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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 1873)
MUS. A. J. DUMtm. Wlior an4 IToprletor A Joarnnt for tho People. , Devoted lo the Interests ofMInmanlty.' Independent In Politics and P.ellglon. Alive to all Live Issues, and Thoroughly Radical In Opposing and Exposing the Wrong ot the Masses. OTFirB-for. 1'ront mid Mnrk Street. TFRRMS, IX ADVANCE: One year. air Himithx , , Three month. , -S3 00 1 75 .. 1 to Fr.KE SHKECtf, Free Pkins, Fkkk 1'f.ople. Correspondents writing over assumed signa tures must make known their names to the Editor, or no attention will be given to their communications. AI)VKRTIS2MfTS Inserted on Reasonable III. r'OTtTLA.TD, OREGON, FRIDAY, NOVE3IBER S&t, 1873. i vvli u d ira ifr.a irra nua i ii . i; i u.m uiv , j uj ir OLD fX KM KK UltOWN. BT EUOK.NK J. HALL. From tHf harvest-field, old Farmer Brown awe ht with a teelc of care: He threw hts bat on the floor, anil sat down In m own sptlnt-boltoined chair: He wlld the sweat from Ills dripping brow, DM palled out lila Aid Jack-knife: He whittled away to himself awhile, and called M bin HUle wlfv. From her quaint and tidy klfcfaon she came through the open door. With Iw sleeves pinned p to her shoulders and her skirt )i lined np before. Slie leotarf laded, wrinkled and worn as the MM of her gingham go lrn , When site flaw the haggard and hopeless look MtM Aee of Farmer Brown. Then down In her rocking-chatr she sank In a mtt of a helpleM way. Jor speke one -word, lot listened and looked to near what he wight ny. "Hannah. I'm iek a-llvln'here, and a-workln from .prlt; to fall, A-rannn' -later an' corn to Mill, that don't MfngNotntn'atall. Here we have wortml together, for forty years. lite a pan- n slave. An' that 0M mortgmpe ain't lilted yet, that I owe io umnmi ftrnvrs. ThatJtMfejNMmt noteo Itenemt tunn' will soon be fMlln'dtie, An1 where thf moneys cumin' from, why, I cant tell, nor yo. I'm kept in seen a worrr an- fret by all o these hki o IMnca, That I have to aell the stuff that I raise rlghloiT km-what It brine. jt coms m much lor my taxea now, an' to keep ine wmrnway. iiai i iiRvettt ivo enaoee to make n cent, an' inat m wnats io par. Hannah, we've both fm wt grown old, an' our eatkiren all are cone: There Is no one now that In left at home for us t depend upon. InlnMHtsHMiMlaMied to he, nor as oWe to work, I know. But I've got let Hum malloni staie, an' the mrmil tiara to sjn. 'Half o' the world lives Idle, with plenty to eat ana wear. An' the ones who work the hardest have often The ferment' work till their terms are bent, an' their hand are hard an' brown; The workmen delve In the dwd an smoke o' the workshops In the town; Tle sturdy sailors bring to our shores the wealth o' foreign land; An' the other half o' the world imbetMs l.y the work o' theae hardened bands. An' thte hi one o the reason why I can't pay what I owe, While yon an' I are a-fettln' old, ami the lamtll have to go. "I've worked In the woods In the winter time; I've plowed an' sowed In the spring; I've hoed an dug through summer an' fall,aii' I ha vent made a thin. Houtettneii I lie awake all night, an' worry an' ftm an' fret. An' never a single wink o seeep nor a bit o' reatlget. I think o'oor grown-up children, au' the lite life they've Jol begun ; They've cot to hoe the same hard row as you an I have done. I think the politician, an' the way they rob An' the more I think o' tannin, the poorer It The speculator buy up onr cheese, our buttter, oar wool an' hay, An they sell 'em agtn formore'ntw'censmuch as the' had to pay. They Meed ne In transportation; they fleece us everywhere; They cheat us on onr provisions an' the jery cHVMieji we wear. They live In their lofty houses, on the best that can be found; Their wive wear daulin' diamonds, an' their ehltdren loaf around; In. the Ma miner they go to the seashore an' the springs, to make a ahow. An' that la the way oar batter and cheese, an' our corn an' 'intern go. "We work In the Nn all summer, raise turnips an com on share. That the railroads au')oltUcltns may cheat us an pat on airs. They earry the rein o' power, an will till we Ml onr graves; They rule an rain the markets, an we are a peek o' slaves. What io be done? OoJ only knows. I've tailed In many -ways In trying to lay a leeUe by lo ease my decllnln1 day. I never have been a ihlrUewi man; I'veflgsered, I've worked an tried. WWIe ah a old farm bren rwutring down since Mse star that mther died. I've narrowed money to pay my debts, an' I've watched the Intern grow, Till tt fairly Rot the start o' me. an' the farra'II have to go." Then the little wife of Farmer Brown stood up upon the bow. Ab1 she looked at him In a kind of way that sue never mm before. The furrows ned fromhersbrivpledrheek'.and her laoe grew all aglow: "I never will fcfcjn the deed, John, and the farm shall never go. There's et ne thing to be done, as sure as you an' I are born: Yon must Join the Orange an' vote, John, if you would tl your corn. Hope