The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-10-06
Mr.. GERRY BRIEFLY REVIEWED,
BY IsoLA WORTH.

EDITOR NEW NORTHWEST:
l had not intended using my pen to
write i'm favor of Woman Suffrage, but l
cannot resist the impulse to write few
lines in reply to a sermon preached by
the Rev. f. Gerry at the Congregational
church, Oregon City, Sept. 18th, and
published in the Enterprise of Sept.
29th.
The second clause of his sermon in IA
vor of ''Baby Suffrage" was the most
absurd theory 1 ever listened to. He
seemed to feel deeply the Outrage upon
a young man of twenty years and eleven
months" whom the law yet classes with
"infants." Perhaps he has Il twin sis
ter; what of the "Outrage" upon her?
We know he has a mother who has seen
two score of years, and yet it is no "out
rage" upon her through all the years in
which she bears the burdens of life to be
classed with infants" There is through
out the length and breadth of the land a
feeling of superiority among the larger
portion of men, and it was this very idea
of superiority which first awoke my dor
mant thoughts in favor of Woman Suf-
frage. Mr.. G.. says that "children are Il
part of the people, and therefore should
have a voice in the Government" If
heartily agree with him in this, so soon
as they shall have reached that age in
which they can discern good from evil,
and are capable of exercising that jUdg-
ment. But the law does not hold that a
woman ever reaches that age, yet if she
violates any law of the eoutry it holds
her responsible. Is this right or just?
In answer To his third objection, |
would say that it is a libel upon women
to say that they do not assist i'm eXecut-
ing the laws in time of war. l was Il
resident of slave State at the breaking
out of the Rebellion of '6l, and | have
some idea of what the horrors of war
really are, when brother is arrayed
against brother and father against son.
y large share of the aid bestowed by the
L. :. Christian Commission upon the
sick and wounded soldiers during the
war came from women, and call We the
I tears of agony shed at parting by the
mothers, sisters and wives of soldiers
nothing? have seen women with lit
tie children around them, working and
waiting through weary months and
years for the return of husband and
I father, and i'm some cases every energy
had To be put forth for the support Of the
little ones, for the SlS per month at the
beginning and the SIG per month at the
close Of the war, received by the COM
mon soldier, would not 90 very far to-
wards supplying the father with the lit
tie luXuries he needed and supporting
the wife and little ones. Can you guess
the anxious hours of watching and the
fearful anxiety everyone Of these women
endured? Sometimes the husband re-
turned unscathed from battle, some
times he came helpless cripple, ant
many time was the kiss hallOwed witt
bitter tears at parting, the last cares,
companion of her life and the father o
her children, and she was left to strug
gle alone through hopeless Years am,
rear her family as best she may. ] ON
day saw Il widow whose only son ha'
been taken prisoner ut one of the hard
fought battles in Tennessee. She wa
nearly fifty years of age, and she said L
me, 81 can bear to live alone, chop IN,
own wood and do enough hard farI
work to support myself, but the though
that my son is probably an inmate q
that vile prison pen at AndersonvillC
being slowly starved to death, cause
every mouthful of food to choke me.
: And i'm her honor be il said that her eye
were filled with tears and her voic
chOked with emotion. And we know
that this wall arose from the hearts q
thousands and thousands of women
And vet il is asserted that woman doe
not ''assist' in executing the laws of tn
nation. Think you, Mr.. Gerry, tina
these women can ever forget their SUI
ferings, and, il they had the franchise
would they not exert all their influence
to hasten the time when man shall for
get his brother man to slay, and Peace
shall reign triumphant over all the
earth?
If | believed politics exerted the foul
eorrupting influence which Mr.. G. seem,
to think, how earnestly would entreat
my father, husband and brothers to for.
ever shun the horrid monster. As oul
Reverend friend seems so fond of Paul, ]
suggest that he read Titus l, Is.
OREGON CITY, Sept. SOth, 1871.