The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-22
WOMEN IN COUNCIL.

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The fifth annual convention of the
Oregon State Woman Suffrage Asso-
citation has passed into history, and we
are pleased and proud to chronicle it as
one of the most successful meetings OF
the kind which we have ever had the
good fortune to attend. After the first
unfavorable greeting, which was owing
to unavoidable delay on the part of the
committee on reception, the meetings
progressed during the three days and
evenings allotted to them without a
passing jar
Mrs. H. A. Loughary, who is one Of
the most thorough parliamentarians Of
this or any age, completed her second
term to the extreme satisfaction Of her
constituents, who would have been
gratifed had she consented to serve for
third term. This lady is ths Patrick
Henry Of the new dispensation. She
is calm, dignified, matronly, logical,
and eloquent. "Her children rise up
and call her blessed her husband, also,
and he praiseth her" As we watched
her through the various phases Of her
public duties, ruling the convention
and audience with a firm and gentle
sway, and hearkened to her logical and
unstudied eloquence as she portrayed
the philosophy Of inspired statesman
ship, we felt poorly prepared to assume
the mantle that fell from her shoulders;
and we stepped into the Presidents
chair with the consciousness Of cOmpar-
ative inferiority, for which we crave the
indulgence Of forbearing public. Mrs.
Loughary is not only a mother, but a
grandmother in Israel. She has known
the practical side Of life in its pioneer
phases, and has reared her large family
upon the western frontier and kept her
own intellect bright, the while. Many
a law-maker might learn wisdom at
her feet, and it is shame that such as
she are under political subjugation to
the aristocracy of sex.
Mrs. A. NJ. Martin is another bright
example of what the feminine Fred.
Douglasses Of the present day are doing
in the ranks. AS Recording Secretary
Of the Association, this lady performed
her part most nObly, caring the while,
with the assistance Of friends, for two
small children, the eleventh and twelfth
Of her household.
Mrs. Johns and Mrs. Minto are alsC
mothers in the ranks, who have passed
the meridian, but are yet vigorous fo
duty. Yet these grand women, the moth
ers Of men, who have spent life tim,
in the service of humanity, are denie,
a voice in the affairs Of the government
that taxes them for its support.
Last, but not least among the few 70
whose names we have space in this ar
ticle, comes Clara NJ. Foltz, whom W
have known in the years agone, at tn
cradle, the wash-tub, the sewing ma
chine, the cooking stove, and the coun
ter. This woman, not yet twenty-eight
married at fifteen, the mother Of a larg
family Of little children who have beei
mainly dependent upon her own exer
tions for their support, returns to on
State, after two years soJourn in Cal
ifornia, having crystalized the expert
ences Of her life into demonstrated prob
lens Of richly freighted thought; an,
with the bloom of youth yet upon he
face, she stands up in high places Il
plead for the oppressed, as only a woman
can.
Aside from the ladies mentioned VIII,
have thus taken q leading part in th,
convention, we might name, had W,
space, a hundred others, equally de-
serving, only less prominent, who ar,
helping to bear the ark Of our covenant
Of liberty in the van Of the advancing
hosts who are destined to give the usurp.
ers Of our freedom no rest until they
have granted US equality before the law