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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1874)
FRIDAY. MARCH 20, 1S74. A PASTING WOED. Again we must urge upon our friends the necessity of sustaining the New Northwest. Wo are compelled to leave home without having time to set tle our business as; we desired. If every one of you who are in arrears for sub scriptions will at once forward the same to our office, you will enable us to go on easily with a work which is wearing upon us fearfully at present, because of the financial anxiety connected with it. Again: remember to contribute to these columns regularly during our ab sence. This .work is yours as well as ours. And while we are away in a dis tant lecture-field, engaged in earning money to keep the banner floating at the mast-head, may we not depend upon you, dear friends, at home and abroad, to contribute both letters and subscrip tions to its support ? We shall be at home again by about the firai of May. How many of you will organize societies, raise clubs for the New Nop.thwest, and otherwise carry forward the glorious work of Hu man Rights during our abseuce? Be lieving und hoping that you do more during our absence than if we were at home for you to depend upon, we take reluctant leave of our readers till we get to San Francisco, where they shall hear from us again. SOME COGITATIONS. We were much interested at the prayer meeting in the Presbyterian church on last Friday evening, the last occasion upon which Ave had op portunity to bo present at these meet ings before the sailing of the steamer. A very large and deeply attentive con gregation was present. Rev. Dr. Atkin son, whose dignified yet humble bearing inspires every beholder with respect and confidence, made a few very sensible and earnest remarks. Rev.Mr.Medbury oflered a fervent petition, and Rev. Mr. Izer read a collection of Bible texts upon the efiicacy of prayer. Several other gentlemen also spoke aud prayed, and the congregational singing was es pecially stirriug and appropriate. Knowing well the timidity with which many of our brethren in the ministry regard the enfranchisement of woman or the most indefinite allusion thereto, it was not without some trepi dation that wo stood before the people and exhorted the women to systematize their work by beselging the law-mukers with singing aud prayer. We showed that the foundation for the immense traffic in ardent spirits rests upon legis lation, and the way to make this reform lasting Is to begin with the City Coun cil ana carry our work from there through all the various ramifications of government. The young miuisters were very much perturbed at this. They thought we had enough of laws, and good enough one; that It was religion we needed; just as if religion would prosper under laws that protect the terrible curse of drunkenness. These ministers must learn that the women to whom they are so frantically appealing to go forth aud destroy the effect") of man-made law, musthaveopportutilty toattack thisevi! ly (he root, and that all the prayers of men and angels will avail us nothing without a change in law. Mr. Izer read, with much emphasis, an account, clipped from some eastern newspaper, wherein it was related that the women of a certain town, by prayer alone, had dried up every rum hole. Let our brother visit this town a year henee, our laws remaining as they are, with women having no opportunity to make them better, and lie will see that "the dog has returned to vomit again and the sow to her wallowing iu the mire." God works by plans, aud His plans, which man would so often thwart by over-righteousness, are the embodiment of plaiuer practical common sense. We by no means impugn the motives of our young brethren in the min istry. Their live are wholly ideal. They subsist upon salaries earned by the people, who are compelled by their bus iness interests to take u practical view of life, aud bo they employ their miuis ters to look after spiritual things for tneni, and we will do our brethren the justice to say and believe that they do their best to earn and render a full equivalent for their earlhlv support But while their doctrine Is splendid for preachers, and while It Is very gratify ing to them to have the sisters always ready to follow their dictation, we, with all due deference to their calling, must emphatically declare that the women have .their own work to do In their own way. God isopeniug up that way, and it pains us exceedingly when these men try to keep women tied hand and foot under the licensed, rum-protecting laws of the land, while sending them forth, fettered, to pray iu the purlieus of vice, to remove the effects of man's unjust legislation. But, while they may hln der, they cannot prevent the onward march of woman's jiower. The finger as written the fiat of her des tiny in the progress of the age, aud the ail-pervadiug liKht of Heaven's oi.iltwl truth Is permeating her superslitlon-be-blinded understanding; and the ultimate result of this temperance crusade will be that she will, staud side by ide with man at the ballot-box to unmafco h, laws that have led the people to make 01 iuc purueus 01 our cities aud vllhxr. a vast charnel-house of prostitution and uruuKenuess. TO CONTRIBUTORS. Some importantcommuulcations were received too lafe to be published in thl