The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-08
LET Us TO CONGRESS WITH OUR
PETITIONS.


We published two weeks since an ap-
peal for a Sixteenth Amendment, fur
nished by the National Woman Suf-
frage Association, to which we call the
especial attention of our readers.
The Woman Suffragists of Oregon
have, as is well known, petitioned our
State Legislature at its last three bien-
nial sessions to grant to women equal
political rights with their brothers, and
these petitions have thus far been de-
MED. Our repeated petitions having
been answered only by repeated denial,
it is now proposed that the several
States circulate petitions to Congress,
asking that honorable body, supposed
to represent the wishes and work for the
interests of the whole people, to do as
much for woman as it did for the colored
man, and by Constitutional enactment
endow her with what is her inherent
right-the full privileges Of American
citizenship. In the well-chosen Ian
guage of this appeal, "women are citi-
zens, first, of the United States, and Sec
ond, of the State wherein they reside;
| hence, if robbed by State authorities of
any right founded in nature or secured
by law, they have the same right to ma
tional protection against the State as
against the Infringement of any foreign
power"
The time has been so short since this
appeal and accompanying petitions
came into our hands that there has been
and is little time to work. We will,
however, do our best to place these pc
titions into the hands of prominent suf-
| fragists throughout the State within the
next ten days, and we earnestly urge
every Woman Suffragist who receives a
printed petition to spend one day in
canvassing for signatures. Let those
who are enthusiastic in the cause, and
who do not receive printed petitions,
head piece of foolscap with these
words, and go forth on the same errand
PETITION FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
To the Senate and House of Representatives
in Congress assembled The undersigned citi
zens of the United States, residents of the State
of Oregon, earnestly pray your Honorable
Bodies to adopt measures for so amending the
Constitution as TO prohibit the several State.
from disfranchising United States citizens OF
account af sex.
Let the names of women be placed or
the right, and the names of men on the
left hand side, written plainly with inl
if possible) and when filled roll up
mark number of names, and name o
State and county on the back, and for
ward at once, as the time is short, tt
Sarah Andrew Spencer, corner of L ant
Seventh streets, Washington, D. c. 1
is necessary that all petitions be re
turned to Washington by January 10th
annual session in that city on the 16tl
and 18th of that month, and hearing
will then be asked for.
After all the hard work that has beel
done in this cause in Oregon during th
past five years. we cannot now afford t
be counted lukewarm. Let US, co-work
ers, work with will, circulate thor
oughly these petitions in our respectiv
localities, and circulate them at once
By little vigorous and concentrate
effort we can roll up such list of name
from Oregon as will cause the hearts c
our friends to swell with pride, and tn
countenances of our enemies to be hid
: den in confusion.