Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-12-17

legged to look tor legislation, but 70
class not always the most enlightened
in views, the most liberal in sentiment,
the purest in morals, or the most patri-
otic in principle, who aid in legislation
before becoming truly Americanized !;
by which we mean, accustomed to our
peculiarities, institutions, social life, our
broad comprehensive educational sys>
tenn, acknowledging the Bible as the
surest basis OF true national greatness,
and our inherent independence, respect
ing ourselves, most thoroughly yielding
graceful Difference to each other, exact
ing no more than we are willing to
grant in return, or even, 10 many
instances, before becoming thoroughly
familiar with the Constitution and law
of the land of their adoption. Again
although changes have been made in
the laws to insure the protection of
woman. yet it must be remembered that
the honor is not due to Legislators alone,
but to the noble efforts OF n few self
sacrificing men and women who have
toiled indefatigably TO SO mould public
sentiment in behalf of woman, her
needs, and her grievances, that in defer
ence to that sentiment legislators would
be compelled to act; sand they still
continue their unwearied efforts, regard.
less of the opprobrium or opposition
they endure, not only TO secure the
permanence of what has been granted
as privilege, but to ensure a.greater
good by merging that privilege into a
right, as it would become, if the power
OF defence was superadded. The as
sdmed fact that few gentlewomen, by
simply appealing to the wisest and most
respected men of the nation, can infu-
cnce the repeal of any law bearing
unjustly on the sex, speaks volumes for
the success Of these noble workers, in so
guiding public opinion in favor of
woman, that SO great an object may be
attained by SO slight an influence ; in
so arousing woman to sense of her
powers and obligations, as to lead her
to converse aud write upon the subject:
that, too, with reasonable hope of
receiving attention. We remember
we'll the time when TO have advised
woman to so energetic course would
have aroused far more surprise and
Indignation than does the appeal for
suffrage at the present time; nay fur
ther, for example, woman in the olden
time, who expressed desire to retain
the control of her maiden property
after marriage was esteemed as selfish.
deficient in womanly faith and conf
dence; now, as the result of legislation.
thousands of women, not one whit the
less womanly, have the disposal of their
own property, no unpleasant remarks or
feeling being elected. No necessity
exists of revolution we shrink from it
instinctively Woman has hitherto
glided gracefully into the responsible.
ties aud eujoymen,s of the privileges
granted her; and should more priyi
legcs be granted her; aud should more
privileges bring more responsibility,
from the long experience Of the past,
VIC do not fear but that she will sustain
herself with honor and dignity in the
future.
The inalienable right Of suffrage does
not belong to all women in a greater or
less degree than men. 1t is exceedingly
questionable whether all men are capa>
Bile of selfgrovernment and on a sub
ject which has agitated the world for
ages, and is still agitating nations, it
behooves as to speak very modcstly.
The history of modern times onlv
repeats the experiments of the nations
of antiquity. The problem seems MS far
from solution as in the days of Greece
or Rome, and there is constant strug>
gle for power, and as constant resist.
ance now as ever, aud it will so remain
until the glorious reign of Emmanuel
shall usher in universal peace. Yet
while we are of the opinion that the
restrictions to the franchise should be
much closer than at present, we cannot
conceive of any reason why. those
restrictions should bear on sex. They
might reasonably bear on position, cul-
tivation, morality, nationality, property,
or state of majority, each one oil
which disqualifcations assumes de-
gree of inferiority in the party SO
deprived; and they could be brought 70
bear equally on both sexes. Woman,
answering to every qualification requir.
ed of men, is precluded from exercising
the power Of franchise and wherefore!
Because it is assumed that she would be-
induced to neglect important duties
Permit us to dissent from this view Of
the subject. Woman's conscience i.
not less keenly alive to duty than that
of man; and we have failed to see tha,
the attendance to political affairs iudici
ously exercised, ever crippled 40,
mans energies, or absorbed TOO much O
his time; on the contrary, by giyin.
him an active interest in the affairs O
his government, he has become mor'
!. energetic, more self reliant, more capa