The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-01


voters" The author of this quotation
will undoubtedly agree with me that
when women gain the ballot, the pO-
litieal power of husbands will be effec-
tually prescribed, and thus the equality
now existing between vOtOrs would be
preserved. After informing us that ''to
allow woman the ballot while still under
the dictations of her MASTER her vote
would only tend to Strengthen the
chains with which man has bound
woman to his WILL" he further says:
"1f women are ever to emaneipate
themselves it seems to me they must all
vote and rote together. This will not
be the case so long as their oppresSors
hold so large majority of them in the
bondage imposed by the marriage rela-
tiOn." 1 am glad to find that our'author
understands, at last, the true position,
and acknowledges so frankly that man
made the law that so harshly cOmpels
submission to his own will, and that he
freely admits that men who make the
marriage relation a bondage are Oppres-
sOrs. We shall find, as We proceed in
our investigations of Scriptural author
ity, that oppressors are no part of the
Christian economy.
Again, "women cannot be free voters
so long as marriage is a covenant of
obedience on the part of the wife, pro-
lection on the part of the husband" On
what authority is marriage made a
covenant" of compulsory obedience on
the part of the wife? Not OH that of the
Bible, as we shall see. Ecclesiastical
rites and ceremonies should not be
allowed to hold political sway in this
land of religious freedom. Is our Gov
ernment, which we have been wont TO
look upon with affectionate and grateful
pride as the nursing mother of freedom
of conscience, just at the moment that
other nations are emerging from relig-
ious thralldom, to set up the inquisitiOn
and our rulers to assume inquisitOrial
robes that they may judge of our religi-
Gus fitness to receive the ballot? But
would not the marriage contract be az
holy and quite as binding if obediene'
were left a voluntary offering on tn,
part Of the wife, the husband and wifi,
simply cOvenanting to love, cherish ant
protect each other, thus making then
politically equal? Thus much for No.
In paper No. 2 is the following
"Without claiming for the Bible divine
origin or superhuman l claim for it
bothl il must be acknowledged that it i
the basis of the religion and jurispru
denee of all the nations of the earth il
which women have any rights accorded
to them" i am satisfied that Ou
author has in the foregoing expression
found (perhaps unconsciously to himself
the right key to the solution of th'
vexed question. "The nations of tn,
earth" in ages past had but a fain
glimmering of the principles of tn
sublime justice taught in the sacrec
writings contained in the Bible. / be
lieve that wherever its preeepts hav
been taught and received, there has beel
elevation of the minds of men, CORES
pOnding to their perceptions of the truth
, taught. 1t has been repeatedly asserte'
that no nation has ever possessed
, government that offered such perfect re
ligious tolerance as that secured to us b,
p our own; yet so long as wives are denie
a share in the law-making power becaus
q of their religious faith, just so long wi
9 the beautiful structure be faulty. Tn
D doubtedly the author of No. . is familia
. with the histories of the deadly persecU
n tions which occurred under the power
n the pOpes of Rome, at whose biddin
:, emperors and kings seemed to vie wit
r each other in the butchery of their sui
= jects; also the victims of the infamoU
o Jeffries, who under the reigns of Charlie
second and James second of Englan
# reveled in the blood of those who dare
q to exercise the rights of conscienc
/ Undoubtedly those prosecutors, in the
# blind bigotry, thought they were doin
Ie God service in compelling submission
% because the Scriptures plainly teaC
le men to be subject to their rules.
Is We will examine some of the arg
1t ments brought forward in No. by ol
ar author. He says, after givingus to III
to derstand that the Bible "has receive
D some rude shocks from the truths of a
Of tronOmy and the natural sciences
" ''that which accords with its teachin
Ir is right-that which is in violation
2? them wrong or SIM" He continu
be Though with the expression still wea
rs ing the shadow of his own doubts:
ne people that believes i'm the Bible will,
D. a matter of conscience, live in obedien
ly to laws which accord with its MOI
:? teachings" But protesting to beliey
IN and humbly believing at the sa1
fe time and governing the life by {
ty principles laid down in the Scripture
Dy are very different, and we are oft
be forced to admit that though many (hI
On bands ineluded) profess to see rules
e. the Bible which they delight to s
If others practice, they will not so mu
at as lift feathers weight to tighten t
ed cross others are bearing. There are sc
se eral portions of Scripture which conta
mt admonitions to husbands and wives, /
tie believe that no one passage is quot
)" with more supreme satisfaction by
of opponents of Woman Suffrage tn
lot "wives submit yourselves unto your o.
is husbands" l do not certainly know,
- o,,,. =, - Al. -. H.. - ,,,. ,,-l,o4Io- l..