The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-15
LEGISLATORS, ATTENTION /!

The women of this State, or the expo
nents of the most enlightened aud larger
portion thereof, propose to bring before
you, at no distant day, bill asking |
that law be framed which shall estab-
lish impartial suffrage. Dropping all
side issues and speaking directly to the
question, they intend to present argu-
ments to support their demand, which
they hope and believe will command
your earnest and calm consideration.
First, they assert that women have
the same interest in the establishment
and maintenance of good government
that men have. As they are to the
same extent bound to obey the laws,
suffer to the same extent by bad laws,
and profit to the same extent by good
laws, they claim solely upon the prin-
ciple of justice that they should be al
lowed equally with men to express their
preference in the choice of lawmakers
and rulers. AS further argument for
this, we quote from the most celebrated
and revered document in American his
tory that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the gov
erned." Goodwin, in his treatise on
political Justice" says: "The first
and most important principle that can
be imagined relative to the form and
structure of government seems to be
this: that as government is transac-
tion in the name and for the benefit of
the whole, every member of the COM
munity ought to have some share in its
administration" The mastery which
this doctrine, whether right or wrong,
has acquired over the public mind, is
seen in the gradual extension of suf-
frage, until now, women only, of all
intelligent citizens, are debarred the
privileges of the franchise. The only
method yet discovered of overcoming
the selfish use of power, whether con-
sciously or unconsciously, used by those
possessing il, is the distribution of
power among all who are its subjects.
Short of this, the very name Of free
20 government is a misnomer.
If it is admitted that it is necessary
for men that each should have a share
in the administration of government,
for his own security, it would seem
equally, if not more necessary, for wom-
en-, on account of their inferior physical
power; and if, as alleged by those who
sneer at their claims, women are def
cient in mental power also, that would
only give additional weight to the ar
gument in their behalf, as it is acknowl-
edged by all that the primary object oi
government is the protection of tne
weak against the power of the strong.
The venerable and venerated docu.
ment before alluded to declares thai
taxation without representation is
tyranny" yet women are subject tc
taxation upon their property without
any voice as to the levying or destina'
tion of the tax.
Those who have exclusive power will
with rare exceptions, use it for their ex'
elusive benefit. This may be done il
the honest belief that such use is fo
the best good of all who are affected by
it. A wrong, however, to those upoI
whom it is inflicted, is none the less 1
wrong by reason of the good motives o
the party by whom it is inflicted. NJ
injustice can be greater than to deny t.
any class of persons not guilty of Grim
all share in the political power of
state. Persons to which such share
denied hold their rights, if they can b
said to have any, subject to the will @
those who hold political power. Upor
these truths, and others that we shal
from week to week bring forward, W
invoke your considerate judgment.