The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-02-20
LBTTBR FROM CALIFORNIA.
san FRANCISCO, February 3, 1871

-1fo. IL -. AyAfttctAy y--Dtts 4ltStAcHs-
Inclosed please find an address to the
Oregon Woman Suffrage Society by our
Board of Control, which please present
to that body through its presiding
officer.
/ rejoice in the success which has fol- |
lowed your earnest, arduous and con-
slant labors in our cause.
1 hope some of our delegates will be
able to leave, by the Orifiamme, on Fri
day next, but do not be disappointed if
none shall arrive. ] regret that Mr..
Collins finds it impossible to command
the time necessary TO make the voyage.
Here in California our cause is slowly
gaining strength and influence. Our
labors for the past year have been of a
quiet character but not less effective
than during the year preceding. Dur
ing the four months preceding our cleo
tions, for State and county officers.
which transpired in September last, our
Board by printed circulars and written
letters aimed TO bring the political disa-
bilities of the women of California and
her claims for acknowledgements directly
before each Of the local and State nomi-
mating conventions of each Of the sew
eral parties, which brought out many
favorable responses and was accom-
plished by no small amount of work,
can assure you.
The leading clergy OF the state were
also favored with a knowledge of the
disabilities 10 which the mothers and
wives and daughters i'm the state were
subjected, with an earnest request that
they would enlighten their respective
congregations that the principles of
heathendOm were not exclusively mo-
nOpolized by non-Christian countries.
How much OF value resulted from this
special kind of labor, we have no data
for forming a correct estimate.
Some four weeks since the lengthy
petition Of our Board was presented to
each branch of our Legislature by Hon.
w. A. Aldrich, from San Francisco, in
the Assembly, and Hon. Henry Edger-
ton, Of Sacramento, in the Senate, which
was very respectfully received, and re-
ferred TO Special Joint Committee,
composed entirely of gentlemen who
sympathize with the general aims of
Woman Suffrage.
What concessions we shall obtain
from the present Legislature, which, as
n progressive body, is regarded as very
much above the general average, am
at this writing, unable to predict with
any degree of certainty, but shall be dis
appointed if we DO not make considera-
BILE gain.
Less than six weeks since we for /
warded a petition to Congress which .
was presented to the Senate by Hon. A.
A. Sargent of California, a bold and
able advocate for conceding the ballot
to woman, which was on his motion re-
ferred to the Standing Committee ION
Privileges and Elections" of which Sen
ator Morton, of Indiana, strong and /
earnest advocate Of Woman Suffrage, is /
Chairman.
I hope your society will not fail to
condemn, in unequivoeal language, the
bills now before Congress, designed os-
tensibly 10 crush out polygamy, but
really intended to disenfranchise the
women of Utah Territory. Senator
Sargent's Bill, designed as an amend
ment to Mr.. Frelinghuysen's, aims its
lance directly at polygamy and leaves
Woman Suffrage unmolested. 1 trust
that you will make yourselves heard at
Washington, during the present session.
Every effort does its work. 1t is the
last blows that breaks the metallic bar.
In this State, we are earnestly labor
ing to secure for woman official author
ity in all the departments Of Public
Schools, and thereby render her eligible
to the position of School Superintend-
ent, Boards of Education or School Trus-
tees. The teachers of our public schools
are principally women, but the author
ity of the department is vested in men,
whereby the principal teachers, Of great
authority, light work and large pay,
fall to the lot Of the voting gender. This
ought not TO be, and if sufTragists pcs
sess and can yield the necessary power
it will not long exist in this State.
There is another concession which we
are particularly laboring to obtain. 1t
is to secure to qualified women an equal
share Of the clerical and other public
offices. There is no reason why this
reform should not 90 into operation at
once. Official labor is mostly of q rou-
tine character and very simple and cas-
lily performed. More than this. il is
generally better paid than ordinary nom
professional labor.
We are laboring earnestly to obtain
from our Legislature another advance
movement. With US the Community
Property on the death of the wife de-
scends to the husband without admins.
tration by operation of law. There is nC
just reason why this very same Law
should not apply to the wife on the de
mise Of the husband, but hundreds
strong and weighty, why it should.
Hoping that your anniversary viii
equal your fullest expectations, I an
yours very respectfully, for the Ballo
and Progress.
Mrs. MARY ]. COLLINS,
Corresponding Secretary.
The birthplace of Professor Loui
John Rudolph Agassiz, was Motiers
Switzerland, and his birthday, MAJ
fu l.