an prayer are good, John, for the man who die and delves. Bat heaven wttl never help us, John, union we help ourselves. I alnt as ehljtper an' smart au' spry, nor as strong a I uwd to be. But I've got a heap o'spuuk, John, when its Marled np In roe." Over the oW man's furrowed face the tears bo ron to flow; He never had felt more strong and proud since their wedding long ago; A golden gleam of heavenly hope illumined bis soul's despair, And kneeling down on the time-worn floor. both Imwed their heads in prayer. "Woman's Rights in Russia. Worn an's Rights are extcnUtn even to Kus sin. Formerly their sole public em ployment was the sweeping of the streets under the eye, or rather under the whip of the I'oiice; aim mis was a pnviiegi confined to drunkards. But now all is changed; ami at a time when Britain is trying to exclude them from its medical colleges, au edict has been issued by the Czar to a fiord them facilities for acquiriug a .thorough knowledge of midwifery, and the other branches of Surgery and Medicine. They are also to be admitted as workers In telegraph oflices. They are enjoined to "avoid negligence and sauclness, and above all, to propagate no scandal." They are not, however to be intrusted with the privilege of voting, or of meet ing in public for the purposo of discussing- philosophic questions. OPPOSITION. A .ECT-JBB DELIVERED JtX XRS. A. J. DtWI WAT ItEFORE TIXE WASntNOTOjr TEKR1T0KY W. S. ASSOCIATION, NOVEJOIWI 11, 153. 'P.eported by a friend of Unman nights.) Qcntleincn and Ladicc This large and Intelligent audience can bear xne witness that our recent defeat In your Legislature has not demoralized us; neither bos it In any way diminished our enthusiasm, nor destroyed one Iota of confidence in our ultimate triumph. Indeed, we are stronger now than before the battle, as the increasing interest in ourcauso exhibited by this large attend ance abundantly testifies. As we have been unable thus far to arouse any opposition In these meetings, and I fear that our opponents are be coming demoralized for the want of a champion to espouse their side of the question, and as I have tlio reputation of being somewhat of a philanthropist because my sympathies are always with the party that gets the worst of the argument, allow me, for the nonce, to as sist our enemies In making out a case. In rummaging among some old news papers, at the house of a lady friend, we to-day found a poem entitled "What are Woman's Rights?" Thl3 poem originally appeared in the Facifie Tri bune, and was suggested, as tho intro duction states, by tho Woman Suflrago Convention held In Olympia two years ago. The author is unknown to me, but the poem reads, in part, as follows: What are woman's rights; you ask me; I would ask, what are her wrongs? Does she seek for a position Which to man alone belongs? Does she (mourning and complaining) Tread this beautiful green earth, Thinking she Is right In claiming Things which ne'er for her had birth? No true woman seeks to bluster All her rights or wrongs about Something meeker, nobler, higher, Marks hor quiet life throughout. She will ne'er neglect the blessing Which wUl give her greatest Joy That for which she hns her being, Watchlngo'er her Infant boy. Ladles, I would not abato ono Jot or tittle of the sentiment contained in this very sentimental Allusion. There Is a great deal more truth than poetry ill it. "Watching o'er her infant boy" is a a very great joy to any true mother; but our friend forgot to add that these boys will grow; that they are not always "in- j fanls;" but after they have been "watched over" till "her being's" mis- i slon is accomplished, what Is the mother to do next? All capablo moth ers have "watched" their "Infantboys" out of pinafores and into trowsers by the time that they (the mothers) each the age that most men attain before they are safely launched into the public arena. But I forget myself. I am mak ing an opposition speech. Here is some thing spleudid: Hers It is to guard each footstep From his boyhood up to man; Training him for Ule's great conflict. Teaching him to" work and plan. Man never uttered a grander, truer, or more noblo sentiment than this. Who but woman has Intellect and intu ition sufficient to train the offspring of her existence "for life's great conflict?" Who but she can rightly "teach him lo work and plan?" Certainly his politi cal life has proved that he is not capable of "training" himself. Here is another idea that woman can not commend too strongly: If more mothers knew their mission, Greater would the Nation be, I.es.iot sin and degradation, More of truth nnd honesty. O, if mothers who live butfor fashion, folly and display, neglecting, as they too often do,the Immortal waifs entrusted to their care by the great Ail Father- mothers who "have all the rights they want" while rum and licentiousness run riot could but realize tho power of this Idea; could they more fully Bppre elate their individual responsibility and inalienable obligations to the common