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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1874)
MRS. A. J. DPSIWAT, Editor and Proprietor Ol'FICE Cor. Front and Stark Streets. TERMS, IN ADVANCE: A Jonmal'fbr the reople. -Devotcd to tho Interests of Humanity. Independent in Politics and Religion. Alive to all Uvo Issues, and Thoroughly Radical In Opposing and Exposing the Wron; ol the Masses. One year- Six mOMtlic .$3 00 1 TS - I 00 Three months! Correspondents writing over assumed signa tures must make known their names to the ADVERTISEJIENTSInsertedon Reasonable VOLTOUE III. POXtTI-AJNT), OKEGON, FRIDAY, SIVXtCH C, 187-1, Editor, or no attention will be given to their communications. " - ' FnKE Speech, Fisek Press, Fkre Vronx. JUDITH MILES; Wlint Shnll be Done with Her? rt jtn5. r. r. vicrron. Entered, according to the Aet of Congress, In the year ICS, by Mrs. P. P. Vieler. In the (meof Ihe IJbrnrUnof Congrcs,at Washing- ion OHyJ CHAPTER XIV. ONE OF I.IFIfS CHANCES ACAIN. Another month went by at Fort Kel logg without particular incident. Judith was now entirely recovered, taking part in Mrs. Stewart's cares and pleasures like a sistor. Every evening her horse, Coaly, whom the Major had presented to her, with saddle and bridle, carried her around the parade-ground in fine style, himself aud his mistress the ad mired of all beholders. It had, in fact, become quite the fashion of this small community to laud and applaud "the fair Judith," from the Colonel down to men in the barracks; and "the fair Ju dith" kuew just enough of her popular ity to enjoy it, feeliug at ease, as among friends of long standing. The Doctor and his wife remained tho kindest and most judicious of friends; Mrs. Kellogg maintained a distant po liteness; the Major aud all the other of ficers were friendly and gallant. AH this was exceedingly agreeable, and might have turned a young head under ordinary circumstances. The leaning toward the Major, which Judith had felt from the evening of their first ride to gether, remained, though it was seldom he exhibited himself in so companion able a character as on that occasion. His familiar moods were rare; yet ho made her feel that whether absent or si lent he was not unmindful of her. Having "takon Mrs. Stewart into their confidence," as he had said to Ju dith she might do, that lady highly ap proved of the league. Indeed, in her se cret heart she was beginning to look on the Major as that Providence who was to assume the care of Judith in Ills own proper person, and sometime, most likely to make her Mrs. Providence; for Mrs. Stewart was, like all women of her stamp, a match-maker, with no opinion at all of old maids, or any other class of "lone women." That so lovely a person as Judith should ever figure in the role of an "unprotected female," was impos sible to her imagination; hence the easy inference respecting these two, to her view, well-assorted people. But of this, with true match-making instinct, she said nothing to the parties most inter ested. "Opportunity is all that is needed to I bring about that marriage," she whis pered to the Doctor, when Judith and the Major walked or rode together, and the Doctor, having no personal objec tions to the arrangementpacquiesced. "If the Major would only make his intentions known, we might keep her here until it came off," she remarked at another time; and so on. But the Ma jor never seemed to be looking for op portunities, and it was In vain they were offered him. Neither did he speak of his Intentions, though Mrs. Stewart would have been tho most sympathizing of confidants; and thus another month was lost. In the meantime trouble was brewing in an unexpected quarter. Colonel Kel logg, whose habits were more notori ously bad every month, and who was recognized only on accouutof his official position, plaoed himself on tho list of Judith's admirers. Hi3 half-drunken affectations of gallantry would have been amusing if they had not been dis gusting. Hardly a day passed that he did not present himself at Mrs. Stew art's to make his maudlin compliments to the ladies meaning Judith. Judith, half frightened and half amused, received them in silence, while upon Mrs. Stewart fell the burden of conducting these interviews with pro priety. Sincerely longing to turn him out of doors, she was restrained by the recollection of his rank, and somewhat, also, out of consideration for Mrs. Kel logg. Affairs were brought to a crisis sooner than anticipated. One afternoon Judith was awakened from her siesta by some one pinching her toes, a la Napoleon I. aud Madam JunoL Her first thought before opening her eyes was that it was Josic; but upon being aroused, and find ing that the Colonel stood by her cot, her impulse was to scream vigorously with more unction than forethought. The result was a grand tableau. Ju dlth, the Colonel, Mrs. Stewart, Josie and Todd grouped together in and about the door of Judith's room, the ladies In sincle robes of white, in attitudes of shrinking horror, tho Colonel, rubicund and smiling, addressing felicitous ex pressions of admiration