Fkbi SrBBTB, Faaa rasas, Fki PsorLB,
VOLUMB-XNOr 26.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, INARCH 10, 1881.
PER
YEAR $3 00.
V I; ' TltE OLD STORY. ,
SXY 'REAI) BEFORE THE OREOON STATE WOMAN"
4, 1, SUFFRAGE A8SOCIATIOX BY MAKY ;
x - SHANE SMITH,.
. . There seems to be a great misapprehenslonjevi
among Intelligent people! ri regard to the nature
. of the right of suffrage., It appear to me quit
plain that ft is mily the. exercine of that natural
right of self-government that was given us by our I
Creator. But some regard, it as a privilege granted
to the Individual by the state, merely because the
'experience of mankind ha9 been that a represen
tative democracy Is the best form of government.
( It la therefore .considered perfectly right to keep
. one-half of the people of our Republic In political
bondage, because it Is thought lnexiKUent, for
various reasons, to grant them representation, al
though they are deemed capable of bearing their
- full share of the burdens of the state by paying
taxes. Yet this singular piece jf injustice Is not
recognized as such In this enlightened age by a
... majoricy of our people.
WhenJthjftbrutal Roman, tyrant Caligula deter-
i mined to compel his distant provincial subjects to
pay Roman taxes, ha felt It necessary, even In
that dark age, to first extend them the Roman
franchise. " Might not free America learn some
thing of the despot of Imperial Rome ?
77'It"1ahmiiillating-to''eTery thpttghtfuHorer of
free Institutions to reflect that millions of natlve
' born American citizens, of adult age and as a class
moral ami virtuous, are, for no fault or crime, ye-
prived of that boast of America, the "right of self
government" for that U? what suffrage is. It is
not a mere privilege. If .It were, a majority might
and there would he no redress for the victims nn-
.1: less they could flghtmore than they could vote;
and a wholesome fear that they might fight will
' . always prevent' any attempt at such tyranny, even
""if "theiehsebf T-IghnCthe majorlfy'hTnbTslrong
enough ' to secure "Justice. J Indeed, this fear will
long prevent the restrictions that must be placed
.: on suffrage iu the interest of good and safe gov
ernment. '-""'!,' C" "' ". ' "
- . No citizen ought to be deprived of his natural
- right to a share In the government unless Itcan
be shown that his yote is dangerous to the'com
munlty ; but it Is not .denied that Ignorance and
vice are very dangerous. Therefore every Ignori
, ant and vicious person, man or womaiijiugTIt to
be deprived of a voice in the government until
- such tlme.as.he.or.she ceases, to he ignorant or
yJcTous, and no longer. It should not bo out of
the power of any citizen to exerclne his or her
natural, God given right ; twxl It houll not be" in
ijty, UTrc-Btttt-tim-t(rli&vie-gTmc'r , authority thln44tnHryr4
the power of the majority to prevent euch exer
cise, but only to .provide for its proper, use If this
is true, it-is-manifostly the most inexcusable
' Injustice to deprive , women citizens of their
right to vote, for no pretense Is made that
-they-are-a-tlangerousclas,-and the thing for
Which they are disfranchised Is something Impos
sible for them to avoid if they would an obstacle
no human power could ever remove. The Injus
tice would beno greater if the Uark-halredlHerijr
for Instance, were in the majority and would unite
- and disfranchise the fair-haired ones.
ZJJuteupposing suffrage to be a mere privilege
granted by, the. State, and i not the natural right
of alVhqw came the state to have such a privi
lege In Its gift ?: Who gave It to the state T -"We,
the people of the United States, in order to
establish Justice, Insure domestic tranquillity, pro
vide for the common defense, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity, do ordain arid establish
this Constitution." Bo the state has, and can
lave, no power save what the people gave or shall
give It as tbeir.servant, not as their master. ,
Well, who are the people? Men only? If so,
the Mahometan is right In his hideous idea of
woman as a .being existing only for thepleasure
of man, , who alone Is possessed of an ini mortal
soul. A pleasant and sensible idea, surely, for
Americans.
What were the facts in regard to the very met
who framed our Constitution, and who spoke of
themselves as "the people"? , Did they alone
achieve the tremendous results of the Revolution
ary War? No ! a thousand times no 1 Brave as
they wretlhc yfiould-neTcr have won the day bai
not the noble, patriotic women at home done
double duty. They tolled out-doors as well as In
at everything mortal woman could do, that father,
brother, husband and son all who were able to
flght-Wgbt go forth to drive the hated invaders
from the land they lovedand "secure the.bjes
lngs of liberty to themselves and their posterity."
Where would posterity-have been without the
hsroU eTurtlam of thane wreaJorful patriot moths
en during the long, dreadful years of war? They
.patriotiathers fought In" the fleld.LThey did quite
as much to secure the freedom of these United
States as did the brave men who 'counted not
tbeir own lives' dear unto them,"Tut frecly;gave
all for their country. Doeslanyone dlspute-thls?