wealth, there would then indeed be "less of sin and degratiou." Not by voting for tha Nation Does she strive to keep It up, But In her household avocations, There she helps to be its prop. Here I aw a little puzzled. Just 7ioti It Is, and whilt is, that woman "hasher being" merely "to watch and guide her iniant boy;" how it is, or tr hy It is that she must "train him for life's great con flict," and "teacli him to work and plan" merely that she may Lavo a ruler to make and enforce laws that she is taxed to sustain, while her "household avoca tions" are added, merely as a "prop" to keep man's ".Nation" up, I cannot clearly comprehend. There must bo logic In it somewhere, but I confess I cannot find It. Maybe this will give me light: God's word tells them, very plainly. To be chaste nnd keep at heme But how often they reject It, Making precept of their own. And we often find It written. That, as Christ Is to the Church The head, so man Is to wouian. If we diligently search. Of course, men implicitly obey the word of uod, as tney interpret it. But as women have no right to make inter pretations for themselves, seeing that they "have their being" merely to "train their Infant boys" to do it, it Is doubtless very presumptive in one of these same mothers to "diligently search" into these things for herself while "teaching her boys to work and plan;" but wicked as it Is, O men and brethren, I have done it, and will give you the result of my investigation: I find that Christ so loved the world that he olfered himself as a sacrifice for In; that lie was crucified lu proof of lil-i great love for humanity, and that It was hix great sacrfllce that made him the head of the Church. If man will go and do likewise he may then claim a prerogative of headehlp; but, until he does, anxious as I am to make a strong opposition speech, I must waive this part of the poet's argument. God did not make man for woman, she was really made for man; And how full of perfect wisdom Was Ihe great Creator's plan. Again, as a mother of men, I havo read the Scriptures, and having found, in connection with the above, that "for this cause ought a woman to have poiver, because of the angels;" but I must get oil of that point lest I weaken the ar gument. As the hard-shell preachersald, "lam not speaking on that branch of the subject;" besides, "that ain't the ;nf. Our poet continues: For without her softening Influence, Man would droop and pine away; Uut she cheers him as he travels On his Journey day by day. Should she be without a husband, Aud she wants some paillme, too, Time Is never to be squandered There Is much that she can do. All around her are the blessings To b scattered, more and more. Till her triumphs are a countless As the sands upon the shore. Friends, a great many good men op pose the enfranchisement of woman becauseof a vagucand indescribable idea that they have conjured up regarding hersacredand refining influence, which they somehow feel must bo restrained continually or it will loose its power. Once the refining and invigorating in fluence of the sun exerted Itself upon one of God's unproductive acres until thero arose ami grew great, "tall, fair ranks of trees." Tho mouths and years rolled themselves into decades, the de cades at last Into centuries, and there they stood, "massy and tall and dark." Tho vigorous branches at their top3 reached out in all directions, overlap ping and interweaving among each other, until the genial sunshine by whose aid these great, grand trees had been nurtured into life and vigor, was shut away from tho earth Into which they had taken root. Then, at their feet, great noxious weeds grew up, and noisome plants, with poisonous exhala tions, crept over the (lark, mouldy soil. Lizards gilded in aud out, aud snakes hissed forth their venomous sounds, aud writhed and raged as is their custom. Bid a stray sunbeam sometimes enter this abode of corruption, causing a tiny blade of grass to dare peep forth, the wise branches of the great trees ex erted themselves afresh, and whispered to each other, "We must not allow tho purlfylngsun's rays toenter here. At our feet Is a filthy pool In which they must not dabble lest they be defiled." And the lizards gilded, aud the snakes writhed, and the noxious weeds and noisome herbs joined In the refrain and sangout "filthy pool." But the noxious vapors that were generated in that damp, fetid air, attracted the wrath of a storm-cloud, who, in passing, scented corruption from afar. And thestorm-cloudsentthe forked lightning whoso artillery shook the heavens, and lo, oue of the grandest of the forest monarchs lay prone aud help less at the feet of his fellows. The storm-cloud passed on and straightway the genial and renovating sunlight shone down upon the "filthy pool.' Great was the indignation of the stand Ing monarchs. Exerting themselves with might and main they strove to re unite their broken phalanx, but too late; thesunlight had entered. And in spite of leafy hedges, noxious weeds