The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-29
From Harper's Monthly Magazine.
The Woman Question Abroad.

1t is singular that in the country of /
Jane Eyre the woman's movement, as |
] it is called, has certain solidity which |
lit has not yet attained in this country.
Many most eminent Engiishmen are
not only known as friends and advocates
of political equality, but they have
urged it upon Parliment; and while the
fashionable woman, or woman of So
lciety, rs she is called in America, is gem
orally Indifferent to the subject, if not
openly hostile, Lady Amberiy, who
will, in the order of nature, soon be
Countess Russell, does not hesitate to
address meeting in this country in be-
half of the equality of her SEX Yet,
again, the laws in England weigh more
heavily upon women than in this cOun-
try; and the movement for their pOlit-
ical equality usually eontemplates the
voting of those who represent property.
: The most significant recent event in
the history of the cause in the United
States is the passage of resolution by
the Massachusetts, Republican COnven-
tion commencing the subject to the
thoughtful consideration of all citizens.
The president of the Convention, Mr..
Hoar, of Worcester, spoke very strongly
i'm favor of the movement in his opening
address. 1t is thus formally introduced
} into party platform, not, indeed, rs
T policy, but as a consideration. The eff
fort at recognition, which has been good
) humoredly but resolutely laughed down
before, has at length been successful.
} Such success is emphatic proof of the
firm hold which the question has taken
of many most practical minds, and it is
not to be doubted that the subject Will
command constantly more attention.
? Yet is one which by its associations is
, so easily assailed by ridicule, and is so
susceptible Of odious Misrepresentation,
) that nothing is more necessary TO Its
5 friends than the utmost patience and
: good h1mor 1t is in itself question of
:, the utmost gravity both for men and
women. 1t involves very great change
) in political habits and thoughts. But
;, grave as it is, its gravity may be readily
|. misconeeived and misstated, and like
I all great causes, it may sometimes stag
u ger, wounded, in the house of its friends.
; Meanwhile, a great cause is not to be
d Judged by the follies that attend it, more
Il than civilization by its frontiers II
anybody supposes that the question
: which the Massachusetts Convention
If commends to thoughtful consideration
l. is one of new methods of divorce, he is
a as ludiciOusly mistaked rs if he imag-
ined it to be one of q new method Of
u computing eclipses. Yet there is nc
e doubt that the progress of the move
le ment has been very much Obstructed by
70 such oppositions. Questionable advO-
Gates always harm their cause. There
: must be such, of course, as bummerS
N must attend an army. But if you want
4. to understand the object of the march, il
= is better not to mind the bummers, but
to inquire at headquarters. If anybody
L in England had advocated the extension
IS of the suffrage for the reason that il
n would enable poor men to vote into theiI
I, pockets the money of rich men, he would
do precisely what is done by those who
Ie allege that the extension of the suffrage
ii here would produce this or that direful
result. 1t is something that nobody can
= know. a possibility is not an argument
u until you have made it an imminent
/ probability.
Ie Every reform has its disagreeable
r stages of growth like hehuman system.
Mumps and measles and scarlet fever
- must not dismay US, however nor breed
], despair of the issue. Silly men and
t, silly women, ful6Of cOnceit and senti-
,r mentality, and what is Familiarity known
:. as popcock, are unfortunately not pecu-
y liar to any particular department of hui
Is man interest and activity. If the new
lr cause is often advocated with feebleness
n and intolerable illogieality by women,
= Just think of the i'll logic and and the
u futility with which it is opposed by
lie menl But as insanity is of no sex, and
/ the foolish of one sex are admitted, why
If should the wise of the other be eX-
cluded?
"Oh dear Mr.. Easy Chair,n SAYS
p, some friend far away, ''you are not really
in favor of this unnatural thingl You
would not have the vine wrestling with
the oak, would you? Oh, let US respect
the laws of naturep Well, well, dear
madame, we will do what We can. But
have you reflected upon the number OF
masculine vines and of feminine oaks
~ Shall we say that oaks only shall vote
II, That may be wise; but you see that il
suggesting it you have abandoned sex a:
- a basis.
h Indeed, the oak and vine argument
" has been retired, after long, meritorious
rs even if painfully ineffective, service. i
at q. is plain that if the progress of the caus,
- is to be stayed, it must be by some othe
NJ argument than that women are veal
n n and men are strong, for the simple rea
GU son that all men are not as strong as al
,o I women; and if strength is to determin
Nv the question, a great many apparen
10 10 oaks will be disfranchised, and a grea
". many vines go to the polls. There i
ns no solid argument in that directio
=. but that of the kind mentionsd i
20 Bret Harte's little poem, "And hose
vi VI well, hosses is hosses.U Wome
T., are to be excluded because they ar
,sS women, and the advantage of the argu
he ment is that, at least, it can be stateC
~ even If it cannot be understood.
~, Meanwhile the real argument in tn
rs case proceeds. Here is Jane, who quiet
ta ly and honestly makes her own ivin
n,, and supports her paralytic father an
ny her drunken brother, and every yea
= the father aud the brother may decid
- the disposition of her property, and sh
~ may not so much as express dissent, bt
n, cause it is indelieate and unwOmanly fC
.as. nc women to mix in politics. Jane doe
~ e not ask it. Jane has never suppose
S -, that anything else is possible. Jan
III III goes to no meetings, and would blush
In In you thought she could speak. But II
, aIs John of clear head who sees her doe
Nv Ji not feel the argument And whe
'n Julia, with the same right to speak thi
- 81 Jenny Lind had to sing-namely, I'll
'h gift of elOquence and the wish to speak
- calmly states the argument which job
,n IA feels, he may muse little, because it
~ ~, very true to him. And so the questiC
J .;f is being answered.
NE The mother of Mrs. Mansfield, of III,
tiff notoriety, is living, it is stated, i'm Nj