The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-07
Gbe }it.au Stsort5west.
FRIDAY...................... ....-JCNE :, ls72.
rFrom the Tribune OF May lOth.l
The American Woman Suffrage Assoola'

AnpRFssE. or HESRY B, BI.AcKwELL ,, ANb ,s,i'
oTI1FPs-TrE cINCTNNATI rLATfoRM DE-
NOUSCED.
Ouite a large assemblage gathered at
ADollo Hall, yesterday morning, 10 par
ticipate in the anniversary exercises OF
the American Woman Suffrage Assocla-
tion. Mrs. Lucy stone Blackwell pre-
sided. and among those on the platform
were Mrs. WilbOur, the Rev. }. L. Clark,
Henry B. Blackwell, Helen VI. Jenkins
of Pittsburgh, and Mrs. Mary a. East
man.
Mrs Blackwell briefly reviewed the
history of the woman suffrage move
ment for the past year. The Legisla-
lures of nearly all the States had had
the subject before them in some form.
The Governor of Massachusetts had rec
commended the passage Of 4 suffrage law
in his message, a thing never before
done by any Governor. In Congress
too, the subject had received attention
and the friends of the cause there haC
been able to secure the passage of an acI
providing that there should be nC
restriction Of the suffrage in any STATE
where il now exists, and this was intro
duced with especial reference TO The
women of Wyoming and Utah. In IN,
Church, too. the cause had made hopeful
progress. There had been more women
admitted to preach than in any previous
wear. The preaching of women was not
forbidden, and the great apostles Ol the
Church and the large audience thai
listened to Mrs. Smiley, and the larger
one who read the report of her discussion,
would judge intelligeutly between heI
and the wise men Of the Brooklyn Pres
bytery, and the result Of that judgment
could not fail to be in favor OF the cause
Of woman. The newspapers nave laleIy
treated their attempts TO gam their Isiils
with more fairness than before Even
the Cincinnati Convention, 80 much op-
posed TO Woman Suffrage, had by its
late action done a great deal more good
than harm. She wished to state, she
said, for the public information, that
they were not present rs disorganizers,
but to assert their rights, and for sueh
rights they looked forward TO republic
can form Of Government. She then
stated the object Of the present gather
ing 10 he the discussion Of all topics rel
ative 10 the cause Of Woman Suffrage.
DR.. Clark Of Boston claimed that there
were no possible arguments against
Woman's Suffrage. He read several
articles on the question from leading
scientific journals, characteriZing them
as nothing more or less than mOonshine,
and entirely unworthy Of refutatiOn. He
contended that although at the present
moment the idea Of Woman Suffrage
was laughed AT and scoffed at, the time
was not far distant when those who now
laughed would come forward and not
only join in the cry but claim to have
been the very pioneers Of Woman Suf-
frage.
Mrs. Helen p. Jenkins OF Pittsburgh
said that woman has no right to be q
drag on her husband, and the only way
10 throw off that drag was to permit her
TO participate in the political struggles OF
the nation. Why should woman be
treated as political nonentity? Why
should she be treated rs a serf2 The
nation cannot afford the exclusion Oi
woman, and for her own sake a woman
must be something more than a tea.
drinking gabbler. For the sake of al
coming generations, woman must b,
elevated to a higher standing, and al
though the time Of her suffrage ap
preached but slowly, she felt satisfied
that i'm 1876 every man i'm the land would
take the hand of enfranchised woman O
America who would, not only be al
ornament to the country, but a blessin,
10 the universe.
Mrs. Deyo, a Quakeress, of Dutches
County, spoke in favor of Woman sui
frage and universal peace and fraternity
Henry 3. Blackwell said that tn
Woman Suffrage movement was not i
the interest of any political party, nc
IN favor of any particular candidate.
dld not propose any revolution in SOci:
intended 10 ~
the mind, the heart, and the cOnscien,
Of t5e American people that n gre:
moral and political reform was needle
which must begin by enlisting in Il
active business of the Governmel
every man and woman capable of form
ing political opinion. They had ju
heard of a great Convention of ms
gathered together in Cincinnati whiC
prOfessed the object of reforming Anne
lean politics; vet when the platform
that Convention was read, the fa
appeared that il was very like tho
platforms which had previously bee
put forth, and that there had been Il
same old wire-pulling, the same shal
practice, the same struggle for selfis
interests that had distinguished Il
conventions that had preceded it, al
for himself he did not see either in Il
candidates or i'm the platforms an
assurance of political reform. III
demand for Woman Suffrage was simpl
ademand for right on the principle tn;
governments are Just only when the
Obtain the consent of the governe'
Hall the governed are women. Polite;
government is from the people. and OF
half the people are women. deprived
the use of that power. The women
Massachusetts were taxed on Sl3l. 600
600, and on this account they claim
have voice in the government of Il
state. All the political corruption
the country arises from the fact that Il
best men do not attend the primaI
meetings, which are the real sources
power; and in every town and ward a
through the United States half dOZe
men make il their business TO q
together and decide on the future cOur
of action of the party, and rs is their d
cisiOn so is the result. Every town an
ward is governed by a ring, and il is i'll
TO suppose that Mr.. Greeley's nOmin:
ton or election would destroy ring
when that very nomination was I'll
work of a ring. Horace Greeley was
man for whom he had great respect. II
believed him to be as honest as any DO
ltlclan, but he had said of Woman Su
rage that 1t meant free love, and whe
e >alu lhat he said that which makes
tlIe uuiy OF every woman in the countr
80 NoIh 1 nard to defeat him for the ollic
~ resident. Horace Greeley had sal
'.i wa ne Knew was not true. and a ma
Nno y would say that, having a man
irlehGs In favor of the mova1,a,,t -
De neld responsible for his utteran ~ ~, :
Wen as the Convention that noaiisa, ,,,;G,as !
him. They had refused admiSI;nil io.iiir '.Ie Z
woman solely because she was a. 1ro,,'.o ~
and they had refused to incornopnta T.'t,,
Woman Suffrage plank in their MI n1a,
form; ana although the speaker In
wished the Iiheral Rnnrl.Ii.,.-.- Ila