The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-01
NIL DRSPERANDUM.

Public opinion, so far from being un-
changeable, often goes to the most ludi-
crous extremes. Indeed, we are almost
forced to the conclusion that there are
no conservative grounds upon any great
question that are permanently tenable.
We find an illustration Of the extremes
to which public sentiment is driven by
untempered zeal in the early records Of
the city of Newark, New Jersey, where
the pioneer fathers, in the fervor of
their straight-jacket religion, declared
it not only "very unbecoming and i'm
proper" but "highly immoral in its
tendency" for women to sing in church.
The Apostle Paul, to whom divines of
the present day pin their most steadfast
faith on the question of wOman's
sphere, was the high authority for this
decree, for had he not declared that wom-
en- must keep silence in the churches? {?
Yet a century had scarcely elapsed be-
fore Newark graciously accorded to
women the right of suffrage.
Those who believe that Woman Suf-
frage is new, and was first tried as an
experiment in Wyoming are quite mis-
taken, as il is fact too well authenti-
Gated to be denied that in the early
years Of the present century widows and
single women were entitled by the laws
of New Jersey to vote, and not only
were so entitled, but did vote, almost
without exception. More than this,
the men were far from holding Woman
Suffrage in contempt, but waited upon
the lady voters in many instances with
carriages, and proudly drove them to
and from the polling places, even as
women in our own city who possessed
the requisite qualifications Of widow
hood and motherhood were eagerly
sought out and triumphantly escorted
to the polls at the last years school
election.
1t is related on good authority that at
an election held at Newark in 1907,
when the rival claims of that city and
the city of Elizabeth were being pushed
at the ballot-box, to decide which
should in future be honored as the
county seat of Essex county, that "men
put on women's clothes in order to du-
| plicate their votes" and these were the
descendants of the men who, in the
early years of Newark's existence, de-
clared with pious bigotry and ridiculous
assumption that it was unbecoming and
immoral for the voice of woman to be
lifted in church, even in singing
hymns in praise Of her Creator.
Ecclesiastical rules and regulations
have, under the constant hammer OF
public opinion, changed remarkably
since the "Blue Laws" were in force.
In most Of the Puritan settlements dur
ing the first half century, none but
church members were eligible to Office,
and church membership was an indis-
pensable qualification for suffrage. The
first tavern-keeper In the city above re-
ferred TO was warned against entertain
ing strangers 'indiscriminately," and
every traveller was required to furnish
religious testimonials before he could
procure rest and refreshment 1t was
incumbent upon the constable, i'm those
rude but good old times" to see that
every disobedient and refractory person
and every liar quietly and seasonably
departed the place. Minor ofienses
such as swearing, tippling on the Lords
day, eccept for necessary refrcslment
and night walking after nine O'Clock
were punishable by fines and whipping
The great changes that have rendered
these sober Puritanical facts mere tradi-
tions are too apparent 10 every one tc
need pointing out. In view Of these
and kindred radical revolutions in social
and political affairs, let us not despair
of the accomplishment Of the change in
the political and financial status oil
woman, so devoutly wished, so ear
nestly labored for, so elOquently plead
for, by noble advocates throughout the
nation, from the Senate Chamber Of the
/ United States, where logic and justice,
yet in minority, shiver lances again
and again against assumption and injus-
tice, which defeats them in nothing but
numbers, to the obscure country fire.
side, where wise mothers are teaching
lessons Of equal rights to the barefoot
boys and fiaxen-haired girls who are to
be the future citizens Of this Republic,
aud who will conjointly make and ad-
minister her laws. c.