The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-08


meneed by Ben. Butler early in the
session, who introduced a bill in the
House asking for a Deelaratory Law,
with view to protecting women in the
exercise of suffrage under the Fourteenth
and Fifteenth Amendments to the
National Constitution.
Then the memorial of Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Isabella B. Hooker, Susan B.
Anthony, and Others, TO the Senate OF
the United States; its having been
referred to the Committee on Judiciary;
the hearing Of the memorialists accorded
them by the Committee, January 18th
altogether constituted brave and
effectual storming of the strongholds OF
partial representation. While the report
of the Committee was pending, another
Woman Suffrage bomb-shellw was thrown
into the Congressional camp by Gen.
Manson, Democratic NJ. c. from Indiana,
who presented a memorial from a large
number of women citizens of his district
praying for the removal of all statutes
limiting suffrage to the male sex. Said
memorial was presented Jan. 18th and
referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Previous to this, however, Hoar, ol
Massachusetts, had introduced a bill
against the Territorial disfranehisement
of women, with a view, doubtless, to
correct the injustice of the Wyoming
Legislature in the event of their repeal
ing the Act granting women the right OF
suffrage, which>to the honor of Gov.
Campbell, be it said-they did not do.
Wilson, of Massachusetts, next intro
duced bill for the acknowledgements OF
women in all the Territories.
Jan. 24th Mrs. b. A. Lockwood, OF
this city, member of the National
Woman Suffrage Committee, and
Chairman of Committee on petitions,
acting in behalf of the 5000 women oI
the nation who had signed a petition
asking for the passage of DeclaratOry
Law to secure to them the right to vote
under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments, presented said petition tC
our faithful friend, Gen. Butler, asking
him to introduce il to the House, for the
consideration of Congress. This hC
kindly consented to do, ''grateful for the
honor conferred upon him." The an,
nouncement had been made by tn,
daily papers that Butler would that day
present the Woman Suffrage petition
and large number of interested specta.
tors congregated in the gallery of th,
House long before the brave champion
of Equal Rights entered with the i'm
mense roll containing the petition anC
signatures. The House usually presents
the appearance of a most disorderIy ant
noisy school, where the Speaker tries il
vain to make himself heard by the in
attentive members, until by shouting a
the top of his voice, aided by sundry
blows of the gavel, he occasionally sue
ceeds. On this occasion, however, tn,
House became all attention the momen
Butler began speaking, and so cage
were many to hear every word he uttere,
that numbers gathered in a crow,
around his seat. Others compIaine,
that they could not hear, so Butle
suspended his remarks until all wer,
seated.
He said that in the discharge of hi.
duty he presented a petition for De
claratory Law to secure to women citi
zens of the United States the right t.
vote. What was their right should b,
secured by law, and the fact that s., ,OOC
women of America, from almost every
State in the Union, from every class anC
condition Of society, the highest and
/ lowest, the humblest and most refined
are here represented, makes this ques.
ton not to be ignored. Petitions are
constantly coming in at the rate of five
hundred names a week-nearly ter
thousand names from the Pacific States
and Territories alone-which makes this
a matter calling for the fullest attention
from the representatives Of the people.
Those women are not to be told this an
innovation or new thing. The right
Of protection of property was an innova-
tion on feudal law. In the parent State
from which we came n woman now sits
at the head of affairs, and her example
proves that women can safely be trusted
with the ballot. In anti-slaveTy days
there was no petition that rose to the
numbers and dignity Of the one now
presented. But rs it was with that
reform, so it would be with this. So
sure as the sun would rise from day to
day, so sure would suffrage be secured to
the women of this nation. He then
held aloft the huge petition and asked
that it be referred to the Committee on
Judiciary. He hoped the Clerk would
spread out the petition that the House
might see its length. One member
proposed to have it read. Another
facetiously remarked that it was to be
spread, not read. The latter being con-
sidered twenty-four hour job, the
member wisely withdrew his suggestion,
and the brief petition which headed the
roll was read, and the petition referred
as requested.
The following day beautiful floral
offering-an urn-shaped basket heaped
with camelias, crimson euphorhies,