The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-11-09

week, an article under the heading
of "a Protest" which, in justice tc
the cause it SO strongly opposes
should be examined in temperate,
liberal manner, since it may create
false Impressions or tend towards
making some persons who are unde.
cided about the movement, enemies
to it. We think no one is more fully
cognizant than ourselves Of the fact
that no,c is the time to consider this
very important ISSUE, for--all that
has been said to tho contrary not.
withstanding--it is iping issue
and one which will have-a prominent
place in politics for, perhaps, many
years.
We cannot agree with "Republi
cam in his theory that the woman
movement "should come in its OWE
name, and with a platform Of princi
Piles Of its own choosing" We can
not agree with him in calling it q
suicida! issue to the party which es
pouses ite cause !; nor can we agree
with him that there is any necessity
for the death OF the Republican party
so long as it confines to be, as 1t al.
ways has been, the champion of the
right and the opponent Of the wrong,
Nol it cannot, however, maintain
its life by hanging onto old issues; it
is to be by its taking up the new
ones as they present themselves and
by its continued zeal for free discus.
sion Of these issues that that party is
to live these many years. Suppose,
for instance, that the Republican
party had allowed the abolition of
slavery to remain upon a platform OF
its own; where, may I ask, would
the party be to day? What the con.
dition of the country? If we might
venture upon . little conjecture we
think it would be in very much the
same condition it was previous to
the war, and although the canvass
Of the abolition question submerged
the country in civil war, yet, who
would say that the country is not
to-day in more prosperous state
than ever before?
That the condition of the woman
is SO bad as that of the African
slave before the war, we would not,
of course, imply; but the principle
upon which she Is lowered beneath
the sterner sex, Eve mean politically,
not socially, and we consider politi-
cal privileges the equivalent of, il
not superior, to social privileges, J
is as contrary to the principles Of
Republican government, as the prin-
ciple upon which one man is allowed
to buy or sell another.
But We have digressed from the
main question too far already and
will therefore devote little attention
to some other arguments produced
by "Republican." He says "Idm
not mistaken when l say that a large
portion of the intelligent, thinking
men of all parties, have already
reached the conclusion that political
privileges with us are extended to
the utmost limit compatible"
Since "Republican" seems so sure
he is "aot mistaken" it may appear
out of place in us to notice this para.
graph ; but zoe think he does mistake.
Firstly, in implying that a large pro-
portion OF intelligent men are opposed
to the movement and secondly, in
the inferential statement that the
supporters Of the woman movement
are ignorant, and Of course, unworthy
of notice. Now we would like to
direct Republicans attention to
just few of its supporters: What
does he think of such men as Henry
Ward Beecher, J. Stuart Mill, Theo-
dore Tilton, Gov. Sam'l Merrill, of
our own State, and host of others
who have shown their good will for
the cause y their hearty support :?
Would he throw away their opinion
as useless and unworthy of notice !?
We think Republican" does not fully
appreciate the noble movement he
so vehemently denounces. 1t is
certainly not q mere pleasantly in
politics.
In his treatment of it, he reminds
US Of the snake, which having slept
all winter, expected to find farmers
plowing for winter wheat but we
are happy to inform him, that the
spring-time has come, and that the
harvest will soon be here when women
will have-what they have never had
before-their just dues. Fearing,
Mr.. Editor, that we have already
transgressed beyond q reasonable
space, we will defer notice of the
remaining points advanced by ere
publican" until another time.
More Anon. RADICAL.