The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-01-23
The Outlook.


thought naturally turns US to prospect
and retrospect To those who reach out
impatientiy for great results, the slow
stages through which all movements
must pass which look toward the revOlu-
tionizing of any prominent phase oI
society, will create despondensy and dis
trust; the backward glance fails to in
yigorate or TO cheer But the prophetic
nature sees often exhuberant promise.
where the short-sighted only discover
So in looking over the past year,
although some events have marked 1t
which leave an ineffaceable stain, yet
the preponderating movement mas oeeh
onward.
The effort to throw off the incubus
which false ideas of the relations OF man
and woman, dense shadow cast from
. the crudites and inconsistencies oil past
imperfect civilizations, have fastened
upon us with bands stronger than steel,
, has been met with symptoms of success.
The very damps thus created have
rusted the imprisoning bands; few
more stalwart blows, a little more un-
filnehiRg and persistent action, and the
} corrOded ligatures will fall apart and the
Young giant of reform will stand forth
in full-fledged strength, palpitating with
life and vigor.
: Though a Judge Hunt has insulted
! justice and humanity by eowardly act
which he would not have dared TO per-
petrate if one of his own sex, the gov
erning and not the subject class, had
I been the party concerned; the right OF
an honest verdict from jury, ignomin-
, lously and arbitrarily thrust aside where
n woman for the simple dignity of self
{ assertion bad been arranged before the
great aud powerful United States Courts,
\ their insolent hands thrust out to insult
her; yet this very outrage awakened a
throb of Indignation through the hearts
Z of the people, and thousands were con-
6 vinced of the injustice suffered by
women from the outrage thrust upon
g this one woman.
Though a year ago i'm our town a
c woman was elected from subordinate
/ office which she had long filled with
e credit to herself and the community,
because, being a woman she had no
rights which the law had not power to
& extinguish, yet the men of Ohio saw
d clearer into the right than their laws
recognized, and the first amendment
adopted at the Constitutional COnven-
tion ameliorated the stern rigor of the
laws toward woman, and made her ELI
gible to appointive Office.
Though in the State of Illinois q
m woman who had possessed herself of an
~ affluent legal education was refused per.
" mission to practice in its courts, vet the
u Legislature Immediately enacted a pro.
q, vision by which no person should be de
ie barred from the pursuit OF any Occupa
% tion on account Of sex; thus overriding
the unjust action Of an unjust Judge
u and making the way clear for any
le woman, after suitable preparation, to ob
tain a license for the practice of law il
the courts OF that State. Woman is ais,
!" in Illinois made eligible to office unde
the school laws, and but recently severa
women have been elected in their sew
~ eral counties to the Office of Superin
~ tendent.
y. Other States have demonstrated con
l, siderable appreciation OF the claims o
women, and Iowa has passed the sam
-, liberal school laws, and her women hav
-, ~ also already filled with honor man
~ ~ other places Of trust In the Iowa leg
a. islature as enrolling and engrossin
!. clerks they have already proved to tn
satisfaction of the people of that Stat
~ their ability. There are already wOme
- reporters, women eopyists, and the ms
- jority of the State officers, and tn
- judges of the highest State courts aeceI
- with sincerity and earnestness the priI
" cipie of Woman Suffrage.
mn In Michigan, by the amended cOnst
'u tuition, women are eligible to any ofiit
under the school laws, and this too att
% ~ an adverse report by the committee
- whom the proposition was referred.
iHl Even in Kentucky, where we do n,
VI look for an unusual amount of progres
a woman has recently been appointed
the office, in. the county of Boone,
deputy circuit clerk; showing an advant
' gained there also.
mt In the great organization of Granger
as which the past year has developed int
!, remarkable prominence, women hold a
"a entire equality, in all respects, with mel
The Grangers are practically Woma
he Suffragists.
In Massachusetts, as an exception:
=, instance, that State, so famous for goin
~ back on its promises and profession
L women after fairly being elected on til
as School Board of the city of Boston, hav
m been set aside by the decision of the cit
attorney. But it is q noticeable fac
that ali the especial cases which we hay
in noticed of gross injustice, have been e1
ercised through the exclusive power
80 one man only; generally where bodi'
80 of men have acted, there has been
stronger tendency toward the recogn
ton of rights. But we have yet to 81
whether an American Congress wi
pass the infamous Utah Bill,n intr
duced by Senator Frelinghuysen, NJ
only disfranchising the women of Uta
but also rendering the women of q
We the territories, subject to all IL
! a tyrannies of the old English eommo
MS law, and depriving all married wome
of all the rights of person, property
D, children and earnings. We cannot b
~, ha r1u GlaN Inl
mt prostitutiug itself to any such odlo'
'n' legislation.
N But "eternal vigilance is still the prit
of liberty,n and constant watch must
ny kept that no retreat shall be made c
llu any steps once gained.
eW The prospects for the coming year a
Ill fair Legislation does not often mo'
he backward. Woman has already gaint
he decided advance over her former CO.
.ry dition before the law. In all parts
ne the country her needs are making then
rst selves heard; it is not that the peop
hg ignore her demands, but they recei
ne. them slowly; they are willing to gra
ue enlarged fields to women rs fast as tn
oH can be made to see the entire fitness al
e necessity for the change; therefore it
s the duty of al friends Of woman's ema
NJ cipation to work assiduously, nothi
daunted, with full faith that no labor
u lost, that all effort is sure of resu
NJ NJ whether perceptible at once or silent
ss and hiddenly working; and all negle
-" M by Interchangeable law, creates loss. HC
t soon results desired are attained,
Ia' & pends upon the persistence with viii
the right levers are moved to produ
'en them. Faithful individual effort is I
Keynote of success.-TOiedO Journal.
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