and noisome herbs, not heeding gliding liz ards or writhing serpents, and minding not tho croaking of the self-conceited frog3 who grumbled that their "filthy pool" should be disturbed, and though, according to our poet, it "did not to her belomr." the sunlight persistently pur sued her well-known way of duty. And lo, and behold! Beautiful flowers sprang up as If by magic where slimy weeds had grown. Fruit-bearing shrubs shot forth their well-laden branches, aud trees, whose leaves waved for tho healing of nations, budded into life and beauty. The "filthy pool" be came a clearand rippling stream where golden fishes flashed, and bright-plumed birds made heavenly melody. And what of the trees? Taller and grauder yet they grew; more glorious aud strong and vigorous and beautiful because of the blessed Influence of all pervading sunlight. But look, again: Yonder, a little apart from the rest, in tho majesty of his self-conscious pride, stands a grand, great oak. Stately and tall and beautiful lie grows, spreading his branches far and wide. But even while we gaze a change comes over him. A "clinging vine," heavy, luxuriant, de pendent, merciless, has fastened iUelf, by his owu permission, around his mas sive form. It creeps over him and colls around him, gently, slowly, but insidi ously. Look now, and you will see that the very life of tho oak Is being sapped. Ho Is already dead at the top. The "clluging vine" which he so dearly loves to shelter and protect becomes a sordid vampire. It la needless to con- J tlnue tho picture. The "clluging vine" brings death lo the itah, gentlemen. Can you point the moral ? But excuse jtie, I am making au oppo sition speech. To return to our poet: Ragged, homeless, friendless children. Whom the ways of slntleliule, Could be won, by love and kindness, To the paths ot rectitude. When the orphan needs some clothing, She a Dorcas, too, might be, And the widow she could succor In herdepth ot poverty. Co.1 has promised to befriend them, But He needs the means whereby To convey His promised blessing, Aud their many wants supply. It may be her lot is scanty. And she seeks some frhndly aid ; irtho rich would help the needy, Great Improvement could be made. Again I am constrained to aflirm aud applaud. To be a "Dorcas" is splendid. Lackidaisical young men arc in their glory in "Dorcas" meetings. They are here enabled to cat a half dollar's worth of ulco confectionery for a quarter, or ten cents. They here have splendid opportunity to exhibit their lily-white hands and display magnificent voices. By all means, let's have "Dorcas" soci eties, and lots of them. Then the rescuing of "ragged, home less, friendless children" is work which is indeed necessary. But, for tiie sake of my argument,I regret that the poet did not state that a far grander work would be accomplished by bringingabout such a condition of society as should elevate humanity above the possibility of be ing "ragged" or "homeless" or "friend less." If I were speaking on the other side I should say that if women could help make the laws and manage the world, they'd soon get something better to do than patching up the blunders made by man in his futile attempts to beashelteritigoak. It is a crying shame to our civilization that there arc "rag ged, homeless, fricudlcsschildrcn" Itis a libel upon our boasted enlightenment that we have need of penitentiaries and jails and alms-houses aud asylums for tho insane. But again I forget that I am making an opposition speech. I believe, if mothers' daughters Lived more wise and virtuously, There would le more wive; then woman In her pioper sphere would be. God has formed the oak, o sturdy. To withstand the wintry storm. And it brave-t it bold and nobly In its most Impetuous form. But more beautiful the lily. Full of modesty's perfume. Choosing the sequestered valley. There lu humility to bloom. So the womau shines more lovely In the home of )ovc and truth. Screened rrom all life's outward stuiRglN By the husband of her youth. You know, gentlemen, that mother' tons always live "wise and virtuously," consequently they are always "hus bands" andareHcrcroutof icir "proper sphere." Glancing back through the stanzas last read I find they arc a little mixed, but you can't always expect a poet to be sensible in everything he writes; so you will please overlook the fact that all women don't get husbands; that all hu9bands are not "sturdy oaks," and that many of them nre very slender saplings. Like the hard-shell preacher, "I am not speaking on that branch of the subject." Here is something that just suits nie: Christ knew well the strength of woman. When, upon the expiring tree, He exclaimed, from this same moment John thy guardian son shall lie. Cried he not, In tones most tender. Take my mother to thy home. Cheer her heart, and make her happy. Till I bid her to me come? Tims It Is a woman's duty To make home her special care, As It loses its enchantment If her presence Is not there. Isaid that this justsulted me; butsomo