The great poet says 1 , 1 - L .,
M Tboy !) nr who only lnd nd wait.?
And what a terrible waiting was theirs, as well as
working f-What-man-Is there-who would not
rather face all the dangers of the battle-peld than
to wearily toil alone at home day in and day out,.
year n and year out, doing all his wifes work as
well as Iris own, wlthno stlmulous but tlie sensel
of duty 7 If he hesitates, le nlm remember -the
terrible anxietv felt hv (he patient workers at
. r s
home for. their lovejl ..ones,-the sickening dread
felt day by day lest wounds or death may have
befallen them, and then let him answer. If this
point be conceded, It cannot be denied that worn
en, eqljaTIyvi'ltbThien, earned the freedom enjoyed
by men, and by them denied to women ; and If
women really were any proper part'of "we the,'
peopletjbten they surely had a right to the "Jus
tice" established quite as much as -to the "com
mon defense" for which therunlon rwas formed.
Their Interests should have been Considered Jn
striving "to promote the general welfare," and
"the blessings of liberty" surely ought to have
been secured to them and to all their posterity,
Instead of only half.
Rut iiIs easy to see why woman was not dealt
with' Justly then, which was the proper "time.
Men,- ha vl ng always been-subjected to-Jii ngly ruhv j
could not be expected to develop at once abso
lutely just Ideas of human rights, comprehensive
enough to include woman'the weaker vessel,
who was still supposed to be In duty bound to
"ask her husband at honie if she would know any-
thing." Paul's wonls, of merely local application,
those of Jesus, who spoke for all humanity through
all time, "Whatsoever ye would that men should
do, unto you, dojre even so unto them." .The'old
idea of the patriarchal age was still Imbedded
deeply In" the mIrids"of'airUt;,afew"prophetfa
souls living far. in advance of their age. Each
man was an independent king over his own fam
ily, and his queen was also his subject. ; :
Thus we acquit those who founded our goveru-
rnment of any intentional Injustice to theJr wives -j
an!d mothers; but- we think their .UescendaiySk
have had time to gain clearer, broader views of
what is due tlieir sisters, and to them we look for
.. .'.... . -j '- i
ine jigiutng or me anciem wrong,
The steady march tf .the grand Ideas of individ
ual! freedom' and absolute equality haa . Jieyer
ceased since those ideas tc gajalhe coiigiicel.olLthe
Western world; and tliey must gojon winning vic
tories, gathering strength and power, illuminat-
I,JfTi.itiw1.r ,T rlo,in.l 1y Ijrtmfanw mill prnJinHnA,
till thegloomy reign of oppression shall le forever
ehdel;and .the, whole wide eartlislialljown their
sway, hen tliere will be up more any disposi
tion to deprive even the poorest and weakest of
Owl's creatures of any right or privilege. Instead,
tlie strong will -glory In giving to the w;eak every
opportunity, every assistance f and the greater
the real superiority. of one hunaii being over an
other, the greater will be his elforrto lift up the
1 ri ferior to post tlon at his slder-Marrwl U strlvrT
to help Woman to a broader, easier path, a more
inspiring atmosphere, higher rewards, and in all
things a freer,-better Hfe. " Then women will iiQ
longer be contented, as too many now are, to be
interior beings. They will see, as many do not
nowsee, the real dignity of human nature, and Its
need of, as well as its right to, un trammeled ac
tion and .free speech and thought, accountable
only to the Father of all. Men and women will
then see that they rise or fill together ; that
neither aloneean reach the highest excellence,
the greatest usefulness : that If the sons are to be
noble, the mothers cannot be permitted to be Ig
noble; that If men are to maintain- free Inwtitu
tions, they must imbibe a love of liberty from free
mothers, as well as Inherit the capacity for great
ness from mothers naturally great. History
shows that all really great men have had mothers
of strong minds and wills, as well as warm, tender
hearts; and they have been honored and respected
as, well as beloved by their husbands-have been
practically free, at least in -domestic; life. And
here, I think, isthe great point which, once
gained, will give us the suffrage as a matter of
course. . , .
Men found Unnecessary long ago to pull down
the priest from his false position between Ood and
man, in order that man might leanvhls duty and
find-his inspiration directly from the eternal
source of truth ana light. l-,ven so man must
step out of woman's sunlight, and no longer as
sume to be Intermediate between her and God.