issue. , Persons seudiug matter for pub licallon are requested to forward the .ame U time -for us to receive it on Teusdaj'eveiffngorWeduesday morning, OBJECTIONS WHICH AMOUNT TO NOTHING. In view of the unanswerable argu ment offered jlu favor of Woman Suf frage, and of the rapid hud triumphant progress of the movement iu our State and nation, it would seem that intelli gent men aud women would cease to advance or urgo the thread-bare and oft-an3wered objections whicli have constituted theentlreargumenlsagalust it for the past two decades. It would seem that ouropponenUseo the necessity of bringing to their aid other aud more potent arguments or abandon the posi tion they occupy as untenable. Our numbers are being constantly augmented by the addition of persons who formerly opposed the enfranchise ment of women, from the fact that they had given the subject no thought had never properly weighed and considered the arguments for and against it and whose position agaiust it was solely the result of prejudice. Being, however, possessed of minds broad enough to comprehend, aud magnanimous enough to accept the truth aud justice of our claims when properly presented, they speedily overcamo their prejudices, abandoned their false position, and be came our earnest friends and zealous co-workers. That there are thousands of others who under like circumstances would do likewise we are assured. But there are yet vast numbers who continue to oiler the stereotyped objec tions, unmindful of the fast that they have become stale from constant repeti tion, and forceless from frequent refuta tion. Of these tho most pathetically vociferous and Inconsolable Is he who fears that if women arc granted the po litical equality, which In the name of right and justice we claim for them, that their home duties will thereby be neglected, the children be allowed to ruu riot, the husband be compelled to go puddingless to bed, only to pass the night in vain attempts to quiet the screams of a refractory child, and in the morning as a panacea for his ills be forced to don buttonless shirt and breakfast on muddy coffee and hard-boiled eggs, while the misguided wife is constantly occupied in voting. In vain we attempt to argue with, console or comfort this poor fellow. The terrible ghost which his prejudices have conjured up will not down; and he daily attempts to slay the progress of the inevitable by the rehearsal of feeble and witless objections such as these. Iu close sympathy with him is the man who fears that women will be sub jected to jeers and exposed to insult at the polls, that men will lose their high chivalric regard for women if they thus mingle in the common crowd. In view of the fact that women have heretofore been strictly excluded from all crowded places this is certainly a weighty objec tion. When we venture to remark that women mingle in our largest crowds, not only without insult, but to the manifest pleasure and profit of themselves and their brethren, he hesitates a moment, and then brightening up, as with a new idea, exclaims with an air of masculine superiority: "Oh! but election are dif ferent, you see! There are always men about the polls who are drunk and dis orderly." Here he has unwittingly made a strong point in our favor. Tiie evil of intemperance cannot live In the presence of good, earnest and true women. It is one of the first evils at whicli the vote of woman will strike and one whicli will thereafter aud for aye hide its diminished head. . Here is one of a quite numerous clnss who, with as much omposity as if he were hereditary Sheriff of Multnomah county, declares tiiat women should nut be allowed to vole, because, forsooth, they would then be eligible to otllce, anil he asserts that they are by nature and circumstances Incapacitated from office-holding. Perhaps he may succeed in making some believe that his obiec- llou is prompted by solicitude for the women only. But for our part we think It Is cas to see what is the matter with him. Most of the opposition with which we meet turns upon one or more of the ob jections we have noticed, so It Is quite superfluous to mention others. Sufilcc It to say that most or them are the re sult of fale educafion, prejudice, selfish ness and want of proper investigation; that each aud all have been hundreds of times completely and easily refuted, and that iu the great progress of events each will at no distant day speedily bo resolved in its native element, nothing- nets, bo when the clonous dav of woman's enfranchisement shall dawn, and Its erewhile opponents declare as each and every one of them will surely do, "that they had nothing against it," they will only repeat what we have all along known to be the literal truth. WHY ARE THEPEOPLE POOR? Eastern exchanges are loaded with graphic descriptions of the suffering entailed upon the unfortunate women and children who arc out of employ ment, funds and credit iutlic great cities, While it Is a well known fact that many persons are far less provident than others, and that a majority of the human family always will live in a sort of "from hand to mouth" style, yet is equally well known that all laws and legislation tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Deep-thinking public financiers havo many times practically demonstrated the fact that ua business will justify an outlay