how the closing stanza knocks the pith all out of my opposition argument. The fact i, a home without a man in it "loses its enchantment" just as quick as it would without a womau in it, O, how many wives are there to-night looking with ghastly faces out into tho darkness, wondering where their truaut husbandsare! And O, how many of these husbands spend their nights, till the wee, small hours of the morning, in gam bling and drunkeunessjlcaving the home and heartlt9tono desolate! How many mothers gaze anxiously out Into the night, from homes which are aught but homelike, reaching out the bleeding tendrils of anguish-torn hearts, calling vainly for the return of the one "infant boy" who never went astray whilo un der her guidance and "teaching," but who now Is beyond tho pale of "things which ne'er for her had birth;" conse quently he enters dens whose steps take hold on hell, and goes straight to ruin. Forgive me if again I quote: If more mothers knew their mlsion Greater would tho Nation be; Less of sin and degradation. More of truth and honesty. I am afraid I am not making a good point for the opposition here, but the business Is new to me. I am doing the beat I cau. Her to meet the loved one, smiling, When his dally tolls are o'er. Greeting him with fond embraces As he enters at the door. I guess our poet is "sparking" sotuo Olympia girl. His poetry is a little moonshluy just here, and men iusplred by tho tender sentiment are apt to be a little flighty. But his idea is beautiful and will work both ways. If the poet's "girl" is present, let me say to her so riousiy, that she might go farther aud fare worse. The man's heart is right; le only sees through a glass, darkly. When his vision gets a little clearer he will realize that man lias some "smil ing" duties to perform in home and marriage, as wen as womau. Here Is another stanza of like im port, every word of which I heartily en dorse: Hers to share In every sorrow. Making nil his burdens light, Till the dawn of each new morrow Shines upon his path more brl:ht. This is an idea that will work both ways, too. But I am detaining you too long. When this part of my subject is finished, have an hour's talk before me upon 'Sufiragc, aud how to obtain it," and I must be careful not to tire you out upon this occasion, for sometime I shall want ou to hear me again. Our poet-friend's closing stanza is uch a telling refutation of the nonsense given before, in which lie would cir cumscribe woman's power and influ ence by denying her the ballot (which he forgets is not ills lo withhold), thatl shall qnote it without comment and pass to the consideration of the second part of my discourse: Hers to be his bright star, guiding Up to heaven's cloudless height", Where no shadowy mists are hiding; That's what's meant by Woman's Ulght.s! Woman's Inhumanity to Woman. Women must be coming into bad odor. They aro being crowded out of hotels and boardlnir-liouses. JyoK into any daily paper at the advertisements for boarders and observe that nearly all of them either specify that no children are wanted, or that only single gentle men aro received. What is the cause of this tendency to cive woman aceueral cold shoulder'' It must be the fault oi women tiiemseives I'erhans they are ant to be disagree able on slicht occasions. They have that reputation. Small jealousies and gibble-gabble are as thick in a house full of women as flies in summer. Aud, oh! how they do bite and annov sometimes. It Is a harrowing sight to tho general ity of women to witness tlte dally changes of a better dressed womau than themselves. And if slio ho cnmlior. insomuch as tho smallest crimn on her forehead is concerned, heaven save the pieces of A Memorial, in behalf of Woman her. Mincemeat is nothing beside the Suffrage, was presented to tho Massn chopping and pulverizing of her reputa- chusetts Legislature, signed by Lydia tion in the hands of her etiniged assail-i Maria Child, Elizabeth Stuart I'helps, ants. The fact Is, any woman who Louisa M. Alcott, Ahby W. May and dares to be good-looking must consider ' many others: al?o a Memorial headed herself arrayed nualnst by a taroaroiiii phalanx of uddle-Iieadetl women who lave nothing else to do than to culti - vate envy and jealousy, until they con- sumo nearly every good impulse of their natures. In truth, homely or Handsome, 1 week's time was devoted to its dts women make u point of treating each 1 cussion, and at each .session the trailer- other with less consideration than sav- ages bestow. o (iturter front one woman to an- other. If it is u man, that quite alters the matter. In tho twinkling of an eye the face changes from vinegar to honey, IHomannerdescendiiroiu sun stucK-up- plshuess to polite civility, if not a win- ultiir friendliness. Oh my! cannot women be sweet to men! Hut wliy win tney be so mean to their own sex ? A sweeping hatred is spreading among all classes of women for their own sex. They shun and avoid each other as something that will sting if in close