The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-07
Suffrage in the Massachusetts, Senate.


The action of the Massachusetts Sen
ate last week on the bill for municipal
suffrage for women, Is more encourage
ing than anything that has ever Oc-
Cured at the State House. To be sure,
the bill was voted down on account of
constitutional doubts in the minds of
five or six of our friends. But three en-
tire sessions, and part of fourth, were
devoted to its earnest discussion.
94 When the question of suffrage was be-
fore the Senate three years ago, large
part of the members went out, and re-
mained in the lobby while Hon. Henry
S. Washburn made his admirable argu-
ment for the political rights of women.
At its conclusion they returned, and,
without word of discussion, voted it
down. ..-...
Last year the Senate again refused to
discuss the question, and, in the House,
'thirty minutes was all the time al
lowed for its consideration. .t.
When Mrs. Howe and Mrs. Liver
more, few years ago, pleaded that the
right of mothers to their children might
be legally equal to that of the fathers,
all they got was "leave to withdraw"
But now the "tables are turned" and
successive sessions of the Senate are de-
voted to the discussion. Hon. George
B. LOring, president of the Senate,
twice left his chair to defend the right
of one-half the people to voice in max
ing the laws under which they live,
with an ability which discounted our
opponents. While on his right hand,
and on his left, Honorable Senators
argued we'll for the bill in question.
The brief summary of the debate
which we print this week, prepared
from notes taken on the spot, gives no
adequate idea of its interest. The OPEN
ing speeches of Messrs. Neal and Fiske
are tolerably complete. But the ad-
mirable speeches of Senator Ginnodo
are scarcely reported at all. The pow
erful argument of President Loring, on
| the first day, and his fine extempore re-
ply to the sophistries of Mr.. Robinson
and the scruples of Mr.. Bowman, can
only be appreciated by those who heard
them. This reply was a statesmanlike
appeal to the independence and self-re-
spect of the Senate, worthy of the
speaker and the occasion. DR.. Loring
recalled the action of the great Repub-
lican leaders when they spurned the
Dred Scott decision of the Supreme
Court, and in defiance of that court, en-
acted and maintained the personal lib
erty bill. The women of this common
wealth feel grateful to DIR. Loring. They
will contrast his action with that ol
Mr.. Harvey Jewell, who, five years ago,
left the speakers chair to give his cast
ing vote against Woman Suffrage, and
was consigned to his political grave the
following year. Senator Palmer, too,
spoke fOrcibly for equal rights, with
logic and elOquence combined.
Where all did well, it seems invidiou:
to single out any individual for special
commendation. The thanks of every
progressive man and woman in Oul
State and nation are due to the six Sen
ators who spoke so ably for equal rights
and to the fifteen who voted and paired
for the bill. This vote, however, is moi
7 by any means fair indication of tht
strength of Woman Suffrage in the Sen
ate. A constitutional amendment hal
, been promptly introduced by Senator
GinnOdo. 1t was read once on Wednes.
day, and took it's place in the orders o
the day. We will report the result mex
! week. Wonldn's Journal.