of more than three per cent, per annum as interest upon the capital em ployed, and that not one business-inter est, company or corporation in five hundred is prepared to go on with Its transactions If collaterals were suddenly withdrawn aud immediate payment of principal demanded. Gold and sliver, instead of human la bor, arc falsely made the standard of wealth, aud laud, Instead of humau life, lis surety. '- We have often asserted and here 'relU crato that the value of gold and silver as currency is-wholly, fictitious, and that individual ownership iu laud is justas'hiucb'a relic of barbarfsnifas In! uivjuuui uwiiersuip iu mau. xhjiu lueas descended to us from tho days of ReudaT J H.. t . . . fl uuspuusui wiicu niigut maue rigut, anu are unworthy of belli" adhered to bv the enlightened statesmen of to-day. Why one person should own five hun dred acrea-of laud, or-fivo-acres,aran Inheritance, while his neighbor, who has toiled when he slept, and econo mized when Jio spent his substance In riotous Hying, sbaIlJpay,tithe3.otnlLh.U earnings for a lifetime to the man whose father, grandfather, or great uncle, first claimed the soil, why this Is so; and, Is it right, merely because It is so, are questions which the famishing poor are asking, and which, ere another century shall dawn, they will force the world to answer? If uliieteeu-twentieths of the wealthy men of the land were to-dav deprived of all property except their own just earn ingsand that is all which any human being may rightly clalirithey -Would speedily change places with those whom they to-day spurn as paupers; and if all men and women were given at maturity the right to hold, cuitivateand improve, as taste and ability might diclate, a spot that they could all their lives call home, changing their residences only at .1. .. . . . . uieir own option, extreme poverty would cease from off the race or the earth; the thriftless and improvident would have no excuse for Idleness and all could and would help each other. "ONE FEMALE COPYIST." Wo call special attention to an aritcle from New York Tribune iu this issue under tho abovo caption. Could Horace Greeley have foreseen, less than two years agoj the significant fact that the Tribunes themselves of to day would be leveled iu such masterly fashion when he then promulgated that woman must not vote, because man made it his business to protect her, wouldn't he havo changed his tactics? But the world moves, and it is a pleas ing faucy to us that great journalists and statesmen who have made mistakes In tho earth life, are permitted, alter seeing the error of their ways iu the mystical beyond, to use their newly en lightened influence to rectify the blun ders of material existeuce. That Hor ace Greely, emancipated from the dross and selfishness that closed his earthly career, is now permitted by the Al mighty to use his clearer spiritual vis ion in lightcuing-up the course of the ew ork Tribune we find great joy in imagining. Certainly no other journal has done so much to retard the woman movement, and to no other so rightfully belongs the work or undoing ilk- mis deeds. Why was it necessary to depose "one female copyist" In the federal employ ? Simply because that copyist could not vote. Nothing could be plainer than the Tribune's statement, and nothing more to the point than its argument. Man does not protect woman. Mil lions of women are to-day suffering tho bitterest provocations in this so-called laud of plenty. It behooves them to protect themselves. With the ballot they can secure protection; without It, when thrown ujou their own resources, they are placed in perilous positions, fordoes not the history of "one female copyist" prove that nil dependent, working women are living at the mercy or the voting class ?, Shame upon such a government! Out upon such usurpation of the sacred lib erties of God! TEE HEW TEMPERANCE PARTY. It will be remembered that the State Temperance Alliance, at Its recent ses sion, passed a new irty resolution, and appointed a committee, whose duty it should be to issue a call to the friends of temperance to meet at some time aud place designated to take such steps and adopt such measures as might seem ex pedient antl practicable for organizing a separate and distinct independent poli tical action in the coming Stale elec tion, by the temperance tcoplo of the State. In accordance with this rMnln. lion, and In compliance with his duties as Chairman of the Committee so ap pointed, Mr. E. W. Ryan has published a request to the friends of temperance to meet hi their several counties and elect delegates to a Convention to be in Portland at Good Templars Hall on Tuesday the 31st of .March, to take Blcps to carry out the spirit or the resolution. While we are not or those who expect to sec such a party succeed 1 n detenu I u i ng la any considerable extent tho result or the coming political contest, we are yet glad to see temperance people at work. Now IhatthoTempenince Reform is be ing so strongly agitated, it is well to bring every auxiliary possible to the aid or the agitators. And though there be not the shadow ora chance at present for the success or such a parly, yet Its advocates may by iho earnestness, wis dom, and harmony or thcircouhsels ren der the minority resjeclable. Two years ago Miss Dolly Runkle, or Des Moines, Iowa, commenced