The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-10

/ Az ADDRESS To PETER HTLL, ESQ, OF DETROIT,
/ tsffcH.,l BY MIS-. NANSETTE b. GARDNER, ON
/ THE OCCASION or RECEIVING HER THIRD
VOTE, NoV. ), lS72, THE FIRST BEING APRIL 3,
1871.
The great continent we inhabit was
for ages incalculable, densely covered
with prOfusion of uneultivated
verdure and foliage. Peering out from
this vast wilderness might have been
seen an occasional rude and savage
being, who eked out a miserable eX-
istenee by possessing a trifle more crafti-
ness and knowledge of the arts than the
fish, reptiles, birds, and beasts he proved
upon. Few were his ideas, and fewer
still were his virtues. Passionate, tyr
annical, indolent, and voracious, he
recognized no laws but those of force
and necessity, and showed no pity TO
anything unable to cope with him in
physical power.
For this vast period of time the Law
Of ProSTess WAS Imperative, and our
immense country might have remained
the same bowling wilderness forever,
had not another race of men discovered
ana peopled it. They and their
uescendants have eXterminated most of
these savage men and beasts. and have
! transformed their hideOus land into an
abode of peace and plenty, with a randi
lty that eXcites the wonder and admira-
ton of mankind. They boldly claimed
FOR their guidance code of perfect nrin-
ciples of justice and equal rights to All
/ but flagrantly violated their Drofessio,,s
/ by lettering millions of their brethren
for generations in an unrewarded and
unrequited servitude. They, too. Der-
mitted the direst forms of intemperance
and myriads of social, moral, and poIit-
ical evils to exist unrebuked, and have
steadily persisted in denying to one-half
of their citizens any voice or participa-
tion in their government. The dreadful
crime of slavery has recently been
propitiated by the sacrifice of q million
of lives and untold treasure, but the
moral vices and political tyranny con-
tinue unabated. Such is the situation
in the Second Era of our country's his
tory.
The extinction of this semi-barbaric
era is now begun. Men of advanced pO-
litical sagacity and exalted virtue see
the justice and necessity of joining her
influence, voice and power in redeeming
their race from the evils overwhelming
him. They see that
at is the heart, and not the brain,
That to the highest doth attain;r
that justice and mercy are necessary
guards against selfishness and despot-
lolllS. IutS ste lOpf lllsti Il higher moral
standard must be erected than has hith-
erto been maintained, if we would be-
come the exalted people that our earnest
reformers hope we may, and struggle so
earnestly TO make of us. As in our city
of Detroit, women were seen rushing to
save from cOnilagratiOn the once beau
tiful fabrics of merchandise, the new
era will witness their efforts to save
theT sons, brothers, and fathers from
the fiery floods of alcohol that blacken
and deface once harmonious natures.
Their vote in Danbury, Ct. but n few
days since, of 547 to , against granting
| licenses to liquor dealers illustrates
their sentiments upon this question, and
that when permitted to act upon it, our
land will be speedily purified from its
dire effects. The greedy and selfish
men who traffic in vice almost undis-
turbed, and in utter contempt and VIC.
lation of the laws which men make to
restrain them, will find in woman an
efficient and active police to enforce the
laws that she may have q voice in en-
acting. So, too, in the vast ramifiea-
tiOns of our social and political systems
that are nOtoriOusly Teeking with cor
TuptiOn. Woman having no voice in
making our laws, assumes no response
bility in enforcing them, and thus our
social and political fabric loses the ben
eft that her love of virtue and of the
beautiful might be powerfully instru-
mental in eXalting in worth rs well as
in loveliness.
This Third Era, WHICH will be the
crowning glory of an enlightened civili-
zation, is now rapidly dawning. 1t will
inaugurate the reign of "peace ON earth
and good will to man, as well as to
woman. The removal of unjust dis
tinctions for sex, color, or race, giving
| to each and to all the grand OppOrtuni-
ties for developing the talent and high
est purposes that nature has granted
each individual member of humanity,
will stimulate all in the grand race of
/ life to excel. The glory of American
/ freedom thus established will shine as a
resplendent halo upon all nations, lead
| ing them, as pillar of fire of old, from
despotisms, bondage, darkness, and des-
olatiOn, upon peace, prosperity and
| glory. The eras of savagisms and bar
] barisms will be ended, and enlightened
civilization become universal, affOrding
| the same striking contrast that the new
artistic temples of liberty, to receive
| the ballots of a nOSler race of men and
/ fair and virtuous women, will be to the
dens of infamy now too generally used
I for the sacred purpose.
/ To Peter Hill, Esq, Alderman of the
| 9th Ward of the city of Detroit, belongs
! the honor of being the first oflicel of
registration who has given suffrage to
woman under the 14th and 18th Amend
ments of our National Constitution, and
this banner is presented to him by Mrs.
Nannette b. Gardner as a grateful
memento to the liberal and progressive
ideas governing linn, and the high
moral virtues and courage displayed by
him.
/ In the days of Rome's greatness and
glory, to be q Roman citizen was the
/ highest title accorded to any being.
But in looking at their characters, we
discover that their pretensions were
greater than their merits. That so far
from being pre-eminent for virtue or il
lustrious deeds of civic honor, their
I bOasting was mainly for triumphs on
bloody fields, and their riches mostly
acquired by robbing and enslaving tnelr
neighbOrs. The citizens of America,
when the now degraded half are ralseu
to freedom, will in the future tower "
loftier heights of greatness than nave
yet been imagined. Ana III e"HIs n;II
lead in this grand movement, MI: hi. liz
will become a mountain among W. ,1,9
peers for being the first TO act is "OiiA
ans Emancipator. c,.pn~rp
DETROIT, (NIich.,) Nov. o. lo'-'
his related that in Gaylordsyille' IN
IL y 4 S-N'e ~ there resides an