The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-06-19
THE CHANGE IN EIGHT YEARS.

The meeting at Good Templars' Hall /
last Friday evening in commemoration |
Of the services of the late William Lloyd .
Garrison in the cause of human free
dom was the occasion Of bringing out
liberal expressions from every one who
addressed the meeting. Mrs. DIR.
Thompson, Messrs. Geo. p. Riley, Isaac
Blum, b. L. Norden and L. f. Hicks
each made a short speech. Not one OF
them allowed the opportunity to pass to
pronounce in favor Of the political
equality of woman before the law. Il.
L. Norden, our present Sheriff, made the
claim that he was one Of the very first
who proposed and carried on the fight
in California for the admission Of col
ored children to the public schools, and
several gentlemen testified to the truth
of the assertion. He is none the less a
believer In human freedom to-day, and
is as earnestly in favor Of according the
right OF suffrage TO women. Mr..
Blum's remarks occasioned some sur
prise, for the Jews are generally consid-
cred as opposed to any advancement in
the condition Of women. We wish to
saw right here that we know Of no class
or people in which larger percentage
are in favor of according women equal
rights with men in all things. That the
| Jews keep to themselves and do not al
How their daughters to associate with
Christians, is true; but that, in other
respects, they are less liberal, we deny.
We can readily name a score of repre-
sentative Hebrews in this city who con-
slider their mothers, wives and daughters
equally as intelligent as themselves, and
as well qualified to fulfill all the duties
Of citizenship. This once prosecuted
people fully appreciate the enjoyment
of civil, political and secular liberty.
Mr.. Geo. 2. Riley, the colored orator,
delivered an address of unusual brill
lance, and championed the cause Of
Woman Suffrage. His race have full
knowledge Of the practical benefits con-
ferred by the suffrage, and are honest
enough to acknowledge the value Of po-
litical power. 1t were strange indeed
should this people oppose a measure OF
such plain justice Each OF the other
speakers was as outspoken in belief in
the absolute right Of Woman Suffrage.
Ex-senator Mitchell and Mrs. Abigail
Scott Duniway were unable to attend
the meeting. Below will be found Mr..
: MitchelPs letter in reply to the invita-
) tion to be present and participate in the
ceremonies
PoRrLAND. Or, June y, 1873.
} Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN eX-
ceedingly regret that a previous engagement
10 address the graduating class at Willamette
University prevents me from being present a
your meeting in honor Of the memory OF tina
great friend OF liberty and human rights, th'
, late William Lloyd Garrison. Perhaps nc
? name in American history stands out in oolde
! characters as an exponent Of human freedom
and equality Of human rights than does his
Z Unlike many others whose names and fam'
e Became conspicuous upon these great ques
tions though some sudden turn in the wheel O
- fortune, or by reason OF some extraordinar,
occasion, the monument which he reared &,
; himself as4he bold defender OF the inaliensbl,
D rights OF man, and which shall perpetuate hi
- memory through the coming ages, was IN,
work og a lifetime. From the days OF his boy
hood, when his fragile knees trembled unde
c the weight Of the lap-stone Of the shoemaker
= until the day Of his death, his life was devote,
[ TO the cause OF human liberty. The world
10 renowned struggle OF the Greeks for freedom
was the source whence sprang the inspiration
{ that impelled him forward 20 deeds Of mani,
1flfsrn q U
q the eolored race: and as an able, constellation
n advocate Of emancipation he had no superior
and but few-if any-equals. And in supper
u Of this assertion his record az exempliied b.
Is his many publications is incontrovertible. q
Is these NAV be mentioned his "Free Press, p pull
> lished in Is16; the National Philanthropist,
in lS27, which, by the way, was the hrst journa
ever established 20 advocate the cause Of tota
abstinence; the journal OF the Timesn put
lished at Bennington, Vermont, In ISIS, do
Ie voted 20 "Peace, Temperance, anti-Slaver,
D and other Reforms;" the genius Of Univers'
10 Emancipation published in Baltimore
:, lS29 and 80 and in Wilhelm a slave-holdin
city-he boldly denounced the taking Of carg
g OF slaves from Baltimore 10 Louisiana as an a'
le Of domestic piracy" and declared his purpos
g. 10 acover thick with infamy" those engaged
it. and for which he was convicted Of iibe
of oned in a murderer's cell forty-nine days; tn
I "Iiberator," the first number Of which va
= published in Boston January lst, 1881, th
:. motto OF which was, "My country is the worl'
u my countrymen are all mankind" in whic
le he declared I'm treating upon the subject Z
4. emancfpafion: 81 am in earnest ! will n'
,s equivocate; viii not excuse; will not retre'
, a single inch, and / will be heard" For b
~ course in the columns Of the "Liberator,"
5. was hunted down by the slavery propagandis
N Of the country, North and south. He May'
10 OF Boston, Harrison Gray Otis, on being al
4 pealed TO by a Southern magistrate 10 suppre
IL, replied, Il have ferreted out the paper an
~ It's editor, whose Office is an obscure hole, b
Be only visible auxiliary a negro boy, MS su
h. porters a very few Insignificant persons Of a
. colors.n He was threatened with assassin
ton, while the Legislature Of Georgia offered
e reward OF s5.Oog for his arrest trial and convi
OF tion. Nothine launted, he In the Spring
BE- fss2 in conjunction with Others. organized a
q, New EneinnI Anu-slavery Society, and wei
% Eng.anl as ils agent His persecution
ei the years that followed, his lectures his refus
rs 10 take a seat In the "world's Anti-Slave
be Convention held ia London in 1870 bccau
10 the lady delegates from the United States We
- excluded, and his iabors in the cause OF IN
70 versal liberty. air untlring, render it excee
We ingly appropriate that the colored race esp
n ciaIly, and the friends OF liberty Of every ra
- and color in this and all lands, should
- honor to his memory; and in that regard,
III with You now, in this manner, most cordial
ln join with this word Of tribute.
le Very respectfully,
h JOHN II. MITCHELL