as a clerk in the extensive dry goods establish ment of Knight Brothers, without any previous experience. A few days since, Mr. Knight being unwell aud unable to make purchases that the house re quired, the duty devolved upon this young lady, who bought rrom samples seven thousand dollars worth of goods, and, to use Mr. IC's own language, "did it as well as any merchant in town could have done it." Success honestly attained iu any occupation is worthy of commendation, and tho success that in two years' timecnablesan Inexperienced girl to perform the duty or-au experi enced merchant! as'iiotabIe as It is worthy. ' , - Mr. J. W. Kelly has severed, hia con nection with' the Roseburtf.Pa'nrfcaor. THE RING OFJTRTJE METAL. To tii k ntirroii or Tne"XEnr Xoktiiwb-t: , "The war drums are beating," aud upon overysldo, from inland fi) shore; ithe cry is heard: 1 ' I : 'Up,olillers,nnd fljht! f f The despot Intemperance f Hurl down rrom hia height." 1 It rejoices my heart to hear this sub ject agitated, for I believe it will lead men to seek for somoTmeans,'asyef uh! tried, to accomplish Its downfall.- It Is time something was being done to drive this "dark presenco" from our land.; - While I have great, faith iu Ihe.powQr, of prayer, and believe that the fervent prayers of righteous men and women avail much, r know there are many things which cannot be accomplished by prayer alone. When a ship Is at sea In a gale, tempest-tossed aud in danger or beingdrlvcn on the rocks, would a wise commander sit Idly in his cabin, Ills crew riotous and drunken, his passengers Indifferent and his ship, with all sail spread, rush ing to certain destruction? Or, would ho summons them to his presence, all kneel quietly iu prayer, and pray that the vesssol might be homo safely out, Into the smooth waters or the ocean V Would he not rather call every mau to his post, rurl the sails, and use every means in his power to out-weather the gale? ir his ship, were leaking, would he not man the pumps, endeavor to stop tho leak and call to his aid passengers and crew, both men and women, as we know has been done ? Wo are passengers iu thcgIorious,shIp or State. Our ship Is at sea Iu a gale and iu danger or being wrecked on the rock or Intemperance. Captain Grant sits iu the cabin, seemingly Indifferent to our fale. Some of the passengers and crew arc drunk and disorderly, others are engaged iu prayer, and wc are all at the mercy of the wind and waves. When such such is the case, shall wc all kueel quietly In prayer, and without making any other effort, beseech the God of storms and sunshine to bring our vessel into the calm waters or Tem peranco? No! Prayer alone will not avail. Oh, friends or the tcmperanco cause, iryon would have your prayers prevail, perfaco them with good deeds, work and watch as well as pray. If you cull upon woman to assist you in your efforts to vauqulsh tho dread monster, and call upon her you must If you succeed, place in her hands the only means by which it can be accomplished. Arm Iter with tho ballot and she will go forth "con queringand to conquer." It will prove a weapon Iu her hands the liquor dealers and liquor drinkers will be compelled to respect. Do not call upon her and ex j pect her to accomplish anything with ' her hands tied. I The only way to effect any permanent I good, in this matter, is to bring to bear the strong arm of the law, to lay the axe 1 at the root or the tree. Men unaided cannot, will not do this, i Were women enfranchised, they would speedily putit out of the power of loved i ones to degrade themselves below the J level of the brutes, by drying up this prolific source of so much misery and i woe. Let us friends be united in our effort to advance the cause of Woman Suf frage, and thus advance the cause of temperance, truth aud right; let us "Go forth In the pathway Our forcralhrrx trod! We, too, fljht for rrcclom OiircnpUiln Is Cod! KIIijk out our broad banners Against the blue sky, ' ' Ami shout, like true soldlorf, '. We conquer or Ule!- i ,. May the day soon come when intem perance shall be driven from the laud, and prayer be turned to praise. TEMI'KKANi'K. Portland, March 10, 1874. s , A VOICE FROM THE PENITENTIARY. OnixioN State I'enitkstiaky, S.M.E.M, March 10, 1S7J. J To the KiHTonor tiii:Jkw XoirriiWKST: It Is with unfeigned delicacy thatT avail myself of your permission to ad dress a letter to you at your home ih Portland. In your lecture here you said that "you would be happy lo send any of our number who would write to you such books or papers as lie might wish lo read." And, as there nre a number of us who are anxious lo read Mrs. Victor's story, "Judith Miles," I hope to be forgiven If I presumo too far on your kindness, In asking you to send me the back numbers of your paper containing It, The paper is a welcome guest in' our prison. It Is passed from cell to cell. and read by many with Infinite pleas ure anu prollt. I was pleased to see a letter rrom one of our number in tho last issue of your paper. The writer-forgives youwlllin ly for having published it, and reels himself highly flattered to know that you esteemed his thoughts worthy to bo given to tho world. I nm delighted to see that the ladies are making so grand and successful a raid on whisky, but fear that but little permanent jrood will be accomulished till they are allowed a