The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-14
WOMAN IN POLITICS.
TWO NOTABLE INSTANCES IN WASHINGTON

hSpnOuCuH, uHucI Ouc dooNc eaptioh, W.
take the following which will be fount
highly interesting:
During the last eight OF ten years we have
noted two most conspicuous instances OF
feminine intrusion into political affairs, moi
to speak of numberless examples of Local
and otherwise less Importance. In one OF
these cases we have observed a woman OF
rare beauty, singular grace and magnetism
and wonderfully varied and perfect accom-
plishments, out-writting the Oldest made
heads and overseeing the subtlest mas
culine managers in daring game for that
highest political stake, the presidency.
That she failed does not invalidate our as
sumption Of her superiority. For it is now
conceded fact OF history that under her
def manipulation, her father came nearer
the Presidency than he could have come
under any other management. In 1854 her
father was candidate for the Re-
publican nomination as against Mr..
Lincoln. She was then young lady, a
leader Of society in capital chivalrOus
with the sounding proximity Of battle and
wild with the excitements and eN travagan-
ces of war. She plunged into the mazes of
political wire-wOrking and joined in the
subterraDean processes of political intrigue
with as little hesitation as other girls lent
their graces to the whirl of the waltz or
bent their talents and their witchery to the
coquetry Of the parlor. She won hearts, not
for the sake of their homage, but because Of
the political influence of their owners. She
led men captive at her radiant chariot.
wheels, not for the sake Of social triumph,
but for their usefulness in the Baltimore
convention. Enthusiastic young journalists
devoted half their time to writing sonnets
to her and the other half to sound
ing the praises of her paternal candidate
for the Presidency. DebOnnair middleaged
statesmen, over one glass of her hOspitable
wine, toasted the quenchess eyes of the fair
hostess, and over the next lbation swore
eternal fealty to the cause whose success
would make her mistress of the White
House. Whlte-haired Solons felt again the
warm blood of yore Jingle their veins in her
presence, and breathed in undertones in the
midst Of their hoary gallantries strong vows
Of devotion to her fortunes and her ambi-
ton. One by one she
EsTRANGED LINCoLN's CABINET
from him, until all but the Postmaster Gen.
eral we're known to be opposed to his re-
nomination. In every high place her intu
ence was felt, IN every quarter of power she
had her servants and thralls of her charms
and her magnetism to do her bidding All
the logic Of politics was against her.
All the aforementioned maxims of polity
were in her path. What she was trying to
do was not merely to exchange one admins
tratiOn for another; but she was endeavor-
ing to execute national change of political
base and of personal front RICH. in the teeth
Of the enemy, who was grimly pounding at
the gates and burning cOuntry-seats in
sight Of the capital. She was essaying the
daring experiment Of a revolution within
IxyIn I'M
Washington, in Cincinnati, in St. Louis, in
New York, who can tell what few people
not in the secrets ever suspected that she
came within the merest hair's-breadth of
success. Now what man would have dared
such project at such time ? And what
woman, it may be said would have dreamed
it, except Kate Chase, one of the greatest
women this generation has produced! None
Of these comments can be construed
into disrespect towards her. None of
them breathe an intimation of improperly,
except that which inheres in the fact of
with such affairs at ALL For in all
this commotion she carried her womanly fame
and her lady Like bearing was
never once Bonded or relaxed. We speak of
her not as having incurred criticism by her
political acts themselves, but by the fact Of
having placed herself in the position to do
them We might with similar mnuteness
her exploits four years later, when
she appeared for the nonce Princess-Regent
Of Tammany, and pitted fairly against sucn
giants as Vallandigham and Hampton, for
the ascendency in convention whose mis-
sion was to nominate fOeman for the in
Grant. But it is unnecessary, and
the history Of 1854 may answer for that of
1868, with triflIng alterations to suit the
changed circumstances. This is the most
notable instance of the American woman in |
politics
THE OTHER INSTANCE
to which We propose to allude, is Of a radi-
,allv different nature, growing out Of diff |
ferent state of things, concerning woman |
IF altogether different antecedents aad |
contemplating an achievement of
less magnitude and involving much less
iirect dealing with the body Of the people |
and their immediate responsibilities. Kate
Chase, like Mary Stuart, played her proud
game for the throne and the succession. |
Mrs. Williams, like the POmpadour, sought |
> gift of place for a favOrite. We have
nothing to do with the coarser scandals tina
hung about this affair. Whether false or
rot, it is better that they should die and be |
forgotten.
There is nothing in them in any aspect
,ut malevolopce, and they do not belong to
history, whatever current purposes they
nay have served. So we speak only of the |
influence Of Mrs. Williams welded through |
he charm of her magnificent hospitality !; |
If the doubts of her husbands fitness which |
Ter winning accents dispelled, and of the
'epugnance to the dull, heavy, stolid Will
rams on the Supreme Bench, which was
orgotten in the thought Of his stately wife |
.Olding her social Supreme Court as
" THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND
Now it may he there is a point up to !
which ar ambitious and foroeful woman may |
xercise influence in shaping public affairs
nd YET not leave the cover which our
'ationa l gallantry builds between her and
he Weapons Of controversy. But it is pretty
ard to determine where that point is. 1t
nay be fair to assume, however, that it does
lot exist away from the precincts of her own
oof- ree or out ofthe glow of her own hearth.
md III may be perhaps not unreasonable to
ay further that when woman utterly sinks
he social into the political, when she makes
Ter parlor rendezvous for plOtters and /
cheme rs in whose plots aud schemes, design
4 to affect the public veal, she is deepest
nd mi psf active, she has challenged oOntrO-
ersial invasion Of her home Whatever
nay be the differences of opinion on this