Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-04
wOMANs SUFFRAGE.
Plea for Political Equality and jus
tice, by One of the Fair Sex.

" woman suffrage" is not new one 10 the
public mind, but inasmuch as 1t is one thai
at this time is receiving some attention
from the Legislature now in session, and is
also one in which the ladies are deeply in
terested and inasmuch as the RECORD
UNION has always been foremost in advo-
eating all good and just measures, we
would like to hear from it editorially on
the subject so dear to our hearts, and which
SO materially affects our interests For q
long time the ladies have been knocking at
the political door and asking permission to
enter. when we might demand il as right,
but thus far men have refused to open the
door for us (Not polite OF them, to say
the least) Now | have noticed that these
! brothers of ours are very willing, nay,
more, are anxious to have US NEEDLE with
politics" when our assistance can be OF use
to them. But when we ask for equal po-
Iitical rights with men, the answer is
No. We can't think OF allowing your
dainty feet to wade in political mire."
| Now, it seems to me this is distinction
( without difference If we may dip our
| feet in the mire to assist man, why may we
not TO assist ourselves? In other words,
| why should not we be afforded by the bal
!
| man
| Suppose, now. YOU hold honest commun-
| ion with Yourselves for a brief time; scru
tinize closely your actions, and define the
motives that actuatcd them-then tell US,
| if YOU can truthfully. that you have been
actuated wholly and solely bya sincere re-
gard for an honest desire TO benefit woman.
| If YOUR acts, YOUR motives, stand the test Of
honest scrutiny, ii will bring balm to your
spirits and refreshment to your pillows.
Every DAVIS record which You can thus
read and approve will make you sleep well
o nights" The great heather philosopher,
Pvthag0ras, counseled thus, even in his
day: Let not sleep fall upon thy eyes
till thou has thrice reviewed the trans
actions of The past day Now, We
would be satisfied if our brothers, par
ticularly our legislators, would once
review their actions and motives
as | have been doing. A nights serious
reflection has brought the conviction that
have been laggard, hence this article
Hone YOU won't be impolite enough to
wish | hadn't reflected) But, seriously,
we all might do more TOD asten the happy
dav. Opportunities have been wasted
which might have ere this been fruitful of
good results, bad all worked as earnestly
and untiringly in the cause as the two no.
BILE ladies now visiting the Capitol on that
mission have been doing little tiny
seed sown upon the great, broad fields OF
mans intellect, as opportunity offered,
might in time produce rugged plant,
which shall put forth myriads of blossoms,
filling all the land with the sweet odor of
Justice. and ripening into the fruit of suf-
frage for woman; fruit that shall Tighten
the labors of the weary sisters, strengthen
the weak lift up the fallen and bring UNI
told blessings to the countless thousands
whose slender frames now bend beneath
the weight too heavy and too grieyous to
be borne by any save lOngsutfering
woman. Oh legislators, men and brothers
What has so perverted your sense of justice
that Won still deny the boon for which we
ask? Are you still blinded by prejudice?
Can you not step out of the little, narrow
rut wherein so many generations OF men
have trod? Surely farther worship of the
carven image. called Prejudice, is unworthy
the great, broad enlightenment which sheds
its rays of advanced thought and superior
intelligence upon the nineteenth century.
If YOU cannot be moved by the eloquent
words which emanatc from the lips and
pens of the master minds of the present
day; nor vet by the more soft and gentle,
if less eloquent pleadings of woman, can
you remain insensible to the voices that
silently speak to the soul? Does not your
better judgment tell you that God created
woman to be mans equal, his cO-worker,
his help mate (the meaning as well as spell
ing of that last word is often perverted, to
walk by his side, and not to sit at his feet?
Are not your hearts impressed with these
silent but eloquent influences Do YOU
honestly believe that God in His infinite
wisdom created woman to be the
sport and plaything of mans leisure hours,
to be cast aside as worthless when she had
served that purpose and not to be his intel
lectual companion, his co-labOrer in all
great and good works? No, no. Perish
the thought! Woman was never intended
To- Ice simply the toy Of mans leisure mo-
ments, nor his servant.
Hers is higher, q nObler mission; and
deep, profound, awful must be the insensi
biiity of that soul that is dead to all the
sublime and impressivei influences of nature
which strike thought inward, and which
refine and elevate human character. Oh,
my brothers Let me entreat YOU to do
Justice To woman, and thereby taste
the pure bliss which springs from the con-
sciousness of having performed a gracious
act. noble deed and a just duty. | am
happy to say that the majority Of the Sena-
tors favor woman suffrage. There are one
or two among the master minds of that
body who are not yet enrolled upon our
side: but, as " Nil Desperadum' is our
motto, we have strong hopes that the great
Boon(e) will be conferred upon US, and
every Senator vote for our acknowledgements,
save and accept the invulnerable hero from
Plumas He has put his foot down. and
it's-thcre. | think he must be pretty
nearly akin to woman; for when he
won't, he won't. and there's an end ont"
And for once must say think his keen
discernment is at fault, Obscurcd by
an unworthy preiudice-unworhy of
his brilliant intellect and usually kind
heart. That our cause IS meritorious
one all will concede. That it is Il Just
one, few will deny. We regret, too, that
the '' Faithful Five whose fidelity to prin-
ciplc and to each other commanded the
respect and admiration Of friend and foe
alike should be divided upon this subject
but since the Senator from Plumas poor
lone orphan without 4 political home will
not enter the one into which the woman
suffraaists" have so kindly invited him, we
can only bid him fearful farewell, assur-
ing him that we bear no malice, for our
religion teaches Us to kiss the hand that
smiteS us and We will cover his political
grave with bright flowers, believing
them with the tears of regret. Woman
IOe'n Dear malice, utltHtT ND's SlC ever
forget kindness. and when victory
shall perch upon our banner, and women
wear the crown of suffrage, think not that
we shall discard our Cross or forget one of
the illustrious names that were instru-
mental in comforting the priceless boon
upon us No. no. woman never forgets,
and as the years roll onward, burying in
oblivion many of the illustrious deeds with
the praises Of which the world now re-
sounds. we will remember, and with
woman's unfailing devotion we viii more
closely hug our Cross and never depart
from the faith that bids us love and rever-
ence the hands that crowned US
WINNIE WILDWOOD
Sacramento, March > 1855.
TIE QUESTION IN WASHINGTON TERRITORY.
The following letter upon the subject has
been received by Mrs 5. NJ. Theall Sccre-
tary w. c. 5. Society, in this city, from
Hon. O. Jacobs who has held the position
of Chief Justice Delegate to Congress,
Mayor of Seattle, etc, in Washington Ter
ritory
have been asked TO state briefly the
operation of woman, or rather universal,
suffrage law in this Territory-whethcr it
has been beneficial or otherwise. | can
truthfully say that ali the evils proPheSied
as certain 10 follow Acknowledgement of
10 haSal,sSS IL the