The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-16
LETTER FROM LAURA DsF0ROE
GORDON.

1ue journey lrOm OlUCinldti W Ddibi-
more over the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road presents many attractions superior
TO any other route for those particularly
who admire the beauties Of nature in
her untamed and rugged grandeur.
Compelled to leave Cincinnati by the
train that should have passed through
the most romantic and interesting por
/ tions of West Virginia in the night, but
which was fortunately delayed several
hours, we made most Of the journey
during the day. On the evening OF July
Sth we reached Parkersburg and crossed
/ the famous railroad bridge across the
Ohio river before dark. 1t is marvel
Gus structure of solid stone and iron, gi-
gantic in its dimensions, being nearly
two miles long, and is considered the
pride of all bridge architecture and con-
struction in the United States.
From Piedmont, at which point we
arrived about daylight, to Harpers Fer
~, n distance of one hundred and twen-
ty-fve miles, the road wound in and
out of the rocky recesses of the Allie
/ ghany Mountains, following closely first
the north fork and then the main
branch of the Potomac river, afiording
some of the finest landscape and noun
tain scenery TO be found on this conti-
nent. The very beautiful views along
the Pennsylvania Central Railroad are
poor in comparison to this portion Of
/ Virginia as viewed from the cars of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. What
makes it doubly interesting is the fact
that so many places along this route en-
ter so largely into the history Of our late
war. The blackened ruins of the Gov
ernment buildings-arsenal, etc.-at
Harpers Ferry still remain TO remind
one of the sad tragedy in which John
Brown figured so conspicuOusly, as well
rs Of the late terrible contest between
the 'Blue and the Gray" Passing
Point of Rocks, we thought of Balls
Bluff, not far to the southwark, where
the lamented Baker met his fate.
At 1890 p. NJ. OF the 9th we arrived at
Baltimore, five hours and more behind
time, much to the disgust of the few
tardy delegates TO the Democratic Con-
vention, who fully expected TO be pres
ent at the opening session, which had
been held in the morning and adjourned
till 7. N.
We found Mrs. Dundore in waiting at
the depot, with the information that
Susan B. Anthony, that noble veteran
in the woman cause, and Mrs. Isabella
Beecher Hooker were already in the
city and hourly expecting US at the
suffrage headquarters, at the Maltby
House, whittier we repaired at once.
At four o'clock proceeded to the DEM
ocratic Convention, and witnessed the
permanent organization of that body.
The result of its deliberations you are
aware of long since, and the only fea-
ture of interest to the readers of the
NEW NORTHWEST at this time is the
work of the Woman Suffrage delega-
tion. Our letter to the Convention was
referred, with others, to the Committee
on Resolutions and Platform without
being read. To this Committee we APP
piled for the privilege of presenting
some arguments in behalf of our claims
After n long, long debate upon Platform
the Committee decided to give our
Woman Suffrage delegation n hearing,
but the lateness of the hour decided us
to return to our hotel before the member
of the Committee came to inform us of
their desire 10 hear our arguments, so
they were not presented. We were as
sured by number Of delegates, who
were in favor of Woman Suffrage, that
il was impossible for them to add to the
Cincinnati Platform, since it had been
decided to indorse Greeley and Brown
but they said had the Cincinnati Con-
ventiOn put Woman Suffrage plank in
their platform, the Democrats would
have adopted it just the same. Under
the circumstances it was impossible,
and we were willing it should be so.
The thought of endorsing Horace Gree
ley seemed too repugnant TO every
woman engaged in the cause Of equal
suffrage to be treasured for a moment,
and we inwardly rejoiced that Woman
Suffrage did not find 4 place in the Gin
cinnati Platform.
4 few Democrats held out bravely i'm
the Baltimore Convention against the
determination to bury the party in the
tomb prepared by the disappointed Of
fice-seekers at Cincinnati, but were
pOwerless to avert their fate, and quiet
ly took themselves away from the great
national gathering and organized a
boilers meeting, which was but little
more than last gasp of the Democ-
raey. Now we find them, with few
honorable exceptions, following rs their
standard-bearer the late presiding gem
ius Of the y. y. Tribune, who has so
emphatically declared that "all Demo-
erats may not be horse-thieves, but all
horse-thieves are Democrats" How
are the mighty fallen!
The two great National platforms and
their respective candidates are before
the country, and an impartial people
will decide who deserves to be entrusted
with the guardianship of our National
interests the coming four years, Grant
or Greeley. The former, whatever mis-
takes ne has made as President, or
fallen short Of our ideal in social or
moral matters, has no such record Of