voice in themak- lug of our laws. Then saloons and all i uio naunisorvicowill bo forever cIased. I hope a prohibitory law will soon be in force In this State: but while so many 4ir..i i . , , I "Jug-ologists" are chosen for law-mak- era, o new not expect sucu a law to oe passcu. iney nro "too sweet" on gin passeu. mey nro "too sweet" on gin themselves to pass a law prohibitory to , its sale. Do our legislators know the , aiuuuuiu; uarm uio use oi. liquor uoess iu this State? I cannot think thevdo. or they would certainly put a atop to it. ' on,.. t i . i.. tt ... -.u k ,e.k -C"i-'vcuieuill,,.uc-,vIljh nrnmnU. M..L-o.l hv this prison to-day who have been sent here through the influence of whisky; Woman Sutlrago discourage and uis aud out or two hundred and sixty that i ,J0nleua,lce 1,isiiinff- 11 ls unworthy or have neeu sent here since I vAffi&' 1SG., two hundred of them boye, beeu ( a Legislative body, especially, and at a whisky victims. There are men here hearing where tho audience are. present now suffering for crimes .J SlLpK'a're committed while . so .druuMbat did not know what they,twere. doing.J Mrs. Warner asked the Committee to When sobcrthey Iiad nojntention of haralug aiiyoiieaucLvver3not aware of having ilnma c ml i' . , iV-SfcT uuruiuu oi tue wet hy thejailor, a rewJhdurlPartcr their ar-4 K"w "eycommit the crime, or gid whisky? Tho same law that licenced men tonell them whisky condemned them lo prison for IireTor crimes com mitted while under Us Influence. I rail lo see the justico iu such a law; but our lawJmakere-arrrwIgerthanTr-Perhaps It is all right. Whisky and Ignorance are the two prlneliial.cau3e3;wjiich lead lo the com missiou.of.crime , I am sorry to say that a majority of us convicts are lamentably Ignoraut. Aim, until Jlr. Watkluds took chanre or the institution, there was no means of hetleriiigour condition. He pur chased books for those who desired to study, and loaned many from his pri vate library to those who wished to read them. He has granted us a couple or hours each evening to study, and has, In fact, done all he could for the amelio ration of our condition. What little I know I have taught my self since coming lo prison. You will think from my letter that I have made but poor use of my time. I know that might 'have learned much more; but I had but little encouragement to study, supposTngthat all honorable avenues to success would bo barred acaltist me when T should ho released. But I feel encouraged since you told us In your in teresting lecture that such would not be Hie case; and I hope ere I leave the In stitution to fit myself to fill an honora ble position in society. Your lecture is still the theme of con versation here. It will bo Ion-' ere the words or encouragement and hope which you addressed to will be for gotten. We long lo hear the sound of your voice again In our chapel, aud nope wnen you again visit Salem that you will not forget us. We wish yni Success in the cood and just cause for which yon are so bravely iigiiuiig, nnu nope sometime to aid vour causa by casting a vote In its favor. Hoping, dear madam, that you will pardon-this'lntrusion on your time and patience, as well as all errors, I sub- scrilx- myself, Yours "trulv. Dine Ai.EXANnr.rc. Yfoman Suffrage in Mas3acliusetts. The friends of AVoman Suffra'rr. in Massachusetts have reason to be pleased and satisfied with the LcisIativo lmnr- ing before the Joint Special Committee on woman .uiirage, wiiicli took place in the Green Room at the State House iu Boston, on the 13th inst. Although, from the shortness of the notice, no an nouncement or the hearing had been made in the Woman' Journal, a large and intelligent audience assembled. The Committee, most or whom were present, are compased or the following gentlemen: SKNWTF. COM3IWTBK. Henry S. Waihkurn of Suffolk county. Walter X. .Mason of Middlesex, Charles P. Stlekney or Bristol. irot'sn COMMITTKU. John 31 Fitzgerald or Boston, William S. Knox of Lawrence, William K Ulutit of Haverhill, Warren Tyler or North Brookfield, F. K. Oray or Springfield, Henry V. Wilson of Boston, Addison (iillicrt oroiousceter, Henry U Pratt or Mansfield. At lu a. M. tho chairman read the petition and invited all who wished to speak for or agaiust It, to do so. Lucy Stone was the first speaker. Shu reminded (lie Committee that the women or Massachusetts had petitioned anu appeareu at tiie state House, year alter year, in support of their petitions ever since ls.3. Men who were now voters wero infants in theircradles when this demand for justice was first made. and yet the wrong Is not righted. Our claim Is baed upon the foundation principle of representative government. We aslt only for a consistent applica tion or the recognized American theory oT self-government in the case or one half of our citizens. You have enfran chised the colored man. You have en franchised tho rebel. You admit men of foreign birth. Only your own moth ers and wives and sisters aud daughters arc oxcluded. You rank every woman the political inferior of the meanest aud most degraded man. All we ask is that you will make our case your own, and "as you would Ihat others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." Mrs. J'Mnah i). Cheney showed the loss which the State sustained by being deprived of the active services of women in Its charitable, educational