The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-10-18
wOman's Relation to the Two Political
Parties,

Although some of the leaders of the
cause of woman's advancement We're
present at both Cincinnati and Baltl-
more to watch the issue, and also 10 adj
voeate recognition of woman's right 10
industrial independence and citizenship,
we believe there is not one who to-day
Is not glad in her inmost soul that no
such recognition was gained, but the
rather that woman's claims We're only
the subject of sneers and scoffing.
This very ignoring of woman by the
Old time enemy of all reform-the
Demoeraey-not only proved essentially
conclusively that the new cry of reform
was but by-word in the very mouths
OF those who most vehemently shouted
IT, but 1t sent women straight back to
their old and only honest allegiance, to
the Republican party.
It is something for politicians to re-
iieet upon to-day, that more than any
thing else ii was the apostacy of Horace
Greeley from the cause he once espoused,
and his bitter and scornful mockery of
all woman's efforts to rise from the
helplessness in which she was morassed,
and the false etiquette by which she was
beiogged, to a higher standard of wOm-
anhood; we repeat, il was more this
than anything else which drove woman
| for brief time of desperation to exclaim,
that the acknowledged champions OF
Republicanism, reform, justice and
equality had been faithless to her, and
/ for this cause she would, if encouraged
to do so, cast her lot with the opposite
party.
1t can hardly be claimed that this was
an honest or praiseworthy act. 1t GER
! tainly cannot be believed that woman
acknowledged any debt of allegiance to
the Democratic party-the party which
had slain her legal protectors, and yet
offered her no equivalent protection, by
creed or legislation. 1t has never been
alleged that woman's whole soul turned
to the Democracy willingly, for what II
had been or might ever be. But, dlsap-
pointed i'm those who should have been
her friends, sent back repeatedly to hel
dependence and helplessness by the
party in which she had always centred
her hope, CALLED and oppressed by un-
lust legislation, finding that the party ol
reform was unmindful of furthel
progress, she turned desperately away
and promised her allegiance to any
party which should acknowledge anc
protect her right to industrial indie
pendence and citizenship.
The result was as might have been eX'
Dected. The Democrats, true to theil
old instincts, failed utterly to recognize
the Justice of woman's claim or theil
need of her allegiance. And when they
made Horace Greeley their candidate
for the Presidency they swept away for
ever from themselves all claim to he
loyalty, and all hope that it might b.
again promised to them, though it b,
sought carefully and with tears.
Why, it was because this name, Hor
ace Greeley, while the pretended cham
pion of Republicanism and progress, ig
nored the cause of woman-it was NOR,
for this than anything else, that woman
forgot for n brief moment that the Re
publican party was, after all, her ONLY
bOpe, whoever among its leaders shoul'
be faithless to its principles.
And now, when the party which al
ways turned its face backward from
everything that was lofty in principles
courageous in morals, just in sentiment
or progressive in attitude, simpl,
adopted Horace Greeley as their chic
candidate because of his faithlessness t
the other party, because he, too, had
like it, turned his face away from tn
higher views and aims and reforms G
the Republican party, the women of tn
country, rs a unit, turned back to thei
old and only honest allegiance, accepte
the slight encouragement previously OF
fered by the Philadelphia convention
and went loyalty to work for the part
i'm which for all years they had put thei
faith and grounded their hope.
And, as we said at the beginning, W
believe they are glad to-day that tn
Democracy offered them absolutel
nothing to bind them to an allegianc
which would have been hateful and i
opposition to every pre-cOnceived belle
prejudice and principle.
, There is much in politics in whic
women are interested beyond the mer
elevation of their own sex; and there
nothing in all the creed of the Demo
cratic party against which their just an
generous natures do not inevitably rebe
Their labors have always been with tn
Republican party; in the anti-slaver
movment, in the cause of negro suffrage
i'm the grand struggle for an inviOlat
Union, to which they gave their labOl
their prayers, and their possessions,
every cause of liberty, humanity an
progress, women have walked hand
hand with the Republican party.
In the same attitude they stand to-day
not altogether for the meagre eneOul
agement they have received, but moT
from a devout principle, an inhereu
, faith, a recognized duty, and a whole
heartedness with which they coul
never, under any circumstances, hav
? gone over to the opposition.
= United with this is the firm belief an
[ conviction that the party which, wit
the shedding of its best blood, seized tn
colored race out of servitude, and cor
: dition of unpaid labor, and unacknow
5 edged citizenship, cannot long renal
blind to the necessity, for the sake {
every principle of justice and equaIit
which it holds dear, of emancipatin
| one-half the loyal citizen of the ccuntr
E from a like condition of inadequatel
, paid labor and udrecognized citizenship
: = WoBld1fS Campaign.