National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-06-09

Mans Extremity In Gods Opportunity"
To the Editor of The National RopuJlicaa:
Sin. Did you get your plank inserted
Did they pledge themselves TO secure women
citizens in the right to vote Did the seventy
six delegates get seats ON the platform? To
answer the last question FIRST the scventy.six
delegates or ambassadors did not get seats on
the platform, but largo number OF our ladies
did have seats on the platform, and, In view of
the fact that this seems to be generally recog-
nized rs u somewhat frantic and nharmOniOus
republican convention, in which men did not
very methodically manage their own affairs
VIC have every reason to congratulate our
selves as woman sutfragists OH the considera-
ton unfailing courtesy aud largo share of at
tention accorded to this most important ques-
ton. A gentleman, on returning from the ex-
position building to Farwcll hall, told us that
in tho convention the men were like Texas
steers"-tilling our minds with visions OF
hools aud horns; moro orthodox than agree
able. But adorned with our little white
badges, which to us believers in the divinity
of equal human rights seemed like being
clothed in tho panoply of God, wo went
peacefully on our way. Our badges and our
purposes were recognized. Our seats were
assigned us on the platform, to which we were
| conducted as in church, and there we were
| looking upon that sea of 10000 human faces;
| and as looked remembered that every one
| self; and instead of wondering ut the tur-
moii, tho wonder grew that these eager, inn
| FASHIONED men sat 80 quietly listening TO so
many things which they did not believe, and
TO statements in which they could only idcn-
| tify themselves by cheers, or by unresponsive
| silence or by occasional Kisses of dissent.
But all of this and the final pronunciamento
| in which the minority accedes to the decis'
ions of tho majority, however that majority
may be obtained, and however strongly the
| judgment of the minority may conflict with
the will of the majority-all this seemed but
part of the necessary limitations prescribed to
| tho individual by organized effort.
But it was something diyiner than mere re-
gard to order il was a still loftier spirit which
animated the women OF the National Suffrage
! association, when ut the indianapolis cOnven-
| ton they pledged themselves to know no north,
no south, no east no west, no party lines nor
| sectional differences IN this grand effort for
| the establishment OF equal human rights for
all citizeus of the United States, The daugh'
ters of Cassus Clay, Of Kentucky, and noble
women from the far north frec.sOuled Mrs.
| Saxon, of New Orleans, with her inherited
| predilections and women of MAino with
equally ingrained convictions of Justice, all
sank memories of past struggles aud pains in
tho ono grand determination to secure Ia
women that perfect autonomy, and TO society
those social reforms which can be obtained
but by the use OF the ballot in the hands oil
women.
No dispass0nate observer could listen to the
speeches of these women aud watch thcil
truth.sceking and unselilsh efforts to gain for
women that sign aud seal of sclt.government
so priced by man without recognizing in the
movement the presence Of mighty power
sent from Jehovah against the thick bosses oil
whose buclsler man may well cease to hurtlC
his puny lancos.
A spirit not of this world was the anmus oil
the conduct OF those on tho platform, when IN
Chicago woman, full Of sorrows and misery
which forced wild utterances, disturbed one o.
the speakers. True TO that reoroatiYe princi
Pile which comes to seek and to save, not Il
condomn-to rebuild and re-Gstablish, not /,
cast down and destroy, the sutlragist sought t
Quiet the unhappy woman, No attention wa
naid to the cry from the audience, put he
out % "put her out = but Instead, one of til,
women descending from tho platform, went Il
this sister, aud with at least so much success
that the speaker continued TO the end aud th
other addresses followed In regular order.
That tenderness which digniaes grace, tina
Intelligence which illumines purity, and tina
, Justice which doifes mercy are among tho nov
! grOwths which women are cultivatng TO
! transplantation into the yet.to-bo possesses
] soil of tho fair Canaan of wOman's franchise.
And now to answer the first question last
/ We did not get tho plank inserted, Tho rc
+ publicans did not procure TO themselves tn
I honor of pledging themselves 10 seour
l women citizens in the exercise OF their rlgh
6 TO vote, but many Of us believe that tho on
0 portunity was lost BY little slip on our part