The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-04
New England Woman Suffrage AssOcia.
ton,

The Annual Meeting of this Associa-
tion was held in Trement Temple on
Monday and Tuesday Of Anniversary
Week, May Goth and 9th. About one
thousand persons were present at the
opening meeting.
At the first session on Monday even
ing, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, the Presi-
dent, was in the chair, and made an in
troductory address, as follows:
MRS. HowE's ADDRESS.
Ladies' and Gentlemen:-This Fourth
Anniversary of our New England
Woman Suffrage Association finds us
still asking for rights withheld and long
ignored. If you ask us what commOd-
ity we lring you this time for your en-
tertainment, we must reply "only our
little bill of rights which you will have
in the end to settle" For of all that
the community claims and possesses,
the last thing it can afford to lose sight
of is the fundamental idea, and convic-
ton of right, 10 which we appeal. To
no Caesar to be crowned and dethroned, to
no doubtful tradition, TO no ephemeral
fashion, but to the eternal right we APP
peal. Take note Of this, and see you
mock us not. Upon what foundation
shall your liberties rest if you deny us
ours Z? Be sure that every unjust meas
ure will be returned with interest to
those who have devised it. Those who
wrong US prepare for themselves and
for society much trouble and sorrow.
Let them study the true ideals and ex-
amples of justice, and acknowledge in
others the right and dignity which they
desire TO see recognized in themselves.
So much for our parley, and the banner
under which il is held. But now for
our actual condition. We still stand
without, stand and knock, as we have
knocked in years past, at the door of
Court, Senate College and Church, we
still stand and say: Open to us in the
name Of the future civilization, whose
pledge is that it shall give literally TO
all aud upbraid not. One thing our
knocking has done. IL has awakened
the people within these closed institu-
tions We hear them shuffling in their
slippers, and hurrying TO and fro. at
is those wOmen," they say, chow are
we 10 keep them out? They are wax
ing the whole world with their clamnr,"
and all the antiquated furniture of ira
ditiOn is hurriediy piled up inside. For
the doors shake, and the doOr-posts
tremble, and the door-keepers know that
magical key, which will open their
locks in their own despite. A time is
coming and is NJ hand when the barriers
will drop before us, and men in the new
light and joy OF our entrance, will
hasten to forget the baTbarism which
kept US out.
To leave SMILES. The very general
study and investigation to which our
claims to political equality have given
occasion are doing their work with all
candid minds. The justice of our claims
can no longer be denied by those who
know, or who care to know, what JUS
tice is. The miserable shifts and de-
vices which are brought against US,
make this sufficiently evident The
Rev. Mr.. Fulton last winter converted
10 our side those who came to hear him
as the advocate of the other. And
Pres. Eliot, in his argument against the
collegiate education of women the other
day, convinced at least one candid mind
of the truth of his facts, and the falsity
of his inductions.
Of one thing let us be glad, VIZ, that
meeting here and elsewhere to express
our true convictions, there is none to
make us afraid. No rack nor gibbet
awaits our protest against despotie
power. No spy turks to gather up our
honest words to turn them into deadly
witness against us. For so much lib
erty as We have let us thank the growth
OF divine doctrine, and a certain protect
ing and humanizing presence symbol
lied 10y the universal cross.
There are still certain penalties which
some among us might fear. The cold
distrust of those who cherish only one
enthusiasm or none. The depreciation
oi fashion, the supercilious wonder of
indifference. All, we who meet to-
gether here are beyond the fear of these
things. We know that the world will
love his own, and that God will justify
his own, and that though he has loved
the world, he has not given its worldIi-
ness power over Us.
One Of our great difficulties is still the
reluctance of the privileged women tC
admit 10 any equality with themselves
the women of the poorer class. The ty.
Tannical instinct of human nature here
allies itself with ignorance and preju.
dice Ignorance of what suffrage has
done for men-prejudice which neither
admits nor desires the general elevation
of the sex Men have been forced par.
TALLY 70 abandon this vantage ground
and TO seek rather to do their own besl
than to Outshine each other. But WON.
en- are still in the barbarism of endeav-
orlng 10 eclipse each other They still
desire that their merits should be
heightened by the shortcomings OF
others, and in so far as they do this,
they stand as obstacles in the way of a
true Christian progression. Those of us
f VINO know the happy secret of God for
All ana good for all, have much to do to
turn this flank OF selfishness. and to saw;
Leave f-glorification, and seek 10
glorliy God and womanhood. Then
your sisters praise will add to your han
piness instead of diminishing il y 7
asked the other day a question which
myself VIII answer. l asked why Pos
ton had been called the Athens Of 4 n1or-
lea? Now / know very we'll yvbv ~,
one side it may be called so II no.
within hearing of its call representat.v +. We.
of high thought and of phiiosopbic cnlt.
ure. l know of no place on earth wher,
so many good things are at home as ir
this very Boston. But my question
carries me back to another Athens thar
of Plato or Perieles, TO the Athens O
Shakespeare, with its immortal poets
Certain debates in the Massachusetts
Legislature during the last winter, forci
bly, reminded me of Snug the Joiner