The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-06-07


j. ISIS
have referred to the great response
bilities of motherhood, and doubtless
your mental comment was, eyes, that
Is wOman's peculiar sphere; there she
should be content to remain
Ii is our sphere-bsautiful, glorious,
almost infinite in its possibilities. We
accept the work; we only ask for oppor-
tunity to perform it. The sphere has
enlarged; that is all. There has been a
new revelation. That historic FIRST
gun" proclaimed a wonderful message
to the daughters of America; for, when
the smoke Of the cannonading had lifted,
the entire horizon Of woman was broad
ened, Illuminated, glorified.
On that April morn, when q nation
of citizens suddenly sprang into an army
Of warriors, with patriotism as intense,
a conservation as true, American women
quietly assumed their vacated places
aud became citizens. New boundaries
were defined. A Mary SOmerville, or
Maria Mitchell, seized the telescope
and, alone with God and the stars, cast
new horoscope for women. And the
new truth, eleetrifying, gloriiying Amer
lean womanhood to-day, is the discOv-
cry that the State is but the larger fam
that in this national home there is a
room aud a corner and a duty for
mother" A duty recognized by such
a statesman as John Adams, who wrote
TO bis wife in regard to her mother:
"NOur mother had a clear and pene-
trating understanding and profound
judgment, as well as an honest, "A friendly,
aud charitable heart. There is one
thing, however, which you will forgive
me If 1 hint TO you. Let me ask you
rather If you are not of my opinion.
Were not her talents and virtues too
much confined to private, social, and
domestic life? My opinion Of the duties
Of religion and morality eomprehends
a very extensive connection with society
at large, and the great interests of the
public. Does not natural morality and,
much more, Christian benevOleuce make
IL our Indispensable duty to endeavor to
serve our fellow-creatures to the utmost
of our power in promoting and support
ing those great political systems and
general regulations upon which the hap
piness OF multitudes depends? The
benevolence, charity, capacity, and in
dustry which, exerted in private life,
would make a family, a parish, or a
town happy, employed upon a larger
scale aud in support Of the great princi-
pies Of virtue and freedom of political
regulations, might secure whole nations
and generations from misery, want, and
contempt"
Gentlemen, intense domestic life is
selfish. The world evidently needs faith
ers as much as mothers. Tender, wise
fatherhOod is beautiful as motherhood
but there are orphaned children to be
cared for. These duties 10 the State
aud nation as mothers, true TO the high
est needs Of our children, we dare not
ignore. And the nation cannot much
longer afford 10 have Us ignore them.
As statesmen walking on the shore
piled high with the "drift-wood Of
kings" the wrecks OF nations aud gov
ernments, YOU have discovered the one
word EN- blazoned as an epitaph on each
and every one, Luxury, luxury, lux
nry :" You have hitherto placed pre-
MUM upon wOman's idleness, helpless
ness, dependence. The children of most
of our fashionable women are being edu-
Gated 10y foreign nurses. How can you
expect them to develop into patriotic
American statesmen? For the sake of
country l plead; for the sake Of a re-
sponslole, exalted womauhood; for the
sake oil purer womanhOod; for home
and truth, and native land: as a daugh-
ful memories cliuging TO the almost sa-
cred name Of "father;' as wife. recaiy-
ing constant encouragement, support
and coop, ru .9n from one who has re-
vealed TO me the genuine nobility Of
true manhood; as a mother, whose heart
still thrills at the memory Of tie frst
mother greeting from our little son.
aud as a sister, watching witt inten-a
interest the entrance OF a brotn,- into
the great world Of work, | could u.- o..
half so loyal 10 ''woman's causeD was il
not a synonym for the equal rights o.
humanity-a diviner justice for all!
Thanking You, gentlemen, for yOul
earnest attention, with one practiea
question rest my case with you. Tn,
world objected TO woman's entrance int,
literature; the pulpit, the lycenm, th'
college, the school, she has entered
What has she wrought? What is tn
verdict Of the world to-day? Our wises
thinkers and historians assert that liter
ature has been purified. Poets an'
Judges Al international collegiate con
tests award TO woman's thoughts th'
highest prize. Miss Lu:ia Peabody re
ceived, upon the occasion OF her secon'