and re formatory enterprises, and its other brandies or congenial public activity. Sullrage would bo of great practical value to women by securing better op portunities of culture and wider fields of usefulness. The 'recent exclusion of women from tho Boston School Com mittee, upon the express ground that women are not voters, it is a new aud striking evidence of the evils of disfran chlRemeut. Mrs. Zina Fay Pierce spoke earnestly iu opposition to the petitions, upon the ground that Manhood Suffrage is essen tially unwomanly. Voting is an exer cise or power which Implies ability to sustain it by physical force, if necessary This ability is wantinjr in the case of women, therefore suffrage should be withheld. Inasmuch as women are, iu Massachusetts, more numerous than men, we may suppose a case where all tho women will. outvote all the men How can this merely numerical major ity enforce obedience? Women are physically and Intellectually the Infe riors of nien. There is no injustice in taxation without represeutation in the ens of women. Ifecause their nronertv Is not earned hut inherited, nnu oecause I they share in tho protection and benefit Ul UHa gUVt'i IlillCIll. ? UiU III point of fact pecuniarily ami personally .l..i.n1nnt liiinn llirid nrtil 1mAfnh t..,M;,uient upon men, and therefore should not be politically independent of 1 lem 0lrs- f ,c-?e auraiticu, However, that women, having special class Inter- j wUj Mmuld have somelort of re1resei tation. 2iie suggested the election by wwm.ii oi an auvisory uongress author- women oi an aavisory umgre j1"1 u' propose laws to the Cretan ioena' the Legisla- omcn aud ft nninfmant r f jaws wnicii lo them Injustice. Tills very frank declaration of wom- P'8 inferiority elicited expressions of disapprobation from some of the audi- by the Chairman. Let every rriendor examine tho siguaturcs,altachcd to the nnMflntio fnn Wn mn rt4" G It fFrfl fro ? 1in Ilflll been informed that the children iu the common schools of Bostoti;had been in vited to sign them. I -Mr. H. B.Blackwell stated that this charger was'leutlrely unrounded. The petitions had bc'ene6iily to respon sible and well-known citizens, with the request to obtain only signers of twenty-oue years and upwards. Ior the credit of tlin l.itlv mid hnrseir. he asked her to produce her-informant-or to lay a written statement of facts with a responsible signature, before the Com mittee. Nearly 5000 adult citizens or Massachusetts had petitions this Legis lature for suffrage within the past four weeks. Petltlons'wercpourlnglndally. ft was nrouer to saT. in this connec tion, tbat'not one dollar had beeii paid to any one person for the labor or circu lating these petitions. It had been done mostly by ladies in everv case from oer- sonal interest iu the movement. He was glad that Mrs. Pierce had given so flno an examnleof woman's fitness for suffrage. Her moral courage in avow ing ner convictions was an act of Hero ism and deserved thethanksof all. But her argument was really on our side. YY hat we ask is not Manhood Suffraee for women, hut citizen suffnnre for all. Sufi rage is uota masculine fuuctioii. It Is not muscular but moral. It, is an authoritive expression of opinion, and implies intelligence, patriotism and conscience. Women are not, in any sense, tne inferiors of men. They are different but equal. And thisdiflerence of sex Is exactly what needs to be repre sented, and can only be represented by Impartial Sullrage. Women inherit iroperty just as men inherit property. Women earn nronertv lust as men do. Instead or sayfnsr that the nronertv or women Is not earned, we should say It is ear taxi two or ttiree times over, since In ovcry department ot human activity women are only nald rrom one-third to one-hairas much as men for equal work. But to-day men are uot themselves rep resented iu politics. We live under caucus government, iu which not five per cent, ot tue voters take part. The be3t class or men spend their leisure in the society or women, and so long as women are excluded rrom the iirimarv meetings these mcctiiigs will be largely controlled by coarse, and iguorant aud mercenary men. roiitics Has become a trade, and our nresent svstcm mav be defined as ignorance manipulated by cunning. Political Reform must becin iu the caucus. And it can only bo ef fected by enlisting the social sympathy aud co-operation of women, and men uu iuwociaie wun women, in me pri mary meetings and at the polls. Speak ing of the method to be pursued, Mr. Blackwell hoped that the Committee would, first of all, ask the Legislature lo give women Presidential and Muni cipal Sullrage by amending the election laws. Thus women could be enabled to vote in town and ward meetings for all officers except Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and mcmbera of the Legisla ture. The State Constitution only limits suffrage to male citizens In these last named cases. For himself he was opposed to going before the people with a proposal lo amend the Constitution until sutlrairo had been extended to women first under the Constitution as it is. If the presence of women In town and ward meetings proved beneficial and acceptable, it would soon bo fol lowed by a Constitutional Amendment, ir It proved injurious, it would be re pealed by a subsequent Legislature elected by men alone. Mr. Fitzgerald, Chairman