The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-18
THE LATE CONVENTION.

THE LATE CONVENTION.
Our columns come to you this week
teeming with the records of an enthusi-
astic meeting Of laborers, friends, and
sympathizers in the cause of woman's
enfranchisement- the Oregon State
Woman Suffrage Association. The de-
tails given are, as far as our space will
permit, complete, but columns of de-
scription, minutes, and letters, would
fail to convey an idea of the earnestness
and enthusiasm with which the friends
Of equal rights rallied around its stand
ard. The business of the Association
at first Jagged somewhat, owing to the
absence, on account of illness, of the
President, Mrs. ]. DeVore Johnson, and
The Recording Secretary, Miss Ella
Scott. The mantle of the former, how
ever, fell upon the shoulders of Mrs.
Belle w. Cooke, who wore it with be-
coming dignity and grace, while the
quill of the latter was taken up by Mr..
R. T. Hawley, who performed the duties
uf the office in faithful and acceptable
manner.
The members of the Marion County
Woman Suffrage Association responded
3obly to the call of the Executive Com
anittee for aid, and worked throughout
The entire session with commendable
zeal and energy.
The evening sessions took rather the
form of entertainments, and these were
attended by large audiences, comprising
The best and most intelligent of the dem
jzens of our capital city. The exercises
rtbounded in pleasing features, among
which we will mention poem written
icy Mr.. o. c. Applegate, dedicated to
The pioneer women of Oregon, aud most
excellently read by Miss Clara Watt.
dur readers will have an opportunity to
peruse this tribue to a noble and fearless
woman in our next issue. A pleasing
incident was the presentation of a
'Snow-Drop," emblem of purity, to the
Association, by gentleman who ranks
high in the educational and social cir
tiles of the capital. The presentation
was responded to by Mrs. Duniway in a
few appropriate words, supplemented
by the following impromptu verses:
a snow-drop, as pure as a virgin arrayed
For the bridal, to us has been given;
As an emblem I hold it before you tonight
forataSra or aarfb of tho baavan
That TO man and to woman in future shall
come,
When we've cleansed the political walls
That to-day reek with all that pollutes and
infests
And disgraces Columbias halls.
We thank the kind donor whose delicate tact
In expressing regard and esteem,
10 us gave this token, as an emblem quite iii
To herald our Liberty-dream.
That peaceful and pure as the snow-drop that
lifts
Its delicate head in the air,
The mothers of men and their sons may be-
come,
Is our earnest and holiest prayer.
The recitation of Misses Hensley anG
Strong and an admirable essay upon
"Our right to HEALTH" by Miss Claw,
son, showed plainly that culture car
give breadth and depth to the brains O
young women as well as to those o
young men.
OF the arguments advanced to estab
lish the justice of the claims of womeI
10 equal rights, we will not speak fur
ther than to say that they were wei
fortified by reason, common sense, an,
justice.
The tableaux that closed the enter
taihment were exquisite, pointing
moral so plainly that a glance suffice
10 disclose it.
The proceedings of the fourth annua
Convention of the Oregon State Woma
Suffrage Association have passed int
history; its records will be read b
thousands with thrills of pride an
pleasure, and its influence be felt i
hundreds of minds erewhile governe
by the tyranny of prejudice, and nal
IOwed by the barbaric customs, frui
age of centuries of darkness, that no
haply near their final overthrow.