contacu All kinds of meannesses, small and great, aro employed to torture women by tltosc wlio, being ot tiie weaker sex themselves, aud in turn subjected to like cruelty, should remember that it hurts, grieves, wounds, aud oiten makes lire a burden. It is not that peoplo are so much afraid of being Imposed upon by disrep utable women that they reruse to receive lady boarders, but because they make so mucii trouble in me House. They either gossip and tattle until they have everybody mad with every body, or they vent a kind of trumped-up constitutional spite, by finding fault with their food and attendance. Men take- minus easier. If they are vexed with each other, they keep cool until a proper occasion, and do not hash and rehash at tho tabic and be tween meals, with nothing else to bur den their thoughts or chatter. If women would only cultivate a lew of the virtues toward their sex, many a sensitive woman, to whom life Is now made wretched by senseless mrusis, 'cuts." aud malicious meddling, would feel herself blessed. A rest from the incivility of women to each other would greatly enhance op portunities for good to themselves aud others. Elm Orlou. What an Old Max has Notic ed. I have noticed that all men are honest when thev are watched. I have noticed that silks, broadcloths and jewels are often bought with other people's mouey. I have noticed that whatever is right is right.withafewexceptions the left eye, tho left leg, anu ine icitsiueoi a pium pudding. T have noticed that the prayer of the selfish man is, "Forgive us our debts." He makes everybody who owes Hitn pay to the utmost farthing. I havo noticed that he who thinks every man a rogue is very certain to see ono when he shaves himself, and ho ought, in mercy to his neighbor, to sur render the rascal to justice. I have noticed that money is the fool's wisdom, the knave's reputation, the poor man's desire, the covetous man's ambition, and the idol of all. I have noticed that all men speak well of all men's virtues when they are dead, and that tombstones are marked with the epitaphs of the good and virtuous. Is there any particular cemetery where the bad men are buried ? The Rcedaburg Free Prcts employs women exclusively. It nays, "We have a calico 'foreman,' two dimity 'compos itors' and the sweetest little 'devil' in pink muslin to be found anywhere." An editor once wrote: "We have re eel ved a basket of strawberries from Mr. Smith for which he will receiveourcotn pllments, some of which are four inches in clrcumfereuce." Report of the Executive Committee of the American W. S. Association. The American Woman Suffrage Asso ciation is a representative body, com posed of auxiliary State associations. The main work, therefore, devolvesupon these State .ocieiies, ami win Do re ported in detail by them this morning. The principal work of this Association is to create auxiliary societies, to stimu late them to activity, to watch for op nortuuitiesto forward ourcauseinevery State and Territory in the Vnion, and to prevent all hostile legislation, bom by tiie states or by congress. Iain hanny to report that during the last year we have formed two new aux iliary State societies, ono in Maine and oue in New York. Iu accordance with a vote adopted at our last annual meet ing, wo have co-operated with auxiliary State societies iu presentiug Memorials to the Legislatures of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Jthode Island, ew ork, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania. Vircinia. South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, In diana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Kan sas, California, Oregon and Nevada. in this work Mrs. Tracy Cutler and Mrs. Margaret V. Longley gave most ellective and valuable service. We have also corresponded with members of Cougress, and worked actively to tlefeat the effort to merge Wyoming in Colo- ratio, anil to abolish Woman Sutlrage in Utah. The Judiciary Committee nrenared and carried through the United suites Senate a bill to suppress polygamy in l tan, which also pronibited women from voting, and established the Kng- iisn common ijiw concerning wives in the form "in which it existed at tho I time of tho Declaration of ludepcnd- j ence." '1 lie common law, as construed at that date, gave to every husband the custody ot Hid wile's person," tho right to "give her moderate correction," the right to keep her by constraint, the right to all her money. It took from the wife everything, rights of person, rights of property, blotted out her legal existence, and left her with the one right to be maintained a right which Is accorded to idiots and town ptiuwrs. For this enormity Senator Freling huysen, of New Jersey, is especially responsible. Under the covert expres sion, "The common law as it existed at the time of the adoption of the Declara tion ot independence," lie strucK a das tardly blow at every right of the mar ried women of that Territory. Tiie bill passed the Senate, but was defeated in tho House by the active opposition of Mr. Sargant of California ( now Senator from that Suite) ami by other repre- sentatives, so the women of l tali still , vote. , by John M. l-orues, ingvrsou iiowditch, i Dr. Samuel G. Howe, Gov. Clatlin, l Win. Lloyd Garrison, and a long list of i worthy names. Botlt were referred toa I joint special committee. Nearly a ies, aisles, and all available standing 1 space in the House of Representatives were literally crowded witu men and , women, eager listeners to the debate. i The voto was taken on the s.ttue day, and immediately after the vote for the cniteu states senator, and was lost, 77 Republicans voting for aud 121 against it: 17 Democrats voting at-aiust and for it. 