ortho House Committee, asked whether the Consti tutional right or tho Legislature to en act such a law had been considered? Mr. Blackwell said that it had been considered, and that able lawyers had expressed an affirmative opinion. The old Province Charter gave suffrage to "Freeholders and other inhabitants present at Town Meetings." The State Constitution restricted it only in the election of the Executive Legislature. Mrs. Howe asked for suffrage in the name of Progress and of Peace. She earnestly disclaimed any desire to par ticipate in such a separate Congress of women as was projiosed by Mrs. Pierce. Siie was unwilling to recognize any limitation of class interest. The inter ests of men were as dear to her as those or women and children. The blood or men flowed jn her veins. Their coun try was her country; their weffare her weffare. She spoke with a thriliingclo queucc that carried conviction to the minds, and enlisted the feelings of all present. Mr. Samuel E. Sewall rose lo speak upon the legal question, but yielded the floor to Miss Mary F. Eastman. Miss Eastman stated the inequality of wages, education and opportunity to which fro in en are subjected in cousc- aucnee of their disfranchisement, and rew a graphic contrast between the provisions of Massachusetts Colleges for the education of young men and those of the Normal Schools designed to train the young women who constitute se ven cightsorall our teachers. She illustrated her theme with telling anecdotes and, illustrations which gave great satiiac tinn to the audience. The committee then announced an adjournment or the hearing to the fol lowing Wednesday at Representatives Hall. We will give an account or it next week. It is greatly to be regretted that the reports in our daily papers are so meagre and inadequate as to convey no fair idea or the real interests ot the occasion. ll'omnn'i Journal. Tun Question of Woman's Ricjuts. The dispatches have told us within a few days how the House of Representa tives in the Legislature of two great States Michigan and Iowa have formed an article to be submitted to the people regulating tho elective franchise and havo voted by a decided majority to strike out the word "male" in salt) arti cle, which would, we have reason to In fer, give suffrage to male and female alike. It was quite a coincidence that these great States should perform this act almost simultaneously, aud that the vote given iu eacli for striking out the word male was as Identical as possible. There being a difference of only one voto iu the two legislatures, and that one voto being Indivisible, tne result could not be identical. Tho Supreme Court Massachusetts, answering an inquiry submitted by the Legislature of that State, has replied that women are eligible to the ofllee of scnool Commissioner, xnis opens a field of practical usefulness to our better halves that we should liko to see also extended to Oregon, for no where else in relation to public affairs, uuless In connection with State and county char ities, can woman act to belter advan tage. We are assured that Woman Suffrage in Wyoming Territory was not. a failure and that it works well euough In Utah. Certainly the world has ceased to make light of the subject, and even ridicule aimed at the leaders of the cause is not directed at the cause Itself. Wo pub lished lately the principles announced bv the National Grange, and the friends of Womau's Rights have reason to take courage from the indications of progress making in mat direction. Slateiman. A mart Danburv woman does tlm work for a family of nine, milks two cows, and -keep's track-of thirteen cofii4 tinuea stone. ...."t-in r .uw ie They found her in the Interior De partment in the office of the Fifth Aud itor., She has-been there all the1 time". While the American people were wait ing for her to be produced; while Con gress wrung Its hand3 and wailed that she could not be discovered, aud while a fierce and eager Committee went pranc ing through all the departments with telescope and microscope, shot-guns and fishing tackle, hunting for her as the Senate hunts for evidence when there's anybody to be vindicated there she sat in the Interior Department In the office of Firth Auditor Ela, on a high stool at a dcsk,calmly.and deliberately sucking the lffe-blood of the Republic if we may be allowed the expression and daily running the nation deeper and deeper iu debt. She Is a female copyist. As sucli sho has been drawing pay. She Is the only person in the Civil Service ot this great and glorious Republic who can be dispensed with. Think or it a moment or, iTyoii have plenty or time, fifteen or twenty moments In all the departments at Washington only one supernumerary, and she a female copy ist! They searched with lighted candles through all of them; they summoned secretaries and chief clerks and heads of bureaus; they brought In some of the ablest officers of the Government from the billiard saloon In' the neighborhood ol the Departments, aud they questioned them rigorously aud closely as to the possibility ot retrenchment by reduction or force. The belier that somebody was ilmurTno' ti'linoii corvlpAQ rrtllh! Just as welf be dispensed with, amounted in tue minus ot tins t ommiiiee anu ot Congress to a conviction. Else why was there a deficiency aud an increase orthcNatlbtiarDeblV Tiie