to one of them and waving off the other with deprecat- mg gestures, 'load and Josie, mere spec tators, gazed upon the scene. This proved the straw that broke the camel's back. Todd was ordered to put the "drunken wretch" out of the house without-ceremony, aud did so prompt ly, wituout regard to military rule9 and regulations, aud in an hour the scandal was known all over the garrison; aud this, as it proved, was very unfortunate. Had Judith not screamed, or had not Mrs. Stewart suddfnly awakened from sleep been so discomposed by the dis covery of tho Colonel where he had no business to be, the matter might hav been hushed up; as it was the "cat was out of the bag," and the mischief was beyond recall. There can bo uothlng more trying than a garrison squabble; and it soon became evident that Mrs. Stewart had one on her hands of considerable mag nitude. The next morning, tho Colo nel being a little less drunk than on the previous afternoon, had Todd arrested for breach of discipline. A stout de nial of the charge the ladies preferred against the Colonel, as justification of the act, was accepted by Mrs. Kellogg as far so true, that Judith was made re sponsible for the Colonel's "aberra tion" of propriety, and Mrs. Stewart censured for defending her. Mrs. Stew art had an Interview with Mrs. Kel logg to explain, and was told that Ju dith was an "artful, low-bred creature, and a dangerous person to have in her house a girl about whose antecedents nothing Is known." Mrs. Stewart was at her wits' end. Judith, like Cromwell, had come to the "end of all her greatness;" and "with her blushing honors thick upon her" was suddenly become a pariah. In all con tests of this nature, the weaker party must go tho wall. Much as Mrs. Stew art disliked seeming to side against Ju dith, whom she believed in with all her heart, it would not do to have a stand ing quarrel with tho commanding of ficer, and she determined to make an end as quickly as possible. How quickly that might be, depended on contingencies. Not to be too hard upon the innocent victim of circumstances, she took the first opportunity of speak ing to Major Floyd in her interest, and of course, hoping to draw him out on the subject of his intentions. "I am in tho depths afillctlon," she said to that gentleman a day or two af ter the catastrophe. Ho had called to see Judith, who, poor girl, happened, for tunately for Mrs. Stewart's little fiction, to be enjoying a good cry- 'There is Miss Miles crying overher and my joint miserabloncss about this affair of the Colonel. Did you ever hear of anything so outrageous, inyour life?" Very seldom, I confess. But why does Miss Miles cry, and why are you jointly miserable !" "Why? Do you know that Mrs. Kellogg prefers to misjudge our dear girl, rather than admit her precious husband to be in tho wrong? Did not she tell me to my face that Miss Miles was an 'artful, low-bred creature, with out antecedents ?' "and llttlo Mrs. Stewart fairly expanded with justifiable indignation. "I hav'ut any doubt of it," returned the Major seriously. "Mrs. Kellogg, like many other ladies I have met, pre fers averything to owing she was egre giously mistaken in the man she mar ried. I never could ouite make out whether there is most of selfishness or devotion in this loyalty of wo,man. It does not seem to me I should practice it If I were a woman." "Oh, yes, you would," said Mrs Stew art laughing, and for the moment fairly diverted from her subject. "If you had a wife who disappointed you, would you uot bide her faults from the world as long as possible ?" If I had a wife! Well, probably I might attempt disguise of my real sen timents m certain cases. But if she went about intoxicated, and blundered into genllemens rooms? bah 1" "It is very unlucky for Miss Miles. She couldu't stay here, you see, after this aflair." "I'll candidly own I do not seo it. Is en freaks ?" "You must undersland, Major, that it would neither be agreeable to Miss Miles nor myself to be openly at vari- Besides what ever else he is, he has the command here, and we arcbound to get along with him. "What does Miss Miles propose to do, or where go ?" asked the Major, looking slightly disgusted. "She has not proposed anything yet, poor child! I suppose that is what she is crying about to-day. She knows that some change must be made, and she does not know how to mako it. Never theless, it has got to come." Major Floyd was evidently nrcnlnxed He stood up, and walked about, pulling at his beard. "Now," thought Mrs, oiewan, -ne win nave to speak." But speak ue did not; lie only kept on pull- iu afc uis uearu ior several mimitno withoutheeding the occasional remarks of his hostess, "I have new orders," he said at last, stopping anu looiung at ner absently "Orders! Whereto?" "To San Francisco." "When do you start, and how ?" "I start day after to-morrow; by stage, but with an escort." "Was anythingevermore fortunate?" "More fortunato than what? that am going away ?" "Not that, exactly; but that since vou must eo. Miss Miles can go with you," cried Mrs. Stewart, clapping h hands. "Do you mean