'litis action was taken in spite of the square anil complete endorsement of Woman Sutlrage in the platform of the Republican party. Since it thus appears that men will allow themselves to accept nominations to the '.legislature, while they feel no moral or honorable obligation to sup port the platform on which they were elected, the Massachusetts Woman Suf frage Society have voted to form Wom an Su II rage Political Clubs, united by the following pledge: "We, the undersigned, men and wom en, citizeus of Massachusetts, of all po litical parties, believing that Woman Suffrage is a vital political issue, do hereby organize ourselves Into a Wom an Sutlrage Political Club, for the pur poso of forwarding the Movement, morally and politically by the sys tematic circulation of tracts and news papers, by holding public meetings, and especially by helping to elect the friends of suflrage to tho Legislature aud to de feat its opponents." Two such clubs are already formed, one In Dorchester and one In Lawrence. Thus is begun the seed sowing fora new- party, by those who kuow that God works with those who work for princi ple, and that every law of the universe is on the side of those who side with justice. The Massachusetts sooicty has circu lated a large number of tracts the past year, and udded to its former list three new tracts by Geo. F. Hoar, T. W. Hig giuson and Mary F. Eastman. It is now arranging for a series of Conven tions to be held in most of tho lanre ; towns and cities of the State, with a j special view to forming Woman Suf- froge Political Clubs. The growth of public sentiment in favor of the interests of woman is steady, every day growing wider iu its scope. The higher education of woman was very ably discussed at the Social Science meeting in Boston, and the subject was more widely noticed and considered by the newspaper prcssof the country than ever before. Perhaps the most noticea ble fact on this point is the establish ment of tho Boston University on the basis of equal opportunities for men and women In all its departments. Four ladies, who passed excellent examina tions, aro already members of the Clas sical course. Every College or Uni versity, which has admitted women, re ports good results, and in no instance whero they have ever been admitted havo women afterward been- excluded. A Convention ot woman ministers was held in Boston last May, with very satisfactory results. Twenty ladles were present who had been regularly ordained, most of them aro settled in barge of congregations and are labor ing witu much acceptance as ministers. A Woman's Peace Meeting was also held, about the same time, giving the voice and influence of womau for peace. Both these meetings were under the special care of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. Several ladies are in successful prac tice of tho law. Mrs. Hapgood Nash is the law partner of iter husbaud iu Maine; Phebe Couzzins in St. Louis; Miss Hewlett inlllluois, and Mrs. Lock- wood in Washington, are each admitted to the bar as regular practitioners. Four wom.-n In MIchlgau University are in the h w department. Dental col leges in Puiladelphia, Baltimore and Cincinnati admit women. Women physicians are more numer ous every year, and are as successful a men. Indeed, woman's place in the medical profession is so well established that efforts are being made to give her access to greater advantages for study, as a matter of necessity. Training schools for nurses have been established in Boston and New York. In New Jersey women have been made eligible to the office of school trustees, and several have been elected, while in Massachusetts a large number have been elected members of the school committees. Tho Legislature of New Hampshire voted that the women of that State were notcowpctctit t ovote ou school committees. One is not sur prised at this, when we know that tho samo Legislature passed the law givltic any married man, whose wife hns been insane twelve monius, a rignt to sen iier real estate. The insane married woman, in New Hampshire, whose reason is re stored after thirteen months, returns to find her property confiscated and with no power to get it back. Is it strange that a both of men who could pass such a law should think that women were not competent to