The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-06-26

FRAGE
The Committee on Woman Suffrage
gave a hearing on that question this az
ternoon in room No. Il, Insurance
Building. The room was crowded, the
larger portion OF the audience being gen
tlemen.
Mr.. Joseph Sheldon first spoke in sup
port OF the movement, making a short
and pointed address, at the close Of
which he introduced Miss Abby Smith.
In his remarks the gentleman brought
up, by way OF argument, the instance OF
the negroes OF the South, who 1t APP
pears-nO matter how degraded they
are-enjoy the privileges Of freedom 10
fuller extent than thousands Of intelli-
gent women. Miss Abby Smith and
sister then came forward, arguing as fol-
lows:
We would thank you, gentlemen, for
the indulgence you have shown rs in
permitting US to set forth our grievances
before you, well knowing that we who
have felt those grievances can tell them
with more effect than others can do IL,
however eloquent. We feel the more
thankful for this privilege, having been
so lately denied it in our own town.
We are peaceful citizens OF this the ma
tive State OF all our ancestors, and we,
the last OF our family, having been
brought up on its soil, aud spending our
whole lives in its very midst. No spot
is so dear TO Us, no name that we love so
well. And why do we not love its laws
and its institutions, its customs and its
manners? Because its government has
made two classes among its citizens-R
superior and inferior class-and we be-
long to the inferior one. She has estab-
lished n caste among Us, founded on
birth, for which we are not TO blame,
and could not possibly control, and from
which, like the East Indians, we can
never rise, whatever may be our ability
or attachments. This distinction is more
cruel than that OF the same kind in
India, because we are living with Our
superi0rs, and therefore more enllght-
ened, and can feel more keenly it's in-
Justice, its opposition TO every rule OF
right, OF reason, and OF common sense
The government OF this State affords u:
Of the inferior class no protection from
its laws, though it takes our money q
pay for the support OF those laws made
wholly for the benefit Of the superiO
class. The State, instead OF providin;
for the weak and defenseless, for which
governments are instituted, have giyel
up all such into the hands OF the stfonl
and the powerful, in the places wheri
they live, to deal with them as the,
choose, without any appeal Of redress
To the superior class the Stale ha
given permission to take our none
from us, the lower order, whenever the
may agree to do so, whenever the
choose to take il, and rs much as the,
choose to take, without eve- giving u
the least voice in the matter II We
the owners, refuse to give il, they sisz
what we value the most aud sell it q
the public sign-post, knowing they ar
accountable to none for their deeds
that if we desire to speak i'm our defense
when they assemble together, we are =
onced denied the privilege, even in bous
for the erection Of which they had takei
more money from us than from any @
the men assembled in 1t.
When God created man In his owl
Image, for "in the image OF God create
He him, male and female created II
them" He gave them dominion owe
what? Not over one another; not owe
their own kind, but over The birds OF tn
air, and the fishes Of the sea, after thei
Kind, and over the cattle OF the earth
and whatever creeped on the face OF Tia
earth, after their kind. And is ma
served among these animals more b
the males than by females Does h
Does he not allow one the same priv
leges OF the same kind that no allows tn
other-the same freedom? Does Il
ever find these animals, in their nSturi
state, the males cOngregating togeths
excluding the females? Aud how do'
he obtain his dominion over them
Not by physical strength, for their
many times, is greater than his, but b
his intellect, which God has given hiI
greater than theirs. But il is physics
strength by which he rules over wOmSI
putting her in situation which j
calls her sphere, and confining her theI
because he is the strongest; Allowin
her no participation in what he value
the highest; In what he calls his Goo
gwen rights, which he has inherite
IRON Mature, and Natures God" an
takes ner money to enable him TO main
S ta'n elese rights, not seeing that sh
mas inherited the same right from tli
same source. Can woman of fbe sam
kihn Is man, be ruled over in this VS.
without ieeling her degradation VI
may indulge her by every nn..ns !
your power and give her tha biai,..
education possible, It only mates H.
feel the wrong the more deepIv for 81
sees she can have no scope FOR her r.
ents; she can never put her attainn,o,,t
into practice. Size desires the san
liberty that you possess-the same fire.
dom. Better lar for her TO have r
mained under England, where al
stood on an equality with the men. 81
did no little then in assisting him
gain his freedom, not deeming that h
freedom was her bondage, for he c,
now rule over her with lrresponsib
sway. independence for man was a 81
day for women. They have been goil
downward ever since.
The State In her mlnistratiohs b