The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-05-04


Divinity.
The polling booth is the outpost to
the stronghold of equality-the point to
strike the first blow at this unnatural
of sex. A voice in the gov
erning power is the a, b, of woman's
rights, that all can understand.
Women owe it to themselves as well
as the best interests of society, to insist
that the twaddle on this question must
cease. Newspapers and periodicals that
publish invidious statements in regard
to women should be banished from our
iresides. Men vino sueeT at "the sex"
should be Stunned. Ministers who
preach woman's subsection, should be
gently rebuked by the simultaneous
exit, in the midst of their sermon, of all
their feminine parishiOners; and ly-
ceum lecturers, who set up their little
boundary lines, beyond which our
daughters may not go, should be left to
their solitary reflections. AS the audi
ences on all occasions are largely COM
posed of women, a crush" now and
then might prove most effectual in
changing their views as to wOman's
true place in the universe of matter and
mind. A representative of the superior
sex, sitting near me, says, "Men do not
carry Goals to Newcastle" the fact that
large assemblies of women listen pa
tiently to discourses on their sphere,
shows that the old ideas are still mar
ketable.
But when we consider how difficult
the first step of resistance is against any
ancient form of oppression, we cease to
wonder at woman's apathy; and when
we look at the humble place uniformly
assigned her in the work of the world,
we are not surprised at the low estimate
| she places on herself. And yet, it is
pitiful to see sensible women all over
the country sacrificing so much personal
and family comfort and advantage Ia
multiply churches that teach wOman's
degradation. | visited a little town in
| Iowa, where the women worked two af-
teTnoOns every week, cutting and sew
! ing rags to get carpet made for theil
church, while the pastor who was tC
walk thereon, plumed himself on the
! God-Ordained superiority of his sex, anC
aired his views in the pulpit. Sitting
in the midst of this bevy of rag-cutters
i'm large, bare room at the top of the
house, we discussed woman's position
in the church, and 1 was glad to fine
that most of them felt the degradation
AS there were several bright young girl.
there, l advised them to devote the timt
they were giving in sewing, decorating
and begging for the church, to their owl
education. If women-all over the coun
try would expend the efforts, time ant
means on their improvement, now giveI
to the externals of the church, we shOulC
not hear so much of mans superiority
Young men would think it a very poo
use of their time to get up donation par
ties and fairs, and go begging from
house to house to get lamps and carpet
for churches, aud presents for their min
listers. And yet this is the chief Occupa
tiOn of our women in most villages ant
cities. Propose any organization TO
the improvement of women themselves
a club, debating society, or anything
and you will find the clergy, as a gen
erai thing, opposed to ii, because i
takes woman's interest and enthusiasm
from the churches. And Just so Outsid
the churches. Let woman work 70
temperance, prison reform, anti-slavery
State fairs and Centennial exhibitions
their efforts will be lauded to the skies
The press, the pulpit and the politician
will all join in the chorus. But let he
dare to propose anything for herself, t
enter Harvard or Princeton, to hold an
place in the world of work for whicl
she is fitted, to bold Office and vote, {,
be recognized as an equal everywhere
and how quickly the tune changes. TIL
same principle YVES illustrated in tn
old days of slavery. As slave, tn
negro could be waiter, body-servant
nurse, in such capacity travel every
where, at the North in cars, Omnibuses
steamboats,, hotel halls, parlors, dining
rooms, without giving the least offens
to any ones olfactOries. But as an equal
well-dressed, educated, refined, no on
could endure "that natural odor," AM
he was shut out from all decent associa
tiOn.
The point of offense in the Woman
Suffrage movement is just this, we de
maud complete equality of rights every
where; in tue halls of legislation, in th
courts, in the pulpit, at the fireside
We believe in no divinely ordained head
on this green earth, and we have prove,
that tits possible to have State withou
king, a church without a pope, cur
rency without a gold basis, famil
without a divinely ordained head.