically changed. Instead of
forming county societies, rolling up pe
titions against unjust laws, or iu favor
of further amendments to State and na
tional constitutions, we demand our
rights at the ballot-box, in the courts,
before judiciary committees of Congress.
aud in annual conventions at the Fed
eral capital. I-or three years in succes
sion we havo held conventions in Wash
inston, which, in numbers aud cntliusi
asm, have marked a new era iu this re
form. With lawyers, indcres. statesmen and
publicists, ail discussing the constitu
tional ngut oi woman to tlie sullrage,
! WG lliav coil'rratulflte ourselves thnt this
question nas passeu me court ot moral
discussion, and is now fairly ushered
j into the arena of politics, where sooner
i or inter it win oe uie interest oi some
party to ln&cribo woman's suffrage on
its banner. There aro some leading
! minds, in the "Northwestern" and
' American- anu ".t'acihc Slope" socie-
tics, who agree witli the "National" on
this point, but they have taken no offi
cial action in this direction, the major
ity inclining rainer to a demand lor a
Sixteenth Amendment. This, then, is
tlie distinguished feature of the "Na
tional" association.
Wa lllVfi nnr nfllAn !r WnelilnivfAii
where tracts and reports can be obtained
from Mrs. Josephine S. Grilling, Secre
tary. We have scattered during the
year thousands of Benjamin F. Butler's
aoie reports on tne nvoouiiuu memorial,
Mr. Biddlc's able argument. Mrs. Wood-
hull's speeches on "Constitutional
Equality," "Labor and Capital," and
"finance," and Theodore Tiltou's later
tracts.
Some people carp at the "National"
organization because it endorses Mrs.
Woodhull. When our representatives
at Washington granted to Victoria C.
Woodhull a hearing before the Judiciary
Committee of both Houses an honor
conferred on no other woman in the na
tion before they recognized Mrs. Wood
hull as the leader of tlie woman suffrage
movement in this country. And thoso
of us who were convinced by her unan
swerable arguments that her position
were sound, had no choice but to follow.
Mrs. Woodhull's speeches aud writ
ings on all tlie great questions of na
tional life are beyond anything yet pro
duced by man or womau on our plat
form. What if foul-mouthed Scandal.
with its many tongues, seeks to defile
her? Shall we ignore n champion like
this ? Admit, for the sake of argument,
that all men say of her is true though
it is false that she had been or is a
courtezan in sentiment and practice.
When a woman of this class shall sud
denly devote herself to the study of the
grave problems of life, brought there by
profound thought or sad experience,
and, with new faith and hope, struggles
io reueera tne errors oi tlie nast hv
grand life in the future, shall wc not
welcome her to the better place she de
sires to hold? There is to me a sacred
ness in individual experience that it
seems liko profanation to search into
and expose. Victoria C. Woodhull
stauds before us to-day a grand, brave
woman, rauicai aiiKe in political, relig
ious and social principles. Her face and
form indicate the complete triumph in
her nature of the spiritual over the sen
suous. The processes of her education
are little to us; tlie grand result is every
thing. Are our brilliant flowers less
fragrant, our luscious fruits less palata
ble, because the debris of sewers and
barnyards have enriched them? The
nature thnt can pass through all phases
of social degradation vice, crime, pov
erty, and temptation in all its forms
and yet maintain a purity aud dignity
of character through all, gives unmissa
ble proof of its high origin, its divinity.
Tlie Lilium Laudidum, that magnifi
cent lily, so white and pure that it looks
as if it ne'er could battle with the wind
and storm, that queen of flowers, flour
ishes in all soils, braves all winds and
weathers, sunshine aud ralu, heat ami
coin. and. with n font in irozeu cious,
still lifts its pure, white face forever to
ward tho stars.
When I think of the merciless and
continued persecution of that little
woman by the entire press of this nation,
I blush for humanity. Iu the name of
woman, let me thank you for so gener
ously defending her. In reading the re
ports of her Steiuway speech, I could see
nothing so monstrously immoral on
which to baso tho severe editorial com
ments of our journals. It seems to me
j that the Legislatures of our several
i Duties, in grantlnir eicineen causes "
i divorce, and in their bills to license
j prostitution by the State, are more le -
gitlmato targets for the press of a nation
tiian one suffering woman who has been
It,.;? U"JUSUJ scanned in her own flesh
bvthe Iron teetli oflaw.
41. fears or women of one another, lest
t nej should be compromised by those
they imagine less reputable than tliem-
?H nfi' .as aU8i"B Pitiful. I am
toid mat the English women were quite
nervous at the report that Anna Dickin
son, Kate Field, and Olive Logan talked
of visiting that country they were so
afraid lest they, by some indiscretion,
might injure tho suffrage movement.
While each of these are equally afraid of
each other and the movement, the weak
minded and tho ministers aro afraid of
us, one and all, and we in turn are afraid
of each other. The women of Kansas
were greatly troubled by Lucy Stone,
when sho traveled through the State,
because she did not bear her husband's
name, and had publicly protested against
tho civil code in the legal marriage,
while she is equally disturbed with
Victoria Woodhull for following her ex
ample. Women with two and three
husbands living at the same time, who
advocate the monogamic relation, are
afraid of me, though I never had but ono
husband, and advocate divorce ior tue
miserable.
