The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-07-30
GRANT AND WILSON

political action has come. For the first
time in the history Of our country woman
has been recognized in the platform of
large and dominant party. Philadelphia
has spoken and woman is no longer ig-
nored. She is now officially recognized as
part of the body polite. The fourteenth
plank Of its platform declares "the Repub-
iican party mindful of its obligation to the
loyal women of America it expresses graf
ifieation that wider avenues Of employment
have been open to women, and it farther
declares that her demands for additional
rights should be treated with respectful
consideration" We are told that this
plank does not say much, that in fact it is
only "splinter !" and our "liberap
friends warn us not to rely upon it as
promise of the ballot to woman. What it
is we know full better than others. We
recognize its meagerness we see in it the
timidity of politicians, but beyond and
through it all, we farther see its promise of
the future. We see in it the thin edge of
the entering wedge which shall break
woman's slavery in pieces and make us at
last nation truly free-a nation in which
the caste of sex shall fall down by the caste
of color, and humanity alone shall be the
criterian of all human rights. The Repub-
lican party has been the party of ideas, of
progress. Under its leadership, the nation
came safely through the fiery ordeal of the
rebellion under it slavery was destroyed;
under it manhood suffrage was established.
The women Of the country have long look
ed to it in hope, and not in vain; for to-day
we are launched by it into the political
arena, and the Republican party must here
after fight our battles for us. This great
party, this progressive party, having taken
the Initiative step, will never go back ON its
record. 1t needed this new and vital issue
to keep it in life, for Cincinnati Endorsed its
work up to this hour; the constitutional
amendments, the payment of the bonds in
gold, the civil service reform, the restora-
ton of the States. 1t thanked the soldiers
and sailors of the republic, it proposed lands
to the actual settlers. The Republican
party went up higher; it remembered all
citizens. The oidows and orphans of the
soldiers and sailors were not forgotten it
acknowledged its obligation to the loyal
women of the republic, and to the demands
for additional rights, of all women, what
ever their class, color, or birth, it promised
respectful consideration" It's second
plank declared that complete liberty and
exact equality in the enjoyment of all civil,
political and public rights should be estab-
lished and maintained throughout the Union
by efficient and appropriate state and fede-
raj legislation" These two planks are the
complement of each other, and are the
promise ofexact and equal justice to woman.
They were the work OF radical woman suff-
rage Repubicans-of Wilson, Sargent,
Loring, Caflin, Hoar. Fairchild and others.
They were accepted by the candidates.
General Grant. in his letter, expresses his
desire to see ''the time when the title of
Citizens shall carry with it all the
protection and privilege to the hum
Dlest, that it does to the most excited"
Ills course since his elevation to the Pres-
dency has always been favorable to in
creased rights for women. He has official
ly recognized their competency and has
given them many government positions.
Senator Wilson is an old and staunch advo-
cate Of woman suffrage, and his letter in
pointed terms refers to the recognition Civ
en- woman by his party, and says ito her
new demands it extends the hand of grate-
full recognition and it commends her de-
mands for additional rights to the calm and
careful consideration of the nation" And,
TOO, thus early in the campaign, the
strongest men of the party, among whom
are Forney, of the Philadelphia Press, Ger
ritt Smith, Bowen of the New York hide
pendent, and President White of Cornell
University speak of this recognition as in-
PRODUCING new era into politics.
While the old and tried Republican par
ty in its platform and candidates thus gives
woman assurance that her claim to equal
political rights is to be respected, the other
party in the field gives her no promise
either in its platform or the letters of its
nominees. The Liberal Republican party
is new party; it has no record; it has
done no work; it is wholly untried it ig-
nores women, and by its silence in regard
to the equal rights of one half OF the pco-
pie, most important question now in
the political horizon,-it proves itself un-
worthy of its name, unworthy of wo-
mans confidence and UNIV orthy of the
votes of truly liberal nAen. In regard to
its candidates, Gratz Brown, once our
friend, has practically gone back on his re-
cord. Horace Greeley, its chief nominee,
has for years been our most bitter, scath-
ing opponent. Both by tongue and pen
he has heaped abuse, ridcule and misrep-
Tesentation upon our leading women, while
the whole power OF the Tribune has been
used to crush out our great reform. And
now that he is a candidate for election to
the highest office in the country, he still
continues his bitter and hostile course to-
ward one half of its citizens. lie presses
the iron heel Of despotism upon their liber-
ties; and in answer to our appeals he says,
he ''neither desires our help nor believes
WIS capable of giving any,"
What can liberty expect from such man?
What can woman hope from such a party?
Women of the Republic, you cannot in
self-respect give your aid to such nominees !;
you cannot in self-respect work for such a
party. 1t has repulsed you, pushed you
back, said to you go hence"
The Republican party, with Grant and
Wilson as its standard bearers, opens its
doors to you. By its fourteenth plank it
invites your aid and cooperation.
Shall it not have it? Women of the
South will you not work for your own free
dom?. Women of the North will you not
strive for your own enfranchisement?
g There is q tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at its flood leads on to fortune.
But we must take the current when it serves
our turn,
X Or lose our ventures"
For us to-day this tide has risen; for us
to-day the current serves our turn. Let us
lay aside our party preferences. Let us one
and all forpet our many grievances of the