Man must learn to be wHIIng that woman should
do herown thinking, ami Ti0f merely echo his
women be really free. Then, and not till then,
peoplex by .the people, and for the popple." r
We are all so hedged about by the circumstances
in which we are placed Independent of our wills-
by our'envlronment," as, the scientist woyld
say that' no act of a fellow mortal ought to add
one single turn to the mazes of the labyrinth of
human life. At last all will see that It Is a cruel
wrong to throw one obstacle'ln, the way of any
struggling aoui; tul the weaker, tlie more-Ignorant,
or the more helpless the being, the greater
the wrong Yet'lhat-1 Isf what" men "do " uncon
sciously when they refuse to ermlt women to
think for themselves' to be'governed by their own
sense of right and dutyrTtls what they ;"ilo when
they refuse to reieal unjust laws--when they re
fuse to permit woman to exercise her right to a
sharej in the government, to a voice In the expen
diture of public money raisedjn part by taxing
her property. It Is what women themselves do
whetrtbey Ignorantljrdenounce as tmwomanly"
tliose who in the heat of the conflict for human
rights are uttering ringing words for liberty and
striking yaliaut blows for freedom; yet they
think Deborah, rrlscilla, Maria Theresa and Vic
toria good and great. ""'';..'
Ah, good, sister, sittingat ease In your comforta
ble home, protected, and even supported, It may
be though every woman as well as every man
ought to be proud to earn a living have you ever
thought that there are many, very many, who dp
not, like you, have all the rights they want? Do
you hot know, what Is the truth, that thousands
of your sisters every year In free America suffer In
purse, In body and In mind from the effects of un
just laws that these women you; dislike are striv
ing to blot out by the aid of good men? And
even If you do not wish fo help them to secure
JiiMtlce, you ought not to oppose their having It if
they can get it without you. But you are oppoa-
more hopelessly upon their weary shoulders ; you
are encouraging their oppressors when you talk
slightingly and contemptuously of those who are
trying to secure eqwal rights. You are doing more
tban you Imagine ta put;otT-thereigu of Justice
and right by saying that you do not care for them
and that you are free enough.
Right here Is the greatest obstacle in the way of
securing equal rights. Women have been so long
taught to believe in the Mlltonlc L'ea of woman
hood that they are slow to accept the truth that
all women as well as men were created free and
equal. They do not understand what freedom. Is
what jlutjes and reijvtnsHlllties tare. If ,Jhpy
did, they would sfiaine, those puny patriots' who
refuse to exercise their right of sulTrage because
the polls are not generally tdeawant placer tp,go;
or elephant, or even a newrer, though poorer, rela
tion, the qmkey. - .., . 'V
Hpeaklug of animals, reminds me that there Is
not a single Instance among them, 9 far as I
know, of the larger male tyrannizing 6ver tht
smaller female. This proves that It is only be
cause man's naturelitperverte! that he ever does
so. Further proof 'Is found In the fact that, as
fait as meneoineOjif from" under the' domlnVnce"
of the lower and selflh faculties jmd are swayeii
by the senw of 1-lghFantl justlce7 they sTrlke off'
the fetters that bind woman, end wish her' to aT
sume her own proper place as an equal compan
ion. The best men are fast coming to see, with
the clearest-headed woman, that she must be per
mitted to use man's strongest weapon of self
defense, that dread of despots, that friend of free- '
tlom, the ballot. Why should she not ? fDoes she "rr
not need It? If man thinks it essential to his
protection, surely woman, so much weaker, needs.
It far more. In fact, she Is more defenseless than
the mothers of any other race. The lioness needs
little protection, from her lordly mate. The softly
cooing mother dove Is scarce gentler or more, ,
timid thanj her loving and peaceful companion.4
But woman, peculiarly liable to Innumerable -dangers
alas, not from wild beasts only has no
means of defense adequate, to her needs, and mutt ..
depend largely on the generous care of man. This '
arrangement, however, Instead of being unjust, is 7
I perfectly adaptel to unite the two In the closest
bonds of sympathy and affection, and woman re- , -turns
s full equivalent for all she receives, Inhe""
refining and elevating Influence she exerts on her
natural protector. But the truest, best protectors
are those who are not only ready to defend woman
with their lives. If necessary, but those who will:
ierl -defend herself in every possible way,
who will put into her hands every weapon of de- '
fense they themselves esteem, and who will vln- ' N'
dlcate her right to them. As no class has ever yet
shown Itself able to truly represent and properly'
legislate for ny oilier-class, these noble men in:1";-""'
slst that woman shall be permitted to exercise her -natural
right so long withheld, and defend herself, -.'
her chlldreif and her home by man's chief defense,
the ballot, to which she Is Justly , entitled, They r
deprecate, as we do, the political enslavcmehtof '
women, and they, as well as we ourselves. Intend
to labor ceaselessly till It Is endc
iMfaune Ihelr party Is ruliSTby King Caucus; and
because they don't-care for politics, any way
haven't time, etc. "It Is the fuilf nf jnat aiitrTw
that the things exist of which they complain;
amL whcn women, once get , their consciences
mused to a sense of duty In this matter,ittie'Twni
show men how to correct all these evils, ami will
unite In demanding the ballot, and will do their
duty at the polls as they do it elsewhere, because
it Is duty and ought tobedone; When their eyes
are opened to their need of freedom and its use to
them and their children, they will wonder, as
many already i how they ever-eould'. have been
so blind; and they will not neglect their other
duties, either. . .... .
