Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-31
ut give favorable impression of his financial


The Massachusetts woman suffrage associa
ton has taken the same course it adopted last
year to aid its friends in determining which of
the candidates for governor should receive their
votes Letters of inquiry have been addressed
70 all the candidates, and each, except Mr..
WashHurn, has responded. Mr.. Adams re.
Spouse is frank, but adverse. He says:
"a regret very much that Ihavc not the time
nj my disposal just now to answer appropriately
and at length your polite letter of inquiry as to
my opinions upon woman suffrage. but you
may perhaps gather all the information which
you require nom a bold statement that | am,
after careful thought and some study, hrnlly
and unequivocally opposed to woman suffrage,
aud | shall feel il my duty in the very lmproDa-
bic contingency of my ever occupying any con-
siderable public office to stand by the old i'm
memorial division Of activities and functions
which seems 10 me to lie atthe foundation oil So
cety.'
Judge Pitman writes;
Having given this question a "most careful
and respectful consideration more years ago
than care to recall was quite prepared 10
record my vote, in 1869 among the nine senators
who for the first time had the honor of giving
their votes in favor of an amendment of the
constitution of Massachusetts placing female
suffrage upon an exact equality with male. 10
my record and 10 my public uttcrances refer
in youI note TO the fact that upon this matter
"the prohibition platform is SILENT | frankly
confess 10 a regret that II IS so. Silence is bet
ter than eyaSiye platitudes but the convention,
in my Judgment, should have spoken decisivelN,
upon the right side No pcrson should be quicker
than the friends of temperance TO perceive
that woman is the best ally of any cause which
stands for the comfort, the safety and purity of
home ! think the vast majority of the pro
hibitory party do see this, and are ready lndi-
vidually TO welcome female suffrage as an
added force for good in the commonwealth.
But / can conceive how many friends of your
movement over cautious though ! deem them,
might hesitate in laying the foundation OF a
new party TO offend the earnest conYlctlons oil a
minority 1t was very much harder to do it,
because Of the marked want of sympathy Of
some of your own leaders with any phase
of the temperance movement, and the
careful refusal of your own conventions to
express for our cause the sympathy when You
ask of us Tor yours. For myself, | am urn
believer in the brotherhood of all true reforms,
and gratefully recognize the fact that you are
working for us even when you know il not.
But your greatest, | might say, Your only serl-
Gus obstacle is the Indifference Of woman her
self to your movement. To overcome TINS, you
need to appeal more cmphatically to her moral
nature Show her what she is 10 do in the pc,
litical battle against the powers of evil, ana
with all the force OF her womanly instinct TO
succor and TO help, she will hasten to use for
others sake, the ballot she does not now prize
for her own.
Mr.. Chamberlain says only, a believe in the
ballot for woman. 1t is the platform | stand
upon
OF Mr.. Washburn the Woman's Journal
which publishes these letters, says:
'Hon. William B. Washbum is LIBERAL pro-
| rressjve man, who has not hitherto been known
| ms a pronounced woman sutffagist. In his letter
| of acceptance, however be heartily endorses the
| republican platform, including the woman sui
fraae resolution and intmates THAT he is prepared
| to 90 still further in the support of our reform
| We have ascertained that he has helped to estaO-
! fish woman suffrage in the Orthodox Congrega-
| tiona church of which he is member, and that
he has BEEN for years, in the habit ofcirculating
| petitions in opposition TO liquor licenses among
| the women Of his locality. We have reliable as
suranees that he is neither hostile nor indifferent
to woman's claim. If Mr. Washburn should be
elected we have reason believe that his otfic ial
influence will be felt in the legislature OF the
commonwealth, next winter, in behalf of wom'
ans equality
The Womau's journal advises the friends OF
woman suffrage to vote either for Washburni
, Pitman or Chamberlain, as their opinions on
other subjects incline them TO prefer either can
didatc; bur by no means to vote for Adams, who
showing the general sentiment Of his party, is
| opposed to progress.