that?" asked the Ma jor, regarnlng the lady with a steady glance. "Do you mean that you wish me to assume tho charge of this young girl ?" "I should not suppose it to be what you would dislike, or try to evade, Ma- jor," answered Mb. Stewart, with a pe culiar smile. Do not be deceived about me, Mad am; I am not a marrying man," re turned he as meaningly. "What does it signify ?" cried the lady rather sharply, smarting under a sense of defeat. "I ask you to give your pro tection, as a gentlemau, to this young girl, on a long and difficult journey. I expect no more. "When she arrives at San Francisco you will have done with her. Do you refuse ?" "What is to be done with her at the end of this journey ? Do not I know that a young girl cannot bo left to her self In a strange city? Has she money? has she friends ?' asked the Major, as if protesting against the whole arrange ment. "What shall be done with her?" ex claimed Mrs. Stewart, more than Jialf oflended by this crowd of interroga tives. "God knows! If you send her with me I will do all that a gentleman can for her comfort aud security. Beyond that I promise you nothing." "Well, that Is all I expected, cer tainly. I cannot ask you to marry her," she added, laughing with restored good humor, "since you are not a 'mar rying man,' and I'm not certain she would have you. Nor I cannot ask you to adopt her; since you would hardly pass for her papa. So if you will prom ise to take care of her on her journey, I am satisfied." "I am to suppose then, that Miss Miles will be ready for traveling by the day after to-morrow? Who is to dry those tears she la shedding now? You? Wcll7 then, I'm oft to conclude my prep arations for removal;" aud with a bow the Major took his leave. There was no time to bo lost before informing Judith of this arrangement. But the Doctor's wife the "dearest lit tle woman in the world" felt just the least bit reluctant to aunouce the com pleted programme to her unsuspecting friend. "My dear Judith," she said, coming Into her room to find her friend remov ing tho traces of weeping; "how should you like to return to California ?" "To California?" cried Judith amazed. "Why do you ask me If I should like that? Why should you wish to know? I do not know how I could go, If I wished." . "But you can go, dear, if you would like to. An opportunity has just of fered itself;" and-Mrs. Stewart passed a caressing arm around Ihe young lithe form. A picture of that weary road, so lately toiled over, occurred to Judith; aud she replied slowly, as if balancing the sub- cct in her mind: "I don't kuow why I should wish to go back to that country. have no relations there. You aro the best friends I ever had." Dear Judith," began Mrs. Stewart, feeling self-reproached, and betraying it by the tones of her voice. "Oh, I seo it all !" cried Judith. "You wish mo to go. I have brought you into trouble. Nothing but trouble can come where I am !" "Let us sit down aud talk this matter over," returned the elder lady geully You have just called me your best friend. I am your friend, I hope; but tho time will come may come at any momeut when I can no longer be of service to you. The Doctor, you kuow, dear, Is subject to order, aud may be sent to any other station, In any part of the couutry, at any time. So I could not give you a home here, and I could not take you with me. You would be left alone; and you could not remain here, cither alone or otherwise after what has happened." it was out at last tno real reason; and Mrs. Stewart felt relieved. Judith was prepared for it, too, as her answer showed, though not reconciled. "No," sko said, "I could not ! But how am I to get through this terrlblo world aloue ? I am only seventeen and a half, and yet I have suffered so much! lam ignorautof everything, even of how to sew or cook well. I could not teach the youngest scholars properly. Once, when I first thought of It, I believed I could; but now I kuow better. And I have no money nothing. If I could only die, there would be au end." The piteous, trembling tones said more even than the words. This was one of her old-time moods, whensho despaired of everything, and truly tho circumstances warranted it uow.Ifcver. Mrs.Stcwartwasherselflm- pressed with tho bitter truth that forced this cry from the lonely youngcrcature. "A general suttee of all homeless and portionless women would, I believe, be a good thing;" was what she thought first. Then "I do not seo what the child tcill do, but the law of self-nreservatlon is the first law of life, aud I canuot have the Doctor forced Into quarrels on her account." "Well, dear," she spoke aloud, at last, "I hope you believe I am very fond of you, and take a deep iutercst iu your af fairs. Nothing would make me hap pier than to keep you for my own my pet sister but. fortune Is against us, and it cannot be." And she kissed her. "But you have not inquired about your escort. Nothing could be nicer. It is Major Floyd!" "Ob, Is it he ? Where is he going? And where am going ? Since I am Jo go away, I suppose I am going sotne where." "Yes, dear, I "am going to give you