The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-25
"si1 Senators on the Woman Question" "

ok DbldlOIs Oh tAo HOmau GutstlOus
Under the above head the editor OF
Woman's Words, published at Phila-
delphia, thus comments upon the report
of the committee on privileges and
elections" Senators Wadleigh, McAIil-
Ian, ingalls,, Merriman and Salisbury,
relative TO the petition vor Sixteenth
Amendment. This report we published
in our issue Of July 10Th, and we trust
our readers will read it again and then
read the following:
Several millions of women in this re-
public have always been denied the
right to assist in making the laws
which they are required to obey, are
totally inexperienced in political af-
fairs" therefore, they continue to be de-
MED this right, but they shonld become
experienced in political affairs" and
equal in wisdom and craftsmanship to
the freedmen, Mexicans and ChOctaws.
These women "are quite generally de-
pendent upon men," whom they en-
dowed with life, brought safely through
the trying periods of teething, measles,
whOOping-cough, scarlet fever and the
first vote, and for whom they continue
to labor, without pay, until their white
hairs drop into the grave.
Women can not, or will not fight,
and il they are permitted to take part in
legislation, they may undertake to in
stitute government based upon moral
force, i'm which case they will be more
sOundly whipped by their natural pro-
tectors at the ballOt-bOx than wives of
drunken men are at home, and will
learn to their cost that this is a govern
ment of muscle, and not of brains. IL
they should persist in voting under such
circumstances, the race will be extermi-
mated.
As we do not know the wishes Of
these million of women on this subject,
never having given them an oppOr-
tunity to express their opinions in the
manner most women would prefer, by a
silent vote, we conclude that they are
infleXibly opposed TO il "by a large ma
jority," and we propose to protect them
from the fearful responsibility OF doing
what they please about governing them
selves, which responsibility so many Of
their natural rulers "seek to evade.n
For the above reasons it would be OBJ
viously unjust, unwise, and impOlitic to
grant the prayers of the women who
have petitiOned US to recognize their
right TO self-government. The large
number Of names presented this session
asking for this amendment were pro-
cured by the Woman Suffrage societies.
thoroughly organized, with active and
Jealous managers, who, being totally
inexperienced in political afiairs,n aud
but il wasn't much Of a shower, any
way, and "no evidence of anything in
particular.
IL is "strongly urged" that women
are subject to oppression and injustice.
Now, everybody knows that the strong
cannot aud do not Oppress the weak
that the best way for woman TO protect
her own interests in legislation is to let
them alone, and that the ''spirit of the
age" an exclusively masculine spirit,
descending in a direct line from father
to son, has been at work improving the
condition Of woman, until we are COM
pelled TO put a check upon IL, lest, II
more freedom is granted her, her WELL
known aversion To marriage may lead
her TO attack and destroy the relation
to which we have been able thus far to
hold her by virtue of our superior mod
esty and chastity.
Even now so much favoritism is
shown women in courts that men dc
not stand any chance, and If women are
prepared 10 administer law-but that is
Gimde. The States are already grant.
/ ing suffrage to women without any very
disastrous results, and the States which
have granted it believe in it more than
l the States which have not. In a free
country it would never answer to allow
three-fourths Of the people TO decide any
/ question. The remaining one-fOurth
I might be averse to it.
For these reasons the committee re-
ported back the Woman Suffrage reso'
luton with recommendation that d
be indefinitely postponed.