The Portland daily press., 1884-08-11
An Appeal to Women.
Mrs. Mary A. LiVermOre ON Private Mor-
ais and Public Issues.

1 wish to repeat and to emphasize the advice
given by Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony in
their circular letter to The members of the Ma
tioual Woman Suffrage Association-"STANp
By THE REPUBLICAN PARTY" Although wo-
men do not vote at Presidential elections, they
exert large political influence, which cannot
be measured, but which is potent, felt and
recognized In no recent Presidential cam
paign has there been more imperative need
of woman's throwing her entire moral force on
the right side than in the present instance.
latter protesting against the treatment Of
the cause of woman suffrage by the convention
which nominated Gov. st. John for President,
Mrs. Livermore continues as follows:]
But there is another reason why women,
this year, should "stand for the Republican
party" Women are not more the Victims Of
mans drunkenness than of his consuming lust.
A liquor-seller is not greater foe to the hap
piness Of woman, or of the community, than
is an habitual libertine. Drunkenness and
RIGHTEOUSNESS are twin evils, and the debau-
chez is usually addicted to both vices.
When, therefore, a great political party
nominates man for the Chief Magistracy Of
the nation who is charged with the gravest and
most heinous sins against women they should
not be dumb witnesses Of this insulting and
demoralizing act. When, In addition, some Of
our noblest men, at whose feet we have sat for
ethical teaching and religious inspiration, af-
ter informing us that ''the paramount issue OF
this campaign is moral rather than political"
and that the whole question hinges on the
moral character Of the presidential candidate
then proceed to advocate the claims OF this
libidinous man to the Presidency, II is tho du-
ty OF all women who stand for social purity to
protest earnestly and persistently.
The treatment OF the grave charges against
Gov. Cleveland by some Of the most respecta-
BILE journals OF the day is as amazing as 1t IL
reDrehensiDle. These charges are tacitly adj
mitted, but it is declared that they do not rem
der him unfit for the high Office TO which he IL
nominated. "The chastity or unchastity Of
public men Of national repute, and nominated
for office before the people Of the whole coun-
try, is not proper subject for discussion We
are told. And that "a man may be q private
reprobate and yet be paragon Of public ex-
celence." In the presence Of our young sons
shall we silently assent to this debased public
sentiment which the press has revealed TO rs
during the last few weeks?
Let us remember that there is no sex In
guilt. Those vices which men condemn in Wo-
men, and for which they relegate them to OBJ
scuritV and subject them to ostraclsm are not
to be condoned by women when men are gull
W OF bn6u. SOClal lLHpurlLy bdlutS tho WnOlo
being, and untones and depraves the intellec-
tual character, as all OF us know who have
worked among the fallen of our own sex. At
ter twelve years Of service ON Board Of Di.
rectors of = Magdalen asylum there is left In
my mind an abiding conviction that no vice 50
damages, not only the physical and moral, but
the mental nature as that of licentiousness.
nGov. Cleveland be the immoral man he IL
represented-and there has been no RESPONSE
BILE denial of the charge, which was In current
circulation long before he was thought of fer
the Presidency-he is wholly unfit to be the
standard bearer of the American people. A
man whose private character would exclude
him from decent society should not be installed
in the White House as the host of the nation
and the dispenser Of its hospitalitie6. Gould
respectable women be expected to attend the
receptions of such President?
Either James G. Blaine or Gov. Cleveland
will be elected to the Presidency. There Is no
chance for Gov. st. John, immaculate as be IL
in all respects Were an habitual drunkard
nominated for the Presidency women would
work to prevent his election by all fair and
honest means The elevation to the chief
magistracy Of an habitually unchas9e man
would be an equal calamity. Shall not all
women exert their intiuenos to hinder so I'm.
fortunate contamination? And the surest
way to do this is to "stdnd by the Republican
party" Its candidates tor President and Vice
President are able men, whose long years Of
public service have entitled them to tho recog-
milton they have received. They are neithet
drunkards nor ibertines, and their relations
with women are so noble that they will be ac-
companied to the national capital by wives
and women friends of rare intelligence, high
culture and unqaestioned moral worth.
MARY A. LIvERMoRB.
Melrose, Mass, Aug. Z. 1884.