The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-07-26
LETTER FROM LAURA DeF0RCE
GORDON,

LTCAS PLATFORM AND ITS FOURTEENTH
''sPLINTER"-NEETISG AT LoSGwoOD-vIsIT
To ORPHANS HOME, xESIA, oHIo-FOR BAL
TpIoRE.
Leaving New York the same morn
ing that the editor of the New NORTH |
WEST left there for the Boston Woman |
Suffrage Convention, ride Of eight I
hours over the Pennsylvania Central /.
Railroad brought me to Huntington, I
Pennsylvania, thriving, pleasantly
situated town in the Allegheny Noun
tains. Owing TO delay of letters and
failure of kilograms (which are vexa-
ciously common, by the way, much
doubt prevailed in regard TO the an
nounced meeting, until our arrival at
eight o'clock removed it, and about a
hundred earnest and intelligent men
and women gathered in the hall to hear
for the first time a lecture upon Woman
Suffrage
Philipsburg, one of the most thriving
and pleasant villages in all that roman
tic and picturesque region, is located on
the side of a mountain in the Alleghany
range at an altitude OF about two thous-
and feet. The people are healthy, men,
tally vigorous and decidedly progress
sive. y large audience was in attend
ance upon the lecture.
From Philipsburg to Oseeola and
Charfield-pleasant little towns like
] pbiiinS btrrcr auI cifuaf.l q, "a, ,,,,,,.,
tains on a branch of the Pennsylvania
Railroad-where We lectured one even
ing at each place, and met with encour-
aging success, considering the ignorance
of the people mall that section of coun-
try upon the Woman Question. Sub
scribers to the NEW NORTHWEST were
obtained in each of the above places,
which would prove that the interest
awakened by our pioneer lectures was
not inconsiderable.
All that is needed TO be done in Penn
sylvania in order to secure TO woman
the right to vote is the thorough can
vassing of the State by some good lee
turer, prepared with arguments and
, printed documents to rouse the people
! up to consideration of the question be-
, fore the State Constitutional Conven-
f ton, which takes place sometime the
coming fall, convenes, of which fact not
many of those we conversed with upon
the subject seemed to be informed, 50
, little interest in political matters is felt
I by the masses of voters.
: Returned to Philadelphia in time to
t attend the National Republican Con-
ventiou. Found our noble advocate,
= Susan b. Anthony, the only one of the
= large delegation of ladies expected
!. there, on the ground and ready foI
!. work. OF course that noble and untir-
e ing worker required little assistance,
{ except from men who were members OF
| the Convention, which Miss \. easily
p secured the first day in the person oI
e Mr.. Henry b. Blackwell, of Boston
who presented our request to the Com
mittee on Platform, which was mar
q rowed down to the ncgatire recognition
of our rights contained in the 14tl
r plank-or splinter is more appropri,
: ate.
r At Tyrone, Pennsylvania, ! passed ;
q few days very pleasantly with som,
n friends known years ago as advocates o
, all that pertains to Human Rights, an,
d, who still remain true thereto. Lecturel
I here one evening to good audience.
z Again journeying eastward, in re
I sponse TO an invitation from friends il
Philadelphia, to attend the yearly meet
e ing Of Progressive Friends at Iongwood
5 Pennsylvania, we had q "feast Of rea
p son." and season Of social and intel
lectual enjoyment was entered upon an,
continued undated through three days
The record Of these annual meetings ex
, tends through two decades, giving evi
dence Of the devotion of noble men ant
women to the great principles of Hu
man Progress and Equal Rights.
t would be difficult to find as large pro
portion of yOUIg men and women il
any similar society in the country n
are 10 be found i'm this faithful band O
earnest workers. At this, rs at all pre-
vious meetings, the Friends gave thei
Testimony" in favor of Peace, Temper
anee, Woman Suffrage, etc, and excel
lent speaking characterized the discus
) siOns. Mrs. Livermore, of Boston, whC
was the officially invited speaker fo
this year at being their custom to spe
cially invite one lecturer for each an
nual gatheringl, was most interesting
and entertaining in her remarks. Sh,
, prefaced her fine lecture on Woman Suf
: frage with the facetious remark that {,
talk 10 the people there assembled in fa
, vor Of Woman Suffrage was like taking
Goals to Newcastle, since it would b,
but repeating their own views; but non,
could object to hearing their pet doc
trines, however hackneyed by constan
! discussion, presented in so eloquent ant
charming a manner, even again ant
again.
Having decided TO attend the Demo
cratic Convention at Baltimore an'
make a last effort TO have great ma
? tional party recognize 1leqWirOcdtly on
: right to vote, we started West to visi
e friends of other days, stayed few day
at Tyrone, the same ut Cincinnati, AN,
= then to Xenia, Ohio, where we passe'
. two days at the Soldiers and Sailor
/ Orphans Home. DIR. Griswold, the Su
] perintQndaut and bis au,iabip wife th