letters of Introduction to friends of mine in San Francisco, who will, I hope, sup ply my placo to you. There Is money enough in your purso to take you there, and a little more. After you are there, these friends mutt put you in the way of finding tho fortune you are going to seek. What a pretty adven ture it Is !" added the lady laughing. Judith smiled, rather mlstliy to be sure, at this gentle raillery, but the way In which Mrs. Stewart put it was not disagreeable to her. If she had her way to make in the world, sho wished to un dertake it iu a business-like manner. Yes, if those friends of Mrs. Stewart's would but put her in the way of doing something, life might become tolerablo after all. She had once thought of " strikiug out " as sho had told Boone, and now perhaps her time to do it had come. There was a grain of com fort in that. "Tell me ono thing," she said, after musing a while on her prospects. "Do you find anything in ray manners to excuso such familiarities as as the Colonel's?" and she blushed as she asked the question. "No, my dear, I do not. I think your manners arc excellent. You have only to retain them to be charming. But I sometimes wonder if you kuow how beautiful you are." "Am I beautiful?" asked Judith, with a graceful half-consciousness. "A friend of mine told me so, but I thought little about it then. I was in great trouble at the time. But you speak as if being beautiful could be a reason why I might meet witli rude ness. Do you mean it ?" "It miglit occasion the eyes of the vulgar to follow you In that sense, yes." "I might disfigure myself, like that poor Princess I read about the other day might I not?" "What an Idea ! No, indeed ! Beauty is a very good thing, though Its posses sion, liko that of money or talent, makes one conspicuous, aud somotimcs gets one into trouble. All you have to do, my darling, is to remain just what you are, and keep up good courage. Your sorrows began early lot us hopo and believe that they are nearly over. I prophesy you a long and happy life. To' to make sure of it by being bravo and cheerful." Tlio Doctor's wife having decided Ju dith's destiny, there was nothing lett for her but to accept it. She thanked her friend for her counsel and comfort, before bethinking herself to nsk when sho was to leave Fort Kellogg. "So soon !" she cried when told she must leave the day after to-morrow, "Only one day to to get accustomed to the idea of this change !" "So much the better, my dear. If we had more lime, we should be sitting down to cry over ono another. Now, wo have no timo for tears. I must go this minute, and scud Josie to help you pick up your things. We must conjure up a traveling dress for you to-morrow, and something for you to wear on your arrival in San Francisco, for these thin dresses will not do you any servico in that climate. Be a good child !" With which parting admonition Mrs. Stewart left her. However admonished, Judith felt it Impossible to bo a good child, in Mrs Stewart's sense of the word, until naturo had first had its way. Reason and phi losophy arc very useful possessions, if one chances to have acquired them, but they arc not an iustautancous gift, es pecially not, to thcyoung. Judith's lit He knowledge of life had not strength ened her blind faith, aud belief in u Ha mate good. Her reflections during the half-hour after Mrs. Stewart left her might have been summed up thus: "I cannot undertake this thing; must, uudcrtaKc H. .Mrs. btcwart is cruel to send mc away; Mrs. Stewart is just to herself and me, I suppose. Peo ple talk about love and friendship; thought they meant something but it seems they do not. My father Judith bad learned to say rather loved my mother, but he was selfishly cruel to her, and to Boone and mc I thought Mr. Shultz would have saved mc from this that has come upon me, but ho left me to-suffcr it all. I am punished by my friends for no fault of mine. If these people treat mo in this way, is it to bo expected that others will be more kind? No, the hard fact is patent that people love us only while it is convenient for them. Still, I have so silly a disposition that I must love somebody and better than they love me. My heart must break while theirs remain whole. wish I could make it stone but I can not I cannot ! "Why do I never have anything to say about my own destiny? Do all women, I wonder, have to bo buf feted about in this way? Shall I al ways keep ou In this way doing what people make me, aud taking the con sequences ? Yet what would I choose, If I could? Oh, it Is all a cruel mys lery, which I must solve. I am glad Katie is dead ! dear, darling, little sis ter, Katie ! It is so much nicer being dead, and out of one's trouble. But it might have happened that I had died, anu ivatio bad lived ! She could never have gotten through this world aloue, poor darling, so it Is better as it is. will try to bo courageous. I will learn to do something. What shall Itbe Do not despond over our heroine for morbid sentimentalist. She was only seventeen, and fortune had been hard with her. Older ucans nave iaiied oi being stronger, failed