Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-11
Universal Franehis. Association.

Universal Franchise Association.
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.
meeting Of the Universal Fran chise Asso-
cation was held Monday night at Harmouial
Hall, lWoodward's Bulding,l on ID street b..
tween 10th and l1th. ABOUT forty persons were
present. including eight OF ten females, three
colored persons, and three boys Al five min
utss past eight o'clock Prof Wilcox called the
meeting TO order stated the objects Of the asso-
CATION, and gave history of Its progress for
the past year. In conclusion be Introduced
MISS Nettie nj. Pease, who began by paying an
eiaoorase tribute 70 freedom, at the CONCLUSION
OF winch she maintained that because the beau
nfnl form Of the female had not been en-.
lowed with all the privileges and rights which
man enjoyed, freedom had not done her work.
she wentover all the objections which had been
urged against the arguments of the orators in
tne cause OF wOman's rights, and claimed that
Jusuce demanded certain rights of govern.
ment for men, women were equally entitled 70
the same. In answer to the oft-repeated re-
mark that woman had never yet performed
any very great work, or made her particular
marx In this world, she replied that il hal been
so because woman had not been permitted
to MI her proper sphere, or been encour.
aged by man 70 see what she could do
Radical reform in justice 20 the female sex was
demanded. She should be prepared for her
advancement in the scale OF civilization by au
extended education; not that superb ial learn
ng W Inch females OF the present day acquired
but solid, practical education, embracing
among its branches pure physical study,
which Will fully develop the human frame,
and not permit 1t to be cramped by tight laciug
ana other systems OF fashion. Batter down
your college doors, open your professions and
give women the right TO vote; then she Will no
longer be an object of dependence. but will
demonstrate her ability 10 battle with the
worlds storms as vigorously as man. This
lhny Is 4 blonde, apparently about twenty five
years OF age. of delicate stature rather pretty
features. with hair friZZed around the edges
and smoothed down the centre. She was
dressed in what seemed TO the reporter at the
distance he was sittlngI bright brown silk,
closely fitting in the waist, with gold watch
and chain suspended from her neck. Her
voice was exceedingly weak and monotsnous,
and style and gestures decidedly sch1ol-child
IKE During the evening she occupied a seat
on the platform.
Dr.. John Mayhem then addressed the asso-
citation, setting out with the assertion that there
was no position that man was capable of I'LL
ing that woman was not equally lit for. In
fact, there Were features of the sex which, as a
general thing, made them better qualified: for,
in the purify OF her character she would al
ways act from instinct, and these impulses
should be entitled to the right of the bal.
lot box was, he thought, self-evident fact,
and until she was permitted to vote there
would always be corruption in elections. He
spoke in scaIhIng terms Of the supreme control
which the marriage rite gave man over wo-
man, and thought 1t was curse and stigma
upon civilization for the wife to be made so
much subservient to her husband as the law
made her-many of the husbands being
drunken profligates and tyrants. VINO squln-
dered her property without her will tn the
matter, and often inflicted physical abuse.
Woman was as we'll qualified as man for pub
lie or private station, and Justice demanded
that she should have these privileges accorded
her. Let US admit her, he said, into the Con-
gress of the United States, and legislation
would be not only purified, but the disgraceful
scenes which had frequently been enacted IN
our leg islatlve bodies would disappear
DIR. e. Il. Purvis (colored) being the next on
the list OF speakers, addressed the Association,
starting out with the idea that in the election OF
Grant and COltax as President and Vice Presi-
dent OF the United States the great work of
refor m had been advanced, and IN that reform
one OF the brightest links in the cham was the
bestOwal upon woman of all the rights which
man enjoyed. He thought the good work, "a
ne termed IT. was going brayely on, and cited
opened the fact that in both National aud State
legislation certain privileges had la.ely been
given TO women which they mad never had
before He doubted not that before the next
Presidential election women would be entitled
TO vote The dawn OF day was at last, he said,
dIscernible, and The election OF the Repu blican
candidates was the signal gun OF peace ard
justice TO all races and sexes.
Mr.. Wood, of Wyoming, next addressed the
Association. The problem OF progressive gov
eminent was one which the inferior intellect of
the craftsmanship OF the present day mad shown
itself incompetent to solve; but ne hoped the
tine would yet come when men having con.
troll would rise above selfish motives Of per.
sonal aggranGiz.ment and do that iusti &c to
woman which was her right The Work OF
reconstruction, he said, could never be perms-
nently erected tll woman was permitted ID
have her hand in it.
Prof. WILCOX followed in an appeal to the
business men OF the city of Washington TO come
forward and JON with the association In giving
woman her rights. The business, he said, of ali
comm uniues prospered in accordance with the
degree OF liberty enjoyed, and If the commercial
element Of place give to the female the
right 10 vote, The apex of human liberty Will
have been attained, and the wheels Of business
Will run freely on their axes.
Rev. Dir. Martin, of Chicago, closed the meet
ing with brief remarks, taking the groand that
III the extension OF woman's rights just in pro-
portion was the moral condition OF man i'm
proved. 1t had been urged, he said, against
wOmen's voting, that they would become con-
taminated by conflict at the polls with drunken.
swearing men; but this, he thought, would not
be the case long after the privilege was
EXTENDED TO the fair sex, aud in proof OF this
assertion lie called attention to the fat
that II was very unusual for men who
accompanied ladies 10 the theatre or other
places of amusement TO get drunk while acting
as their escort. Such would be the result il
females attended the polls on election day. for
no man of the slightest decency cares 10 be
seen drunk or heard using improper language
IN the presence of females, and the effect
would be that men would keep sober on such
occasions and deposit their ballots nationally,
whereas many OF them now vote without re-
gard 10 saneness OF intellect or principles OF
Justice. II was to improve the condition of
his own we'll that of the opposite
that he advocated female suffrage
Professor Wilcox then unfolded a petition -
Congress TO grant the right of suffrage To
women; but being unable to obtain any ad
di,ional signers thereto, after a reasonable
lapse of time he pronounced the meeting ad-
jOurned till next Monday night.
TIE POTOMAC FRoNT-Protracted north.
west winds have laid bare the bed of the Poto-
mac at points which were never disclosed
before ard kept back our port vessels bound
hIlhtrwards long since overdue. The steamer
Arrow, Stackpole, lett her wharf tor Mount
Vernon at the usual hour, with quite a number
OF passengers. Other matters will be found
below:
HITcey's EnGrf.-Sailed-Schr II. Ragap
Beck, Georgetown, 10 load coal for an eastern
port, Butterfly, Mitchell. for the same port 70
load coal for an eastern port.
carers Whdf.-Sailed-Schrs. Jane and
Mary, IardoD, down the river light; Mary
Haley, Haley, tor Georgetown, to load coal for
Whee ham. Mass; Martha Amer, Medley, for
Havre-de-Grace, light.
J0hHS0n's t.-Sailed-SchoOners Maid of
the Mist. Wright; Federal Hill, Wheeler: and
Thomas Miskimmons, White, all for Port DE.
post, light; Eliza Matthews. Merrel, for Hay.
re-de- Grace light. Mm.-Salled from Phila-
delphIa on the 18th and 81 inst, schTs AIexan.
dria and Potomac. with 225 and $50 tons of coal
for j. T.. Miller & Co.
Hley's Uharf.-Arrived-Sc Martha
Sh m Of (vhaSh nra