Now I think we had better acroe to
fight this battle just as our fathers and
husbands havo their two revolutions
enroll all that aro loyal to the principle.
How much of an army should we havo
had for the rebellion, if every man who
came to enroll himself had been asked :
'Do you smoke, chew, drink,steal, lie,
swear ; Are you low-ureti, illiterate, or
licentious? If so you cannot fight for
freedom." Was it not just this element
we swept into the army? And were not
they the better for suffering and dying
fora noble cause? Churches and reform
associations are just the places to draw
in tlie sinners, aud inspire them with a
new and noble purpose. Alas for those
ruansees that are lorever manning tno
Lord that they are not like other men.
Jesus, the good and perfect oue, ate and
tallied with publicans aim sinners, and
was ever kind and merciful to the erring
and unfortunate lagdaiens ot his times.
Let us, one and all, follow his example.
Golden Age.
Can Women Fight. Dr. Lord, who
since the opening of the year has been
giving historical lectures in Boston, had
for a subject recently, "Phlllipa," (the
mother of tho famous Black PrinccT,
aud iu the course of his remarks, said :
"The annals of tlie Middle Ages are
full of the noble deeds of women. When
Edward HI. was engaged in his Scottish
war the Couutess ot Mardi defended
Dunbar with uncommon courage and
obstinacy, against Montague and an
English army. And, contemporaneous
witli her, Jane, Countes3 of Montford,
shut herself up in the fortress of Hene
burn, and defied the whole power of
Charles of Bloise. Clad Iu complete
armor she stood foremost in tlie breach,
sustained the most violent assaults, and
displayed a skill that would have done
honor to the most experienced generals.
And Marzia, of the Illustrious family of
the Maldina, sustained, honorably, a
siege against the Papal troopsat Cresena,
ten times more numerous than her own.
Jane Hatchett repulsed, in porsou. a
body of Burguudians when thoy be
sieged the town of Beauvias. In tho
chivalrous ages women not onlyattacked
and defended fortifications, but even
commanded armies aud obtained vic
tories. Joan of Arc, a simple and uned
ucated shenerdess. was tho instrument
of that sudden revolution in tlie affuirs
of France which terminated iu the es
tablishment of Charles VII. on the
throne. Agnes Soul aroused this king
to deeds of glory when sunk in enervat
ing pleasure. Altrude, Countess of
Bertenora, advanced, in person, with an
army to the relief of Ancona. Bona
Lombnrdi, at tho head of her bravo
troops, liberated her husband from enp
tivlty and imprisonment. Isabella of
Lorraine, when her husband was taken
prisoner, rallied an army for his rescue.
Margaret of Anjou was the life of tho
Laucastcriau party in tho wars of the
Boscs, and defeated, herself, the Duko of
York at Wakefield. Tlie Countess Ma
tilda sustained sieves against Henry IV.,
the great Franconian Emperor.
Carlotta Patti is pronounced by tho
European critics of late to be the great
est concert singer the world knows.
Lately, when she made her tour iu
South America, her reception probably
surpassed anything ever know in tlie
history of vocalists. This is all the more
noteworthy that Bio Janeiro is one of
titc most critical and wealthy cities of
tho universe, and has had an opportun
ity of judging all tho great reputations
of tho present day. It "may be truly
said that Carlotta Patti had an entree
worthy of a princess into the city. Tri
umphal arches were erected, under
winch she was to pass. Flowers strewed
her path, and at her performance boquets
were thrown her, glittering with pre
cious stones. The critic ot tne leauuig
paper wrote: " When we hear Carlotta
Patti we look for the bird that produces
the sound. If angels sing so we shall
bo satisfied with Paradise." And so
they went on with this hyperbolic Inn
gunge to express thelradmiration of this
delightful singer.
Ali. Men akb Created Equal.
Many men, many niin f-niany judges,
many judgments. In Illinois, the judges
in one Supreme Court held that tlie
maxim of independence, "all men arc
created equal," does not extend to wom
en aud that by virtue thereof, or of any
thing else, they have no right of suf
frage. In tlie same State, another Su
preme Court decides that this maxim
does apply to vagrant children, so that a
statute providing for the rescue of such
"little wanderers," and the committal of
them to a reformatory school is uncon
stitutional, and a "tyrannical and op
pressive" infringement upon tlie liber
rios of the citizen. In effect, therefore,
juvenile vagrancy receives judicial sanc
tion, nnd tne State is poweness iu i""
tect and save destitute minors and or
phans! Wo thought Sains popidi su
prema lex. Canada Law Journal.
Lucy Stone in a receut Woman Suf
frage address, gave tho following as a
provision of a will on probate in Boston:
'l bequeath to my wife, Elizabeth, tho
$50,000 which was her's before our mar
riage, as long as she remains a widow,
am? no longer." How would a will
sound, said Lucy, that read thus: "I be
oueath to my husband, John, the $50,000
i. . . i.!. i r
WUICU was ilia ueioro our uiamui., s
long as he remains a widower, aud no
longer."
, . t , . . ,,
, The wife's secret-her opinion ot her
1 liusbaud.