The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1881-02-10


of many gentlemen and ladies, so shaping public
sentiment that law was passed granting to mar
ried women the right to personal use and control
of all property received by them through gift, de
wise or inheritance. They also secured at that
session the right to make contracts and to sue and
be sued. Public sentiment continued to grow ir
favor of exact equality for women before the law,
until in 1850 there was law passed granting To
them, when married. the right to own and control
their own earnings the same as if single. They
are also entitled under the same law, to the Gus
tody and control of their minor children upon
equal terms with fathers. The probate Confisca-
ton Court" has been abolished, and the wife can
now hold the property and carry on the business,
in case of the husbands death, with the same inn
munity from legal oppression with which the
husband has always been able to carry on the bus
mess after the death of the wife. But the crown
ing act of the Legislature of 1850 the triumph
ant passage Of the resolution to amend the Con-
stitution and grant women the elective franchise.
Until this right has been secured TO them, all
other rights are unsafe. If men need the ballot
for the protection of their interests, it is idle to
say that women do not need it for like reason.
It has been well said that "men and women have
the same animal and mental natures, the same
physical and spiritual needs, and the same com
mon destiny The inalenable right to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness is common to both
and each is endowed with an individuality pecu-
liar to the sex, and neither can rightly represent
the other because it is not possible for one clas
to comprehend the individual needs Of another
Glass;
The next great effort Of our Association will be
to exert its influence for nominating wel-knowr
Woman Suffragists for the Legislature of 1852
The resolution passed at the last session will re-
quire to be ratified at the next before it ear
reach the people. Let every member Of this As
sociation and every friend Of womans enfranchise.
ment be on the alert. Other States in the UnioT
are moving rapidly i'm the same direction, an6
Oregon must hasten in the work IL she would gair
the prestige Of leadership which those who are
battling valiantly TO secure much desire
Women are already voting on educational inter
ests in Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado
California, Oregon, New Hampshire, Massachu
sets and New York and on all questions in Wy
oming and Utah.
Let us not deude ourselves with the idea tha
we shall have no opposition. Bigotry ignorance
intemperance and licentiousness in every form
will unite to place distractions in the way; Sian
der and vituperation will be hurled at the leader
/ in the future as in the past hut the friends o
freedom will surely triumph If they do their duty
! would recommend that you have a Committe,
| on Political Action, consisting of picked men ant
women of each county, whose duty shall consis
in securing the passage OF a resolution favorini
Woman Suffrage by every nominating Conven
tion in State or county. | would also suggest tina
a standing Committee on Finance be appointed
and that one OF its first considerations should b,
to devise some way Of remuneratng Mrs. Duni
way in some degree for her labors i'm the cause
/ Krr Tsa4~
sionally assisted in the work, she has struggled
constantly, suffering indignities and persecution
in forwarding the cause; has toiled and journeye,
often visiting remote places, meeting the un
tanned elements, fighting our battles, hand (,
hand with ignorance and prejudice and in spit
of seemingly unsurmountable difficulties, ha
sown the seed of this gospel of truth broadcas
over our mountains and through our valleys, scat
tering the leaves of the tree Of knowledge calm,
around her the friends Of the cause, and, by organ
izng societies and speaking in schoo-houses an,
churches arousing the people that they hav,
become our co-workers all over the State II,
sustain her and the NEW NORTHWEST is to sus
tain the cause
Opponents Of Woman Suffrage, who have re
treated step by step from their former positions
are now attempting to nterpose a constitutions
barrier to prevent the ratification by the Legsla
ture of 1882 of the resolution adopted last Fall
but it is noticeable that the leading newspaper
which at first favored this fancy have ceased I,
offer it as a reasonable or legal objection Tn
ablest Legislators, lawyers, judges and jurists wh
have examined the Constitution with unpreiu
diced motives are unanimous in their opinion
that the Constitution was not intended as bar
rier to human liberty. To argue that the Consti
tuition prohibits proposition for amending an,
part or clause OF the whole while already pro
posed amendment of any other clause part i
pending, is to place an obstruction in the pathwa.
of common sense But If you make it say, as