The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-13


Rev. d. J. Pierce, well known through
out Oregon, having been pastor Of the
Baptist church in Portland for the years
lS75-76, writes as follows TO the Dem
yer Mirror:
came from the vicinity Of Boston,
arriving in Laramie two weeks before
the first regular election IN 1874. ] had
never sympathized with the extreme
theories Of the wOman's rights platform,
10 the advocates of which / had often
listened ir Boston. But | had never
been able to learn just why a woman is
naturally excluded from the privilege of
franchise, and l had sometimes argued
IN favor In lyceum debates Still the
question Of her degradation stared me i'm
the face, and came 10 Wyoming uude-
termiued iu the matter, determined 20
he au impartial judge. / was early at
the polls, but too late 10 witness the
polling of the first female vote-by
"Graudma' swain, much esteemed
Quaker lady of - summers, ho deter
mined by her words aud influence TO
rally her sex 10 defend the cause Of NOR
a.ity ard Justice
] saw the rough mOuntaiueers main
tanning the most respectful decorum
whenever the women approached the
polls, and heard the timely warning Of
one Of the leading cauvaSseTs n ne ST.
lenced an iucipi-ut quarrel with upIifted
iiuger, saying:
"Hisl. BE quiet; a woman is COM
ing"
And ] was compelled to allow that in
this new country, supposed TAT that time)
10 be infested by hordes OF cutthroats,
gamblers, aud abandoned characters,
had Witnessed more quiet election than
10 hat been my fortune TO see ia the
quiet towns OF Vermont.
/ saw ladies attended by their hus-
bands, brothers or sweethearls, ride 10
the places Of voting, aud alight IN the
midst ora silent crowd, aud pass throuEh
an open space To the polls, depusiting
their votes with no more exposure 10 in
suit or injury than they would expect
on visiting grocery store or meat mar
ket.
Indeed, they were much safer here,
every man OF their party was pledged 90
shield them, while every member Of the
other party, whichever it be, feared the
influence Of any signs Of disrespect
And the next day | sent my impress
sions % an eastern paper, declaring my
self convinced that woman's presence al
the polls would elevate the tone Of pub
lie sentiment la that place. as Il does in
churches, the social ball, or any other
public assemblage, while her own robes
are uuspotted by the transient associa-
T tion with evil characters, which she il
daily obliged 10 meet la the street or dry
goods store. Ny observations at subse-
quent annual elections has only con-
. tirmed my opinion in this respect.
Without reference to party issues. 7
/ noticed that majority of women voted
. for men Of the most temperate habits,
thus iusuring success 10 the party OF law
AMI order
+ After three years absence from my
old home, / could not fail to notice la
the elections Of ls77 aud 1878, that both
/ parties had been led to nominate men
OF better standing IN moral character, in
/ order To secure the female vote.
/ would say that if the question was
ready for action in any State or Territory
where | resided at any time. would
/ take the stump for Woman Suffrage,
based on my own experience and obser-
/ yatious.