The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-10-03

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guarded as one of the most sacred rights
of the citizen. For violation of this
right, the early colonists emphatically
protested in the Declaration of indie
pendence; and-in the language of that
instrument, slightly altered-I arraign
Ward Hunt as ga judge whose character
is marked by an act which may define a
tyrant, and who is unfit TO be the Judge
of free people"
1 exceedingly regret to notice that
our young friend indulges in spirit Of
unwarranted accusations against the
sHeaders'' or "aGitators" of Woman Suf-
frage. A dignifled silence would per-
haps have been preserved on my part
when his first letter appeared. Never
before, through long life. have l ever
permitted myself to be drawn into n
personal controversy, knowing well the
perversity of human nature, and belieV-
ing therefore controversy to be unprOfit
able. The truth-the living truth-ad
dresses itselfto the hearts sandcOnsciences
of men, and in the end must prevail.
Then, too, there is such deal TO do in
correcting your disputanrs miSstate-
ments of your meaning and words,
garbled extracts and unfair criticisms, ii
lie be- stubbOrnly disposed to misunder-
stand and misrepresent you. IL is rs
Intellectual rs running after brood Of
wild turkeys. As fast as you catch one,
4 whole troop start off on a run.
Mr.. Il. says that underlying ali the
talk of the suffrage agitators, and con-
tinually coming To the surface, is 4
mOnstrous and mischievous delusion,
one that any true woman at least should
be ashamed of-and that is, that there is
4 natural antagonism between the sexes
that men have now the upper hand,
and tyranniZe over woman at their will
that women are wiser and better than
men, and that, consequently, sordid and
groveling man is jealous OF his enslaved
angel, and determined To keep her
DOWN" All can say is that he grossly
miscOnceives the spirit and character of
the Woman Suffrage movement. 1t is
| true that now and then there is, as in
the case of Miss Anthony and Hester
/ Vaughn, occasion for righteous indigna-
/ ton and sharp complaint because of un-
! fairness; and there are great injustices
which women suffer in society and
under the law, which it is necessary to
speak of as they deserve; but in the
main, the true advocates of Woman
! Suffrage are ever ready TO acknowledge
the real inherent nobility of manhood,
and to this they confidently appeal.
! They see that views, prejndices and con-
ditions of past age have been entailed
upon men as well rs women-as was
/ African slavery-which will be relin-
| quished willingly by them as soon as
they shall have been enlightened.
Again, | would not for 4 moment be
understood rs saying or insinuating,
rs charged by Mr.. T., that Hester
Vaughn was convicted of infanticide,
"On slight evidence, because she was q
woman;n or "the monstrous insinuatiOn
/ that men take pleasure i'm crushing a
woman though some men undoubt-
edly do. Had the district attorney
dared to have gone back in Hester
! Naughn's case, and probed the moral
and social wrongs and the cruel perse-
cutiOn that led to her fall, the jury
might have convicted the right one,
and maybe themselves and society ut
large, before sending her TO the gallows.
at IS" says Mr.. r., "the misfortune
/ OF the noble cause of woman Suffrage
/ to suffer from most ignO6le advocacy.
/ Its adherents do not argue or persuade.
They generally scold and vituperate." :"
! Will Mr.. L. please tell us what he him
self is doing? Fortunately | have not
met the same society in this movement
which he seems to have invariably dis
covered. l have, however, heard the
same unkind and unjust aspersions
| brought against this and every other
great reform which l have had the
honor to be connected with, probably
| years before he saw the light.
Christ gave place to n wholesome
| feeling Of Indignation against the law
yers, scribes and pharisees because of
their legal exactions and hypocFisies.
Could he be justly charged with scold-
ing vituperatiOn? His disciples were
charged with turning the world upside
down and being brawlers, and the final
preponderating charge brought against
their Master by his enemies was that of
seditiOn. | do not wish to class Mr.. 7.
with this number. | only ask that lie
be fair and not distort my meaning so
gravely, and remember that that state
ment which is only in part 4 truth is Il
harder thing to meet than one that Is
altogether untrue.
am free to admit that there may be
occasion for deprecating what he COM
plains of-still he does the cause great
injustice when he attempts TO fix such a
stigma upon the whole movement.
The accusation has become the last re-
sort of many. The anti-slavery cause
endured the same line of attack. Its
friends were called "red-hot fanatics ~
"destructives," "rabid agitators," San
gering the South" "breathing out
slaughter" "vindictive," "abusive,"
etc; the cause went gradually on.
My personal observation for many
years has taught me the perseverance
of the saints" and to say "NOne OF
those things move me.n Seven years ]
VISITED the prisons OF New York with
Margaret Prior, and came in frequent
contact with scenes of degradation OF
my own sex. In my connection with
the Moral Reform and Female-Guardian
Society, | labOred in rescuing women
and children from the lowest dens in
the Five Points. As Christian wom-
an. nv sympathies led me into the
thick of the anti-slavery contest, when
we were driven from hall TO hall 10y
pitiless mobs. In the Peace Society
and later, while exerting my utmost to
omen professional avenues OF labor To
women, and to gain a just recognition
of her value in the medical world, as
well as to secure her n larger liberty
and power as a citizen, | have heard the
same accusation-that the reform is led
by hot-headed unworthy persons, and
that decent persons should therefore
abandon it with disgust. 1t is useless
to try to fix the leadership upon this
one or that, this cOterie or that, in SO
great a movement. IL acknowledge
none. 1t will not be strait-jacketed. IL
. is clothed in the garb Of simple truth
+ 1t waits not OIL platforms or constitu-
tions. 1t tears them up when inimicali
and marches with steady steps aud un.
wavering faith to the fultillment of its
purpose. 1t is Christianity uplifting
. and inspiring civilization.
+ Mr.. T. betrays b!issful ignorance o