The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-17
DEMOCRATS AND SUFFRAGE.

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The Democratic papers, with good APP
parent show of reason, assert that the
many women who, during the cam
paign, trusted in the pledges of the Re
publican party, have come to grief be-
cause Miss Anthony and fourteen others
have succeeded in getting woman's citi-
zenship legally tested before the L. S.
Courts; and the said papers exultantly
boast of this simply because the wom-
ems plans are working to their complete
satisfaction. But suppose these women
are adjudged guilty of illegal voting
what then? Will the men who have
/ persistently permitted ballot-box stuff
ing and repeating among themselves,
never opposing by attempt at hindrance
thousands of illegal voters from exercis-
ing an assumed prerogative, now con-
denim few of the irresponsible class,
among whom are reckoned idiots, insane
persons and children, to suffer the ex-
treme penalties of the law?
We know very we'll that the politi-
clans expect no such thing.
Miss Anthony, who is better lawyer
than Geo. H. Williams, knew just what
she was doing when she planned the
legal crusade which is now arrayed
against her and her friends. And we, as
well as the rest of mankind, know that
4 tribunal of men will not dare adjudge
these women guilty of violation of the
law. Public sentiment is too far adj
vanced for men to thus presume upon
the forbearanee of the intelligent better
classes of the Republic. The Demo-
cratic party may find what present con-
ISOLATION 1t can conjure up i'm the idea
that the women who created the last
Republican victory were "sold' for a
compliment" but time will prove that
they knew just what they were doing
much better than the political party did
that sold itself to pseudo Republican
Convention, with no prospect in it for
ghost of success, and no promise in it
for the respectful consideration" of
their cause, even if it had succeeded.
We have never claimed that Republi-
cans as individuals were more progress
i've in regard to Woman Suffrage than
individual Democrats. We have found
the best and most intellectual men and
women of all parties equally favorable
to the movement, while the worst and
most bigoted and ignorant of all are op-
posed to it in a corresponding ratio to
their lack of good morals and common
sense. But the Republican party came
nearer than any other to the recognition
Of the rights Of woman in its platform.
For this reason, and because they were
determined to make their opponents feel
their pO1Cer Of opposition against DO-
lticaL foe, the women worked as unit
to defeat the party who placed their
greatest enemy at its head. That
they succeeded admirably in what they
undertook we think it hardly worth
while to avow.
But the Republican party can learn
one wholesome lesson from Democratic
comments if it will but heed them.
1t has promised woman's claims TO
the ballot respectful consideration. "
Woman has accepted this as far as it
goes, but she now demands political
action. She has fought and won the
party's battles, and now, according to
the rules of warfare, she demands her
share Of the spoils. She demands COM
plete emancipation from all invidious
distinctions on account of sex. She de-
mands her share of the appointive
offices until the same shall be made
elective, as they ought now to be- She
demands law Of Congress defining her
position as a citizen and a voter and de-
claring her perfect political equality
with man.