of being even strong enough to say I will learn to do something, not knowing that iu action is the sovereign remedy for care. To bo continued.) ADDRESS OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE T7. S. ASSOCIATION. To the President, Officers and Mem bers of ihe Oregon iroman Suffrage As sociation, in Annual Meeting assem bled: The undersigned, officers of the Board of Control of the California Woman Suffrage Association, in ac knowledging the recclptof an invitation from your Executive Committee, to commission delegates to .the annual meeting in Portland, on the 13th aud Hlh of February, proximo, gratefully express theirappreciation of the fraternal act, and cordially reciprocate the neigh borly spirit of kindness, consideration aud fellowship by the appointment of Ifon. John A. Collins, Mrs. Cynthia M. 'aimer, Hon. John M. Days, Mrs. E. Q. Leavitt aud Mary F. Snow, as delegates, aud earnestly hope that they may be able to command the leisure to attend your annual gathering, assist you by thelr counsel, co-operate in your pro ceedings aud receive fresh inspiration therefrom. These annual gatherings are of the greatest importance. They not only en able the Association to carefully and intelligently examino iuto the condi tion and requirements of the cause, pre pare, mature and adopt a systematic met Tiod of action, to be set in motion throughout the State, for the years in the future, but they also assist to awaken enthusiasm, inspire hope and beget a feeling of strength and confidence, on the part of delegates who, on returning home, will reflect their influence for good on their respective localities. Willie timid and desponding Woman Suffragists complain that there Is now less of popular excitement and enthusi asm on tho great question of Woman Suffrage, less of hope and confidence among its friends of an early victory, than these possessed a few years since, it is nevertheless true that the cause, with determined will and firm step, Is still hopefully and confidently "marching on." Jteewit experience, however, has pretty conclusively" demonstrated tho ,ct, that there is now no "short cut" by which to reacli the goal of Woman Suffrage. Tt Is generally understood that the I-edernl Courts are essentially united inthelrindisposltiou toconferon woman any of the enfranchising advantages, latent iu the Constitutional amend meiitp, which conferred tho right of self- government on emancipated mala ne groes. To tho undersigned, however, this is uo reasonable ground for discour agement. The course pursued by the Federal Courts has deprived the move ment of no right it possessed beforo the adoption of theso amendments for op erating on the public mind, political parties, and ou the Legislatures of the State and National Governments, by means of organization, the employ mcnt of the platform, the forum and the press, the great levers of agitation for progress aud reform. Bather this nega tive action of tlio courts may be regarded in the light of a victory over which we have occasion for rcjoiclug. Woman Suffrage, like other great revolutionary movements, gains strength from opposi tion and triumphs by defeat. Having learned the temper of the courts, there Is now no longerany reason that Woman Suffragists should be divided, either in feeling, sentiment or action, as to the necessity of, or the means to be cm ployed, for obtaining tlio desired Con stitutional amendments. Is not this an important paint gained ? Tho ballot for woman, therefore, being conceded, as tho central thought, tho pivotal principlo on which the Woman Suflrago movement tunw, and Consti tutional amendments the only legiti mate or possiblo means for securing tho desired boon, it follows that tho method of action which theso facts suggest is plain, practical and effective. While laboring to remove from our or ganiclawsthedegradingstigma of wom an's inferiority and political inequal ity, tho Woman Suffrage Associations can and ought, in the mean time, to ef fectively employ the political and legis lative machinery of State and Nation, to remove the numerous annoying and humiliating disabilities, within legisla tive range, to which women are hourly subjected. There arc other Important reasons far tho present seeming apathy in the movement, among which are tlio follow ing: The novelty of woman's claims to tho ballot; Woman's Conventions, for considering the means to bo employed not only for her enfranchisement, but also for obtaining a share of the honors and emoluments of the public ofllces; of her appearing upon the platform both as advocate and presiding officer over deliberative bodies; of her discharging tho duties of editor, physician, clergy man, attorney, postmaster, secretary, book-keeper, cashier, copyist, Inventor, merchant, sea captain, professor, school superintendent, school committeeman, overseer of the poor, of charities and nu merous other responsible positions, for merly monopolized by man, have ceased to excite vulgar curiosity, awaken op position or challenge hostile criticism. These facts, however, instead of indicat ing a