The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-13
SEXUAL POLITICS.

In looking over the piles Of exchanges
that were laid away for our personal
consideration upon our return, we find
much that would have made times live
ly for the newspaper business had we
but been at our post before the allusions
to and criticisms upon ourself in partie-
ular and Woman Suffrage in general
became so stale and fiat as to render
them, at this date, improbable. But
our political opponents are still endeav-
oring to make capital out of 'sThe Silent
Man of Destiny )" so for their enlight-
eminent, if indeed it be possible to pene-
trate the filth-encrusted Uranium of a
sexual politician, we publish an article
from the Olympia Courier in another
column; also extracts from some pri-
vate correspondence relative to the
same subject, which was held last
March with a prominent Republican
gentleman of this State, who, not see
ing our object in resorting to Allophathic
treatment in 4 necessary attempt to
cure a great, aggressive ulcer with
which men were innOculating the
Woman Movement, but who only saw
possible harm aceruing to his party
from the publication of facts which he
could not gainsay, took us to task in
kindly severe and mercifully caustic
missive, which, had he consented, we
should have gladly given to the public
DIT -,
ence, or rather such parts of it as relate
directly TO the question at issue: said
our friend:
'Ts it nothing that General Grant has
reformed and is now leading virtuous
life?"
To which we unhesitatingly replied:
owe emphatically avow that it is
much, everything"
again" said he, suppose a woman
had done so, do you think ], as her
neighbor, would be justified in publish
ing her former career long after she had
reformed ?'
''Most certainly you would not,n we
wrote, "unless she were a representative
head of a great class Of people whom you
knew you could teach a great moral,
wholesome and much-needed reform by
expressing the facts for the good of q
down-trodden half of her constituency.
Suppose now that this woman en-
joyed the highest honors in the gift of
her fellow women, as President of n
great nation that she should then ig-
more the anchised-imagine now
that the present relations of the sexes
are changed-and that she should give
forth her annual messages in which the
rights of voters (women) were carefully
considered, but treating with silent con-
tempt her large majority of disfran-
chised constituents who had by tens Of
thousands petitioned her for the rights
of freemen, not even rebuking the par
ties in power for their scurrillous libels
upon the character of virtuOus men
with whom character for virtue was
the only possible defense), don't you
think an earnest, conscientious member
of and leader in the disfranchised ranks
would in that case be justified in pluck
ing the beam from the eyes Of the DOM
inant party, that that party might thus
see clearly to pluck the mote from the
eyes of the subjugated class a?
I'VE agree with you that Gen. Grant
has reformed. We have nothing TO say
against his Administration that we
would not say against any other one
sexed and consequently corrupt Admin
lstration. We published the at
TACK without the explanation that he
,iAo reformed on purpose to make our
ore1hren Of the press realize how terri
Diy disgusting and nauseating is the
uose winch they thrust down the tbroats
oil women when they sanctin,onio,,sI,.
slur about the impurity Of Ioodars :,
the woman movement. of ,,,,,i.,. =,
cannot prove one word of trn,h
an conclusion, we now saw who.
would not say when We published o'.e We
article on The Silent Man Of ~. l oui
because to have done so then ,,'nS ,,'-.s,,
have been TO neutralize the effect of a.,
mems own prescription-namelv. tba
we honor Gen. Grant or any other ma,
who reforms from vicious life; but ",
have learned how to make our man
rights brethren Vince, and shall repea
the dose of facts doubly distilled if W
find that what we have already sal
does not cure them Of their penchar