The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-14
Are Women Interested in Politics.

The following extract from hastily written
private letter to lady friend shows. without
doubt, the feeling of many women in this coun-
try, and also indicates the change in the atti-
iude of men towards the idea of woman's tax
ing part in politics, which has come about in
the last few years. The author is young lady
of the highest culture and education, and only
a strong sense of duty could have induced her
to take such public position.
Aren't you intensely excited about the cleo
ton? | was in fury all day yesterday over
the certainty las then supposedly of Tildens
success To-day am calmer, but don't dare to
hope for Hayes though Republicans are iubi-
liant had not entertained serious doubt of
the election of Hayes and the news yesterday
morning burst upon me like thunder-clap
Was at Aunt Lucy's and +. and l raved like
bona fae politicians. Had we been postmis
tresses our misery couldn't have been greater.
L. prayed for some miracle TO wipe out all the
rebels so that the poor negroes would not be
ground under the heel of their old masters. L
seconded her wishes. Perhaps the North has
not fully expiated her terrible crimes but the
safferiDgs will not be hers so much as the ne
groes and they have atoned for more sins al
ready than their patient race ever dreamed of.
My spirit will put on perpetual mourning if the
Democrats come into power.
Isn't Gov. Chamberlain grand man? l fear
his defeat or his assassination if elected. He
is the most promising man of the country, |
think. You know he is Agnes uncle, 1 sup
pose. He is only thirty-sx years old.
really have right to feel like a politician.
for went to the polls on Tuesday and distrib-
uted ballots for Hayes and Wheeler and for
John l Baker, the Prohibition and Woman
Suffrage candidate for Governor From nine
till four worked, taking an hour and half
out to go to Aunt Lucy's for dinner Stood al
most all the time, offering the ballots to the
most respectable looking Republicans No use
to ask Democrat to vote for Prohibition !;
and very little use to ask Republicans. they
in prohibition can vote to legalze the sin
fernal traffic, as they call it, truly cannot
understand it. If people see ahead as far as
the next presidential election, they would COM
prehend that the very best measure they could
adopt to insure success would be the closing of
the rum shops. When told the men yester-
day that rum holes ground out Democrats as
fast as they could get men drunk, they iuvari-
ably replied that's So" But they said they
couldn't afford to risk the election of Adams.
AS if he was any worse than Rice or the Dem
ocrats any worse than the Republicans on state
issues? The latter oppose Prohibition, Woman
Suffrage and Labor Reform, and what more
can their political opponents do? In the ma
tioual matters l am strong for the Republican
candidates, for they differ widely from the
the Democratic. The moment that the Repub
lican party of Massachusetts sees that the re-
formers hold the balance of power, they will
accept the reforms and they will be carried at
once. But while temperance men and woman
suffragists vote quietly with the old party,
nothing will be done. I'm indignant at pre-
tended radicals We got only twenty
votes in ward eight for Baker, and one hundred
and sixty in the city. The state gave him
eleven thousand.
Sarah W. went with me but, she didn't make
herself very active. You know she is very
quiet. We were treated with the greatest cour-
tesy; as politely as if we had been in our
own houses. Nobody said we had better be at
home, and nobody looked it, Many gentleman
whom knew shook hands with me and talked
on political subjects or asked for the health of
my parents. l was pretty tired, as there WASH t
time to sit down mu,h. The day was rainy,
and the floor consequently wet. A little tobac-
co vItated the air, but was not so dense as
often found in Philadelphia. On the whole
my first experience at 1.-THE polls was quite agree
able. Minnie b. distributed temperance ballots
on one occasion before her marriage, but her
husband is not willing she should do so now.
Glad I've no husband to prevent me from doing
my duty. But enough of politics.