decline of public interest in behalf of the ballot, demonstrate Its rapid growth and the strong hold it has gained upon public confidence. The means employed, as you well un derstand, by our opponents, to thin out the ranks of the suflrago party, arc nu merous, plausiblo aud effective. They scruple neither at falsehood nor detrac tion. Their most effective weapons are ridicule, caricature and denunciation, a trinity of influences which require a strong will, backed by a fixed moral pur pose, to persistently withstand and en dure. They urge with much of plausi bility aud force, that woman's sphere, from her higli and delicate organization, is essentially domestic, moral and relig ious, which political associations would benumb, weaken and extinguish. They enforce these ideas becauso politics are immoral,debasinganddegrading,and for which the ccarse, rough and hurley na ture of man is specially adapted. They further insist that thoso women who ex press, cither by word or act, a desire to enter tho "filthy pool of politics," pro claim themselves as possessed of the coarse and strong-minded qualities of men, and therefore are unfit to share tho soclty of cultured and refined wom anly women. But, to tho undersigned, there is uo just reason why man should insist on maintaining a monopoly of politics and of tho government it controls, because he has perverted Its purposes from right, justice and humanity to subserve the cause of corruption, robbery and op prcsion why he should point to the 'filthy pool" of his own creation, de nying womau admission, because of the sickening miasma it exhales. It might with more propriety be urged a3 au ar gument for masculine political abJica- tiou. But polities are not necessarily im moral, degrading or corrupting. Their professed object Is to protect, through the Government, tho weak from the aggressions of the strong, the poor from tlio grasping avarice of the rich to pro tect men in "life, libcrtyand the pursuit of happiness." The general aim aud purposes of politics are not only conso nant witli the refinement, delicacy and domestic nature of women, but also with morality and religion. It is alone by the aid of woman's influence that we may hope to secure the desired purity of our political machinery. The few who run the political machine, having a good thing, will scruple at no statement, however absurd, foolish or extravagant, to bewilder and confound tho public understanding. This cry against the corrupting character of politics is a dodge of their own creation, to deter honest men from political action, and to frighten women out of their political aspirations. Politics is tho soul of soci etythe life blood of the State tho fountain of enforcing authority. Its history, under masculine domination, is that of robbery, oppression and carnage. Its future, under the co-opcralion of tho sexes and the inspiration of justice, will proclaim the beauties of peace aud the safety of beating "swords into plough shares and spears into pruning hooks." Tho ballot being the only key that will unlock the door of politics to woman, she should understand the great value of the object of her aspirations its capacity to overthrow colossal wrongs and to establish right on a firm founda tion. It is politics which now excludes woman from the ballot box; denies her the right of self-government, aud while taxing her property, deprives her of rep resentation, and that, too, in the very teeth of our boasted profession that "taxation without representation is ty ranny." t It is politics which incorporates the professions, confers on them authority to exclude women from enjoying the ad vantages to bo derived therefrom. It is polltcs which, with money extorted by fear and force from women, Incorporates and endows seminaries, colleges, uni versities, and. professional schools, and then excludes them from managing authority, from occupying professors' chairs, and very generally from enjoy ing even the humble advantages of tui tion. It is politics which commissions per sons witli legal authority to plant whisky shop3, beer collars and nuracr ousotherinstitutions, feeders of viceand crime, on our public thoroughfares, to tempt, corrupt, debase, disgrace aud ruin socially and morally, physically and spiritually, our fathers, husbands and brothers, and not unfrequcntly sweeps away by their destroying cur rents, our mothers, wives aud sisters. It is politics which denies to woman the same right to manage "her own pri vato property, as is possessed by man, the maker of tho laws. It Is politics which denies to the wife an equal right with the husbaud and father in the direction and manage ment of her own children. It is politics which secures to the hus band, on tho death of his wife, the en tire community property of the husband and wife, without administration. It Is politics which confers numerous pecuniary and other advantages on tho husbaud over the wife whilc.llvlng, and when dying, destroys the family estate, uy throwing tue commou property of husband and wife into probate, to be devoured by greedy official'. It is politics