serve on school com mittees '.' Quite a number of women have been elected Comity Superintendents of pub lic instruction in Illinois and Kansas. The law making women eligible to this and other oflices connected with public instruction iu Illinnis, was enacted at the instance of Hon. J. 15. Bradwell. The Supreme Court of Illinois has de cided that a wife may contract, sue and be sued, may earn, own and enjoy prop erty on an equality with her husband. The Common Council of St. Louis re jected the petition of ono thousand women or mat city, asKing lor me re peal of an odious city ordinance by which houses of prostiUitiouare licensed, and women legally subjected to the grossest Indignity. But the Rev. Geo. Eliot brought suit in the courts, and ob tained a decision declaring tho ordi nance unconstitutional. It is under stood that those who desire to continue the license of this sin will appeal to the supreme court. The ciicult court ot me state oi .New York decided, in the case of Miss An thony and other women, who claimed their right to vote under the Fourteenth aud Fifteenth Amendments, that their votes were illegal, and a line was im posed on Miss Anthony. Thus the law holds that to be a crime, witen done by . a woman, which is pratsoworiny nnu , right when done by a man Scribner's Ifonthlii, the Churchman, and other conservative publications have lately attempted to revive the fad ing idea of the ownership of wives by their husbands. But the great Metho dist Church has stricken out tho word "obey" from Its marriage service, and all the Protestant sects, except the Episcopal, are fast following the exam ple. And in many of our SUites, the past year has witnessed important mod ifications of the property laws for wives, all in the direction of equality in the marriage relation. Nowhere has there been any reverse legislation. The High Courts of llindoostan have affirmed the right of a widow to the independent use of property inherited from her deceased husbaud. Everywhere, spite of Dr. Holland and the Chureliman, the ten dency is to equality of rights between husband aud wife, and between men aud women in all the relations of life. Lucy Stone, Chairman Exceptive Committee. "All the EightsShe "Wanted." BY JAXK INGLEWOOn. Mrs. Huston did not believe in Woman's Rights. Siie could not see what rights, they needed that were not already in their posession. It seemed to her so utterly absurd to sweep the horizon witli a telescope in search of "rights" when under their eyes lay duties and obligations undischarged. She and her husbaud labored together year in and year out; she had gone hand-in-hand with him, never stop ping even to ask for a right not already her own. For years they had borne poverty together; then, at last, brighter days began to tiawn feebly, at first, 'tis true, but in time the sun of prosper ity rose high in the zeuitli, and they were classed among the wealthy of the land. Mr. Huston had always been tho kindest and most Indulgent of husbands, aud in their prospermia days every com fort that wealth could lavisii upon Her was hers. Like many another, sho judged all women by herself, and was content. V ny snouiti sue not oe, wnen she had every prospect of an abundance ot the good tilings ot this life as long as she lived? But there came a time when she was sorely tried when even she saw how much she needed more rights than she had. Death entered her abode of happiness, and bore away her companion; and when, after the last fond look had been given to all that remained of the one dearer than life to her; when the casket containing his lifeless form was lowered into tiie cold and silent abode of tho dead; when the hollow sound of theclod.s as they filled the new-made grave had ceased to vibrate on her ears, replaced by the comforting ones of the Savior "I am the resurrection and the life;" when with tears and sobs she returned to her desolate home, she found what she never dreamed of that by the State laws in which sho lived, her husband having neglected to make his will, and being childless, she was left with only a mere pittance a sum simply sufficient to support her by the exercise of rigid economy. She, his trusting, Taitiiful wife sho who had performed her part cheerfully and patiently through so many longyearsof toil and self-denial left comparitlvely a beggar; for the law gave her only the income of one-third of the estate, and the remainder went to , his nearest relatives and she was obliged to submit with the best grace possible. Had she died instead of the husband, ine estate would nave remained un touched, aud he would have enjoyed tho Income from the whole. Men with tho very best intentions are often careless and neglectful a will is suggestive of death, and they arc apt to defer it until the last moment, and the last moment Is sometimes too lute; so it is very important that our laws should be just, so that a woman's right shall not be dependent merely on the lifo of or the good nature and liberality of her husbaud.