pursuit or this person was fierce and eager. It was suspected at one time that it might be a man. But iu none or the departments could there be found a man who did not support the Administration and go home regularly on a rurlough lo vote. The men who did the work of the departments could not be spared, and the men who sat up on HigU stoots anci useu quia tootu- picks, and discussed National politics with each other iu the various depart ments, were indispen.ablo. Without them the machinery of Government would hardly run. They oil it. They regrcsent Congressional districts In all parts of the Union, aud their influ ence is felt at every election. Without them a great many members or congress would be obliged to remain at home, and the country would be at the mercy of almost anybody the people might take a notion to elect. The conse quences of dismissing such men would be immeasurable. It is doubtful if the country would survive it. And yet the Tact remaiucd that somebody was draw-. Ing pay whose services might be dis penscd with, and the Committee pro pose! to hunt him or her down. Tho hour or their triumph came. They had scoured the departments in vain for days, but now, in the Interior Depart ment, in the otllce ot Firth Auditor Ela, they scent their quarry. Fifth Auditor Ela had one female copyist whom ho could get along without. He confessed It. Very likely lie pointed her out. And the search ended. As Mr. Matt. Carpenter aroused the enthusiasm or the Sonate by his discov ery of tho great stationery robbery by the representatives of the press,' so tho Committee and the country havo been thrilled by this successful pursuit of the female copyist. When Mr. Carpenter threw himself back in his seat, shook the wild tangles of his frosty hair, and electrified the Senate witli the announce ment that he had found where $35 -1C of the people's money had gone, it was felt that it was a step in the right direction, and that if things kept on at that rate it would very shortly happen that all tho leaks would be stopped, and Mr. Rich ardson would resume the payment of the National Debt. But the work did not stop there. The Committee on Ap1 propriatious or the House, emulous or Carpenter's success, redoubled their dil igence in pursuit or the man or woman who could be dismissed rrom the public service without imperiling the Govern ment. Ami so the work or retrench-j meut goes bravely on. The female copyist has no vote. Doubtless she did nothing hut sit at a desk and write all day, taking no interest in politics and only earning a living for herself. The propriety or discharging her no able bodied man who sits on a high stool and picks his teeth with a quill and talks' politics in any of the departments will for one moment question. And now we suggest that this thing has been carried far enoujrh. This pur suit of economy cannot be other than very wearing to the health ot Conjrress., They discovered where $3- 40 went and Have stopped the leak. And they havo found where the force in the depart ments can bo reduced by the discharge of one female copyist. The people are. not unreasonable in their demands. This will answer for the present. Now let Congress order some sloops oE'war' and some public buildings, and provide' for some railroads to the Pacific, and ad journ. .A. j . Jftuune. A Grand Opportunity. There are times in the history ot tho world when God seems to come down on earth, aud take tho management-ot human affairs in his own hands. Tho flaming comet, the mighty earthquake,, the fearful pestilence, do not more sig nally display His presence aud power hv the natural world, than do revivals, remarkable answers to prayers, and great revolutionary movements mani fest his presence aud power in the moral world. ' Hardly havo the efforts of scientists! and infidels to demonstrate the futility of prayer, aud even overturn the throno of Deity, ceased, ere we see a demon stration liv menus or the simplist In-1 slmmentalities, carrying conviction to. tne minils of Human oeiugs everj wuure r?.i r Hint n over. Ho Is still the Being who hears prayer. So, too, the discussion or woman's sphere" of duty, her ability to do good, her. right to pre&ch the gospel, etc., is still sounding through the land, when, lo and behold, the providence of God nlaces woman In the forefront of the' grandest battle ever fought on this con--, tinent. She goes forth to the engage ment with no armor but that which faith supplies. Recognizing a ruling" God above, and believing In the efficacy or prayer, sho advances boldly tontha very den of wild beasts aud confronts! the enemies of God an man in their" own dominions. Of woman it may'' now be said, as never before: Sho-' through faith "subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained prom ices, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of tho sword, out of weakness' was made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of tho aliens." A golden opportunity is now offered to tho Christian women of America, wilhGodon their side, to achieve,,no bler victories than were ever won pn, fields of carnage. In every villageId; every cily.she should prayerfully, truing folly, eulist in this great movement' that is.sweeplng over thq natioui.and take a grand part in ridding the world oi tue direst curse on earth iutemper ance:' Aavocatei'- it i