The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-09-02
GENERAL HANCOCK DEFENDED.
NEw YORK, August l6, $50.

NEW YORK, August TO- lcoU.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST;
have just read the editorial in your
issue Of August 5th on the action Of the
New York sufFragists in endorsing the
nomination Of General Hancock.
Now, first, wish, as they say in Con-
gress, 'to rise TO a personal explana-
ton" II you had been ''interviewed"
as often as have by New York report
ers, you would know that one Of the
most trying things about such an expe-
rienee is the extraordinary language
you are described As using; and 80, in
the interview with me ia the New York
Herald Of July 81, from which you
quote, [ was made to talk an amount Of
"gush" utterly unlike me. Especially
is the word 'gentility" entirely foreign
to nv vocabulary, aud one which par
ticularly dislike. As any well-bred
person knows, it is word which sug-
gests want Of culture when used as 1 was
represented as using it. never hear il
without thinking Of the lady and
her black mits, which were $50 very
genteel."
/ Now, to the more important part Of
the letter. General Garfield has ayowed
himself opposed to Woman Suffrage.
General Hancock has expressed his
sympathy for it. l went with a party
Of ladies to Governors Island, aud asked
] tho GararaI IN ,,fv, 80 s,,,,,, ,..,, -.,,s--
Of his views. After expressing much
/ sympathy with our cause, be said that
it would not be proper for him to go
outside Of his letter Of acceptance, but
we might say to everyone that he took
his stand on this phrase Of that letter,
at is only by full vote, a free ballot
and q fair count that ALL the people
| [wOmen as well as mem can rule as re-
quired by the theory Of our govern
ment." His manner to US was most
cordial. AS We were leaving, he shook
hands with a girl Of thirteen who was
Of our party, and expressed the hope
that she would he q voter by the time
she was old enough to vote.
Now, do you blame us for using our
utmost efforts to secure the election OF
the first Presidential candidate who ever
declared himself to be in our favor
We should be recresut to every princi-
pie We have professed if we should &c
anything to secure the election Of Gen.
eral Garfield, who would probably veto
any bill looking toward our enfranchise
ment, and I entreat you to use all you
influence in behalf Of General Hancock
whose sympathy will be an invaluabI,
aid TO our cause. There is no need o
; our coming out as Democrats in oTde
to do this. There are Republican Han
cock clubs all over the country. Wb,
not Woman Suffrage Hancock clubs
! For Us, enfranchisement is the one vita
D issue, and any candidate who will All
US in our struggle should have our sup
: port.
As for the other attacks on Genera
e Hancock, which you quote from th
D correspondent of a Chicago paper, the
{ are absurdly untrue. send you an ad
q mirable likeness Of the General, whicl
e hope you will place In a couspicuou
3 position in your Office, and which vii
] entirely disprove the allegations as 4
} his appearance. He is straight sol
= dierly, compact, and his mental abili
: ties are of an order to impress any OF
with his force aud acuteuess. As 70
tine ridieulous sfafanoaut that d.. - i,,,o
j cessible, we saw that disproved, as Their
+ were plain farmers going up to see him
) who were freely admitted on the da,
when we called. OF course there is
7 sentinel on duty day and night, becaus,
Governors Island is a military post o
the United States, and by army regula
J tious there must be such service a
every such post.
: l hope that yOd and all the earnes
2 women Of Oregon will show that you
, are tired of Republican false promises
will exert yourselves heartily for th,
J candidate who favors you, and show
2 that the women of the land are a power
e In this State we are pushing q very
active campaign; first, to bring out
large vote OF women at the school elec
tion on October l2th, then to secure tb,
election of members Of the Assembly
favorable to our cause without distinc
tion Of party, aud lastly Tor the election
OF General Hancock.
= LILLE DEvEREUX BLAKE.