The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-12
THE IGNORANT LAW-MAKBR.


the defeat Of their own futile attempts
to array themselves against the WOman
movement, rushes boldly to
the front, in imaginary defense Of the
absurd fallacy Of masculine supremacy.
As we watch his awkward fiounderings
in the muddy waters Of bigotry and ig-
norance into which he has voluntarily
plunged, our sympathy almost gets the
better Of our judgment, aud it is with
difficulty that we refrain from lending
him an alphabetical oar with which to
paddle himself to the shores Of political
terra frma. We quote:
The women's rights representatives have
asked Congress for an amendment 10 the Con
stitution, 10 demand OF the several States not
TO oppose the women suffrage Do we need an
additional proof OF the entire ignorance Of the
women and their advisers who have, a. yet,
not learned the political alphabet2 The CEN
tral ,FederaD government has no right al all
70 exercise an hegemony over all the States;
and the latter would, OF course, not submit 20
it should even Congress, out OF gallantry
toward the women, be induced TO demand
such imputations from the single States, they
would not be permitted 10 give way 10 their
wishes but by the public voice, by the vote Of
the whole people. And what the peoples
opinions Of il are, that is OF those OF the heads
OF families, who as yet are the only voters, the
women are well aware Of, knowing from expe-
rience the views Of men i'm this respect
throughout the country. The women, there
fore, must take another course In order 10 get
namely, they must become true and faithful 10
their good lords Chusbandsl. We do not mean
drunkards and good for -nothings, against
whom the law affords them full protection.
| II Is deserving Of notice that not one German
woman has been taken with the before-men-
toned foolish notion, and that, rather, the
most intelligent and prominent German wom-
en- do pronounce the Woman Suffrage agiia-
tion rs a farce.
Where could our brother German
have been hiding himself during the
past twenty years Of Rip Van Wrinkle
sleep, from which be is just awakening? :?
Surely he has not been blessed with the
enlightened society of the American
women over whom be would exercise
"an hegemony," else he would know
that the Federal government is the
primal source from which all the States
receive the right to exist as such. He
would also know that this right Of suf-
frage, for which the women are petit
tioning Congress, is the same right
which was originally conferred by that
body on the German, French, Irish,
Italian, Russian, Prussian, and African
men. Did he know the alphabet OF
American politics, be would be aware
that "the vote Of the whole people," in-
stead Of that Of an aristocracy of sex,
was the central idea of the founders oi
that alphabet. He would know that
1--WE, the people," does not, ethically oi
morally, mean tive, the men," And he
would further know that every restric
ton which holds the motherhood o
America in political subjugation L
men, whether they be Germans, negroes
or native born Cinnamon, is in direc
violation of the Declaration Of Inde
pendence, upon which the Federal gov
ernment is founded.
He says "he people are the heads o
families, who as yet are the only vot
ers." Surely the Doctor did not evel
dream while be was sleeping, else b.
would by this time know that to be
husband and father is not, under th
present maladministration, required o
any voter II is only considered neces
sary that he be a man, thus placing Sc,
above principle, above intellect, integ
rity, aud soul.
The women are well aware that all O
the leading brain power among men il
, America is already on their side in &C
knowledging their inalienable right {
voice in the government for whicl
their foremothers suffered untold priva
tions at the hands Of hired Germans VIII
were employed by George III. to subju
gate them during the revolutionary wal
Surely the Doctor would not have u
believe that his personal experienc
with wives has been such as to justif
bim in saying, even by implication
that women want men to be subjected {
a feminine government? Or, shall "
S understand him to imply that wome
= who seek their inalienable rights, whic
= men like himself have wrested fror
1 them, are not "true and faithful TO the
e good lords ?" What does he mean b
{ saying that "the law affords foil protet
y ton to women against drunkards an
5 good-for- nothings ?" Are not the:
- same fellows voters and Lawmakers
e And does not the Doctor declare himse
{ satisfied that their wives and daughter
e shall be in subsection to them, lest tn
] protected creatures fall under his mas
= culine displeasure?
= But the crowning finish to the Doc
{ tors unconscious exhibition Of ignC
rance is his closing paragraph. Wer
he at all up in his alphabet" he woul
= know that Mathilde F. Wendt, Of Ne'
- England, famous author and lecturer
0 who is a German lady Of ability, befor
- whose talent such as his would pale int
nothingness, is president Of large an
flourishing Woman Suffrage Associ,
ton Of Germans in Boston, and thu
Mrs. Clara Neyman, Of New York, al
- other lecturer and author OF equal meri
0 whose acquaintance we have made
$ persou, is president Of the Germs
e Woman Suffrage Association Of Ne
b. | VII Cifx vrhera she Is ahlv assisted