The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-05-22
REPLY TO SENATOR LAME.
BY MARY p. Snow

Those of US who watched with interest
the debates in our last California Legis-
lature, pending the discussion of the
Educational Bill, have not forgotten the
sweeping assertion Of Senator Laine, of
Santa Clara county, who, among other
ungracious remarks, asserted that che
believed there was no woman who COM
menced the agitation of Woman's
Rights early, and continued it to mid
die life, that had not become a wreck"
Possibly the estimable ladies from his
own county, in whose presence the ut
terance was made, might have felt a
little sensitive on the occasion, and yet
moments consideration, 1 think, would
convince them that neither they nor
any other of the prominent workers Of
this coast were intended, since the first
organization for WOman's Enfranchise-
ment here only dates back to the sum-
mer Of 1869, previous TO which there had
been but little agitation on the subject.
Very few are the women of this region
who labored in the cause in early life,
and fewer still are they who have be-
come mentally, spiritually or physically
degraded thereby.
Since, therefore, we fail to find the
''style Of women" he describes on this
Pacific Coast, let us wander to the At
lantic shore, and there memory recalls,
rs earliest in the field, that noble trio,
Abby Kelly Foster, Lucretia Mott and
Pauline Wright Davis, all Of whom have
labored through long life with reputa-
tiOn untarnished, and up to the present
hour are crowned with halo of glory.
The first great battle in behalf of wom-
ans right to speak on the rostrum,
and her eligibility TO official positions, in
whatever field her capacity and inclina-
tion may direct, was fought by the pio-
neers of the Anti-Slavery Reform rs
early as 1870, and Abby Kelly was the
first woman who claimed her right to be
heard, and was ably sustained therein
by such men as Garrison and Phil
lips. Grand, earnest, self denying
in character, logical in argument,
with clear, ringing voice to
which it was exquisite pleasure to lis
ten, she would often in a ten minutes
speech come to the point and settle a
question that had been vainly discussed
throughout a whole session, eliciting
enthusiastic applause from all. The
next grand woman earliest in the field
is the now venerable Lucretia Mott,
who for four score years has preserved a
biameless life, and almost to the present
hour Is described as having addressed
an audience with dignity and power, of
whom scholarly divine once asserted,
upon listening to her eloquent utter
ances in Christian Convention, that
had such specimens of noble woman
hood abounded in the days of St. Paul,
he never could have said "let them
keep silence in the churches" Also, be-
cause denied a seat as delegate to the
Worlds Convention at London, whittier
she was sent as an associate OF VIM. l..
Garrison, on account Of sex, he refused
to accept the courtesy that was accorded
to himself The third Of the noble trio
is Paulina Wright Davis, who, with
gentle manners and earnest spirit, as
early as 1874 asserted her right to be
heard on the rostrum by delivering all
over the Union courses of physiological
lectures, and in 1850 edited the first
Moman's Rights journal, and called the
hrst convention. After a long career
oi usefulness, We last hear OF her in the
seclusion of her invalid chamber hand
IN hand with her lifelong friend ord
co-adjutor, Elizabeth Cady Stanton or
claiming, "HOw petty at this hour
pear the the ridicule and misrepros.n,s
tion we have passed through, and which
seem so ridiculous at this time corn,roa
10 the reform we have inaugurated -
In addition to these grand women. other
honored names Of worldwide reputa-
tlon array themselves before me-the
earnest Susan Anthony, gentle Lucy
Stone, the scholarly Julia Ward Howe
andsdIgnlfed and magnetic Mary Liver
more. These are among the pioneers,