Has anyone so little faith In the native good
ness of women as to really believe the silly asser
tions, so' often , made that they would 'renounce
their wifely and maternal duties if they were as
free as their husbands?. Buch an absurd slander
surely does jiot need refutation. No One who
cherishes and reveres the memory of his mother
can think for one-moment that she. oould ever
have been less than she was had she had greater
privileges and broadcropnortunltlcs. - CertalnlyJ
no one who believes in an all-powerful Creator
can Imagine that any human laws, compulsory or
repressive, can be stropger than the laws of Ood,
written on the hearts pf men and women. And
as men's hearts are not weaned from their families
by exercislngfthelr right of self-government, thers
Is '.no reason whatever to suppose thai' women
would be so strangely and .unnaturally affected.
. What Is the record of the Book?. In the begin
ning of the history of the race, ''God created man
male ami female created he them, and gave
them" not him "dominion" over all f.he rest' of
the earthly creation rand we see Jhat he endowed
them equally, though differently, and gave to
both the same feelings and sympathies, the same
love of life and liberty, the same aspirations after
a higher life, and the same desire for happlrWss
here and hereafter. Man was given the stronger,
coarser frame and nature, while to waman, as
compensation for her., weaker form, was given
greater fineness and delicacy of nature. Though
man has the larger brain, woman has the keener
ture been perverted by wrong-doing, he would
of superior physical strength; for if that 'gave
right to rule, man himself should serve the lion,'
Those who really fear that Woman will be de
graded ly-Jterc4lng legvenght osel
government must strive to cultivate more faith
the Creator, In His wlstlom as well as In Ills good
.neB.Jlt liemjrestass
He wasdolng when He made Ills last specimen of
The Idea of man's ownership In
creative skill.
nymnUM hard,
in a dcspor.il ta .strugglo) amid'fVre ' ""'
and devastation. These frightful
and carnage
agents of death have long fought to sustain tire . .
divine riglH or kings to rule their fellow-men, and
this weary earth must drink still 'more of the .
blood of her children before this hoary monster
will finally yield to. the Irresistible power of-the
Prince of IVace.It Is no wonder, then," that we "
must labor long ami earnestly to destroy an evil
more ancient, probably, than either of them the '
strange Idea of man's ownershlpof woman.x,But
already the ax Is laid at the root" of the Upas tree
of selfishness, which has always been the blight- -ing
curse of humanity, and Instead of Its noxious
odor1 we already begin to perceive the rare fra
grance of the new-budding leaves of the "tree of '
life, whose fruit Is for the healing of the nations."
Eighteen centuries ago a wonderful Light led
wise men from tle East to a humble manger-bed, ,
where they saw a more wonderful Child in the ' j
arms of a tender human, mother. Ever since then,
gleams of brightness have cheered ttie weary -watehevilcrclngile
gloom f time, ami heraloV
Ing the dawn of the glorious day of liberty. Ood
appointed no man to go forth as His messenger on
earth'toprechn JeTIverance to the capTTv'Ie7
chose a woman, who was the consummate flower
of all the slow ages, and made her the mother of '.
His son. that she might give him her own human
life and nature. Hlie guided his tottering steps'
and clasped his helplens hands and I lift rue ted his "
infant mind, until at last, Infancy, childhood and
youth all safely passed, Jesus received his divine
commission, ana went forth to found an everlast
ing kingdom on the eternal principles of love,
Justice and perfect equality. Thus he ushered In
the day so long desired, and In whose sunllirht we
are so blessed as to live. Where can Jbfr foundao
erfect a rule of life ashls divine words, "Do unto
thera-as-ye would they should do unto ; vou11?-
What wrong, what Injustice, could exist If these,
simple words, were heeded? Ah, do not quote'
1'aul, nor any lesser men since, though their name
is legion. Consider what (he Savior said, for
whatever conflicts with his pure, perfect precepta
must go down. On this sure foundation, then, we
base our claim to our natural rights, of which we
are deprived In defiance of that Golden Rule We
think It would be best for men as well as women,
and that It would be eminently expedient; but we '
AjJttULlrpednm find arnlninsutif all bseauso t ton
rlirht that we should have it.
grand.
Dare to
do the abstract right, and trust God to make it
expedient." - " .-. --v------"
A riKht that we should have lu
v pjjoirigJLJEOJULld rommpnd fn all tha
words of one of America's noblest sons "J