The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-09-19
The Women and the Presidential
Canvass.

To the Women Of the United States:
Women of the United States, the hour
for political action has come. For the
first time in the history of our country
woman has been recognized in the plat.
form Of a large and dominant party.
Philadelphia has spoken, and woman Is
no longer ignored. She is now officially
recognized as part of the body polite.
The fourteenth plank Of Its platform de.
clares "the Republican party Is mindful
Of its obligation to the loyal women Of
America; it expresses qualification that
wider avenues Of employment have been
opened TO women, and 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 iactit is only a splinter
and our "liberar" friends warn US not 10
rely upon it as promise Of the ballot TO
woman. What 1t Is, we know full better
than others. We recognize its mesgre.
ness; we sec In 1t the timidity of politi.
clans; but beyond and through it all, we
farther see its promise Of the future. We
seein It the thin edge the entering wedge
which shall break woman's slavery IL
pieces and make US at last a nation truly
lree-a nation in which the caste of sex
shall fall down by the caste OF color, and
humanity alone shall be the criterion
Of all human rights. The Republican
party has been the party Of ideas,
and Of progress. Under It's leader
ship, the nation came safely through the
fiery ordeal of therebellion;under It slavery
was destroyed; under 1t manhood suffrage
was established. The woman of the
country have long looked to 1t in hope,
and notin vain; for today We are launch.
ed by 1t into the political arena, and the
Republican party must hereafter fight
our battles for US. This great party, this
progressive party, having taken the in.
itiaLive step, will never go back on Its
record. It needed this new and vital is.
sue to keep it in lie, Tor Cincinnati in.
dorsed its work up TO this hour; the con.
stitutional amendments, the payment Of
the bonds In gold, the civil service re.
form, the restoration Of the states. 1t
thanked the soldiers and sailors of the re-
public, it proposed lands to actual SET
tiers. The Republican party went up
higher; 1t remembered all citizens. The
soIdOpS and orphans Of the soldiers and
sailors were not forgotten; 1t acknowledge.
ed its obligations TO tie loyal women Of
the republic, and to the demands for ad.
diional rights, Of all women, whatever
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 established and maintained throughout
the Union by efficient and appropriate state
and federal legislation" These two planks
are the complement of each other, and are
the promise OF exact and equal justice to
woman. They were tho work Of radical
woman suffrage Republicans-of Wilson,
Sargent, Lorlng, Clafin, Hoar, Fairchild
and others. They were accepted by the
candidates. Gen. Grant, in his letter, ex.
pressed his desire to see the time when
the title Of citizen shall carry with II all
the protection and privilege to the hum.
blest, that 1t does to the most exalted"
His course since his elevation to the pres.
idency has always been favorable to In
creased rights for women. He has oflc.
tally recognized their competency and has
given them many government positions,
Senator. Wilson is an old and staunch ad.
vocate of woman suffrage, and his letter
in pointed terms refers 10 the recognition
given woman by his party, and says; ITO
her now demands 1t extends the hand Of
grateful recognition and 1t commends her
demands 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
arc Forney of the Philadelphia Press,
Gcrritt Smith, Bowen Of the New York
independent, and President White Of Cor.
nell university, speak Of this recognition
as introducing new era into politics.
While the old and tried Republican
party In It's 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 It's platform or the let
ters OF It's nominees. The Liberal Re-
publican party Is q, new party; It has no
record; It has done no work. It is wholly
untried; 1t ignores women, and by It's 81
lence In regard 70 the equal rights Of one
, half of the people,-the most important
question now In the political horizon II
proves itself unworthy Of It's name, IN
worthy Of woman's confidence and IN
worthy Of tho votes Of truly liberal men
, In regard to its candidates, Graft Brown
! once our friend, has practically gone bach
, on his record, Horace Greeley, It's chic
/ nominee, has for years been our most bit