The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-30
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE o. s.
W. s, A.

Hs o. H.
[The following letter should have appeared
several weeks ago, but is OF such interest and
as never to be out Of date.-ED.l
AS the time approaches for the as
of the members of our Asso-
citation, am reminded of what ought
to do, and what probably shall not be
able to do. 1t will, 1 fear, be impossi-
BILE for me to be present at the meet
ing in Albany-cOrporeally, at all |
events-and make sure of being known |
to be there in spirit by this missive,
which goes to you freighted with a
great weight of sympathy-more than
its brief words will seem to express.
have run over in my thoughts the
thousand and one things that ought to
be discussed among us, and can decide
on no one as of paramount Importance,
except that of first fitting ourselves to
take part in the government of the
world in all ways, and then doing it. l
still insist that if we fit ourselves and
show our fitness the world is sure to
want us. The rights of women, physi-
cally weak, unarmed, and anti-belliger-
eut, secured without bloodshed or strife,
is to mark the triumph of modern and
Christian civilization. Nobody really
doubts it nowadays, though the final
achievement of the ballot is delayed by
the force of ancient customs retarding
mems judgments. 1t behooves US,
then, to be educating the boys and girls
of this generation in different senti-
ments, as it behooves US also to put our
selves in training for wider sphere of
duties.
Where are the women's clubs for the
study and practice of political questions
and forms that we all agreed were ne
cessity? Is it such a great matter to
give an afternoon or evening once a
week or fortnight to such duty as this?
Perhaps if you had given yourselves to
this work, you might have been able by
this time to have solved the electoral
muddle of this Centennial year. At al
events, let us try to prevent such 6
thing occurring by the next Centennial
do not by any means think that the
obtaining of the ballot is the chief enc
of our associations. I think womer
have thousand other interests to study
far more precious to them than tht
privileges of political equality; but a
: it is only through political equality tina
we are ever to force the recognition o
our dearest wants and most urgen
e needs, let us work manfulIy to secur
: the means.
noticed in California paper that
Mrs. Stow had published a book ol
i "Probate Confscation." Her book
e have not read, though have sent for il
and if it comes in time l shall send
up to the meeting. The title "Confiscs
ton" hits the nail on the head. Whe
: man dies the property that should G
q to his wife and children without an
il delay or interference is seized by th
e courts aud the officers of the law, eac
e of whom gets more or less of it-credi
g ors perhaps what remains, and the e
e tate is, in fact, "confiscated," so far {
% the mans wife is concerned in it. TIL
d laws in such respects need our attention
q In respect of the crimes of seduction
j. under which head should be include
], the marrying of girls under sixteen;
Is the neglect or abuse of women duriu
that period of their lives when they a
is rearing children; of poisoning the mint
y of youth by unchaste literature; of d
n coying them into place of evil resort
y -dissolute characters of either sex, thes
g and many more similar subjects, d
{, mand the united attention and the
n termined, constant efforts of women,
re order to procure the abatement of evi
is lying at the root of the present rotte
g ness of our social system.
lie 1 have no hesitancy in saying til
fe women possess the ability, the coural
a a1 and GOODNESS for any great work. Hi
II tory sustains US in claiming that. SUI
to examples as that of Miss Claxton at Il
OuIuluS vi Iu6 OlOOhIy uSdIGlI WI
iS in her flimsy stage dress stood amid Il
er fiery shower, encouraging the terrifi
r. people to restrain the panic, until {
e hope was lost, and then having the a
I'd dress to escape herself in way almc
ds miraculous, are in point. So are tho
al of the women who had charge of t
~ ~ Minneapolis school, where thousal
e children were in attendance, when t
s. flames burst almost simultaneously in
ne every room from the burning fut
~ Perfect order was enforced by these mo
ne than army generals, and not child i
e. jured, but all passed out safely from
ed three-story building, the principal ht
self being the last to leave, three mi
utes before the whole building was
flames.
vi vi If a general makes splendid chart
H. and dies in the van of battle, the VOL
ID, hears of it, and all history repeats it
IN all time; or if sea captain refuses
re ~ forsake his ship, and sacrifices hims
-st to the safety of his passengers, a thI
ed of admiring awe goes through the VIII,
land. But the heroic deeds of WON
Il