The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-11-10
LETTER FROM MRS. LoUGHARY.


To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
After some fears and tremblings, our
opponents retire from the conflict salts
fled with the defeat of the bill asking for
universal suffrage, assuming the right
to ''legislate for the women of Oregon
in all cases whatsoever'i-an act which
destroys the spirit of true Democracy
by refusing the people of Oregon an op-
portunity to decide a question that
properly belongs to them. Notwith-
standing all this, the friends of the
cause feel quite jubiIant over our sue
cess, as far more was accomplished in
the Legislature than the most sanguine
suffragists expected. We feel quite safe
in saying that if the amount of influence
had been used in the Senate that was
brought to bear upon the members of
the House, the bill would have passed.
The presence of the women in the as
sembly, silent as they were compelled
to be, proved a power over the feelings
and actions of our lawmakers, unwill-
ing as some of them are to acknowledge
it. The petitions of so many of the best
of Oregon's women, accompanied with
such earnest appeals, could not be gain
sayed by our most bitter opponents.
Mr.. Ferguson of Yamhill urged "to
submit the question to the people,
thereby settling the question and sup
pressing farther agitation" Mr.. F. and
all other sensible men very well know
where the danger is-they fear the agi-
tation. They know that the agitation
of any subject is its life, while stagna-
ton is death. That member that claim ed
to "have discovered more advantages in
universal suffrage than many conceded"
doubtless had felt the effects of this ag
itatiOn. Nor do we wonder that the
gentleman from Benton felt that he
must vote for the measure, when a larger
list of petitioners was sent up from his
village and neighborhood than from any
other county in the State considering
the number of inhabitants.
We are informed that the bill was
rushed through the Senate without de,
bate with closed doors. Why all this
except they feared the agitation of a
subject that demanded justice only?
The suppression of agitation of the
slavery question was the "sheet anchor
that kept the peculiar institution"
from being dashed 10 pieces for years,
and just in proportion to the effort made
to diffuse light and knowledge into the
minds of the slaves and the Shareholder
did the Tnoorings give way.
Let the lessons of the past be new
impetus to the women of Oregon. Agi-
tation is our present pressing want.
We have this in our power. Why not
WELD it to the best of advantage in
every available way? Sustain the NEW
NORTHWEST and keep its pages futter.
ing in the breeze. By all means, let US
have more organized effort. We have
before urged the vice-presidents to or.
ganize county associations in their re.
spective counties. The petitions tha
were sent into the Legislature wert
from the few counties alone that are or.
ganized into working order. Severa
thousands of names could have beer
easily secured had any system of labo
been adopted. Then the opposers coulC
no longer say, "Only a few of the WON
en- of Oregon are asking for the ballot
Thousands of our women desire it, an,
k11oaU whereof speak.
Permit this suggestion-the immedi
ate. organization of woman's workin
clubs in every county, town and villag
in the State if possible. This can
done by few epergetic women, and til
men, too, are willing to lend helpin
hand. We are just approaching an
other long Oregon winter, when ampl
time and opportunity will be afforde
for such work, Let the science of gov
ernmont be taught, the principles tha
underlie the American government b
discussed. Let it be seen that wome
are citizens under the law just as me
are, in spite of Mr.. Fidlers "angeli
womanhood." Such meetings fror
week to week, or monthly, even, can
made both pleasant and profitable.
H. A. LOUGHARY.
Amity, October 80, 1876.