which confers on indi viduals of great wealth, tact, grasping energy and ambition, the right to mo nopolize hundreds or thousands of acres of land, and thousands of lots in cities, while the poor are destitute of lands, houses or the means of acquiring a liv ing, laying deep and strong the founda tion of pauperism, ignorance and crime. It is politics which builds up large monopolies, confers corporate powers on moneyed, industrial aud educatioual institutions, which benefits the non-producing few, at the expense of the toiling many. It is politics, even, on which religious and benevolent organizations depend for their existence, for their authority to be and to do. -. , It was politics which burst the bonds -of slavery in the British West Indies, emancipated four millions of American Slaves, and enfranchised eight hundred thousand frcedmcn. It was politics which in many States consecrated tho homestead to the use of tho family and made it sacred from the withering touch of distraining officers.. It was politics which in many states enlarged the personal and property rights of women and wives, opened the doors of colleges, universities, and the professions. In fact, there Is not a hoary wrong to be righted, a public or private grievance to bo removed, nor a thriving scheme to be crystallzed into law, but the aid of politics is invoked. It is, therefore, the conviction of the undersigned, that suffragists should di rccf their principal labors at the source and fountain of public authority, and employ their energies to influence polit ical parties and Legislatures. No one circumstance will probably contribute more to break down tho sensoless and cruel pilnclplcs which we have inherited, the same as our lan guage, religion and customs, against woman's interfering in political mat ters, than to have the duties of the va rious civil ofllces, intelligently, effi ciently and faithfully discharged by women. This is not only important to a fiord them the means of self-support aud pecuniary independence, but also to familiarizo the public eye, and car, and mind witli new experiences, with new habits of thought and of action. AVora en, therefore, should not only be en couraged to attend political meetings, familiarize their minds with the princi ples of political economy, study the po litical history of our Government, and of the various political parties which have exercised, for good or evil, their moulding and controlling influence upon the government, but suffragists should also demand for them, with im perative voice and determined manner, both from city, township, county, State and National Governments, a bestowal upon qualified women, an equal share of clerical and other civil offices, whose duties are suitable for them to discharge, and to receive equal compensation with men, for equal services, equally well performed. To be efficient and potential upon people, political parties and govern ment, suffragists should not only pos sess right principles, both as regards theory and practice, but they should collect, unite and consolidate the scat tered elements favoringWomauSuflrage into a homogeneous body. To this end, woman suffrage societies or clubs should bo organized In every school district, college, township, county and city in the State, aud each united by same sys tem, to the State organization, by which a thorough system of intercommuni cation, of account, ability, and responsi bility could be established. By this means tho suffrage strength can be eas ily massed and charged upon any de sired point. The several State and Ter ritorial Associations should iu turn affiliate with a National organization, which, when required for National and State purposes, could pour their united strength in any direction which the re quirements of the cause might demand. By this simple plan the scattered ele ments of tho movement could be gath ered together, unified and nationalized, which would secure a oueness of purpose and harmony of action; procure tho maximum of moral and political Influ ence witli tho expenditure of the mini mum of money and labor. New questions bearing unjustly upon women will necessarily arise from time to time, possessing more or less of an exciting character, which should bo courageously met and boldly confronted by suffragists. The most recent efforts of. this character are the two very ob noxious Bills introduced into Congress by Messrs. Frellnghuysen and Logan to disfranchise the women of Utah. The reason urged for this gross outrage upon the women of Mormondom, and grave indignity to those of the nation, is to discourage, cripple aud, if possible, to destroy polygamy in that Territory, which Is too absurd to require refuta tion. Congress, which feared not tho threats of tho Confederate States with their ten millions cf defiant inhabitants, certainly cannot entertaiu a fear that tho Government Is unequal to enforce any law which It may enact for the government of less than one hundred thousand Mormons. These Bills certainly wear a suspicious look. They .indicate a determination on Concluded ou fourth paieJ