The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-01
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.

and, strange to say, there cannot be
found woman in the public depart
ments who does not admit her desire to
vote 'just this once" Work is at a
standstill; the men are all away, it hav-
ing taken them ten days to deposit their
ballots, and meantime the women have |
sat at their desks and kept up fairly the
current work of the various bureaus. !
Out of ten feminine representatives of
the F. F. V.'s who now earn their
livelihood in Office, nine have become
so reconstructed and progressive as to
declare that to see Hayes elected they
would veil themselves and cast ballot,
and the tenth-she was not lacking, oh,
no; away with all feminine delicacy,
she too would vote early and often for
Democratic administration and Confed-
crate supremacy.
Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood, one of the
most successful and popular lawyers in
the District, has been refused permis-
sion to practice in the Supreme Court of
bLJC - CulNCu OIelbCo OCCauSGY Dy bDc uII-
form practice of the court, from its or
ganization to the present time, and by
the fair construction of its rules, none
but men are admitted to practice before
it as attorneys and counselors. This is
in accordance with immemorial usage
in England, and the law and practice in
all the States until within a recent pc
riOd, and the court does not feel called
upon to make a change until such a
change is required by statute, or more
extended practice in the highest courts
of the States" Now, it seems rather
hard that in the Centennial year, one
hundred years since this Republic
deemed itself capable of constructing its
own laws, and when, by reason of not
considering the laws of England as suit
able for the government of a free-spir-
tied and independent people, they estab-
Iished a government for themselves,
that the Chief Justice of the United
States should deem it necessary to take
shelter behind the laws of England, and
render a decision in conformity with
the usage of that country. And yet the
usage of Great Britain does not reserve
its places of honor exclusively for men
the queens of England have had thei
share of the administration of the gov
ernment, and the appointment of its of
ficers; nor is Mrs. Lockwood the frs
: nor the only lawyer unhappy in being
, woman; the list begins with Queer
Esther pleading Loyalty for her people
! and women will continue to plead unit
S usage gives place to justice, and taLen
e is unsexed. Mrs. Lockwood has been
S member of the bar for over three years
D and has practice of $4,000 per annum
S The Woman's College started by thi
e lady has just been opened, with sue
e elements as, we trust, will render
: successful. There are many women i
d Washington, clerks in the governmer
{: departments, who will gladly ava
/ themselves of the means of higher edU
5, cation and the prospect of independer
= livelihoods. Other fields are gradual
y opening for women; wood carving is bt
Y, ing extensively engaged in by then
d and why should not wood granting
adopted by women as a trade? 1t
" easy work, and gives full play for tas
N and fancy, besides being very lucrativ
er dark wood or imitation of walnut al
'P oak is being almost exclusively used
@. all new houses; even library and ha
IN floors are laid in blocks or patterns
le mosaic style, and it would seem b
natural, since this will reduce the scru
bing and cleaning of paint in the wor
le ans household sphere, it should be Ell
le plOyed by her as trade. Grainers al
K wood inlayers are few in number, al
ol their wages large; come, women, wi
Id your oil and brushes, your carving toe
n and pretty wood designs. A YOU
to lady in the Cincinnati school of desiI
lis has just received an order to carve
Sc organ for the great Paris Exhibitio
an the one carved by her having receiv
|" the prize at the Centennial show
at Philadelphia.
Oh Let all these things encourage WON
TO to move forward and occupy all
lis fields of employment wherever tn
or find themselves capable of reaping sol
profit for their labor. There are almt
as many women teachers now in
eel United States as pupils, and as for sea-
ch stresses, it is really sickening to re
~ and hear of the misery they endure, a
ry the straits to which they are reduced
on bare subsistence. So long as woma
en- circumseribed sphere is overstocb
nd with laborers, so long will her pay
IL small; let her move forward feeli
on that all work is honorable, and her al
tly ity to work a God-given inheritance.
Try Washington is looking forward t.
aft season full of excitement. Whiche
M way the tide turns, it must bear upon
be bosom a new supply of at least tenn
rary inhabitants. A new administ
ton and a new Congress always MT
lge change in this city in the fullest Sc
sed of the word; new cabinet officers, n
yh- department clerks, new lobbyists, L
ct interests, new questions, and even L
ay- grammar in the House of Represer