Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-15
MRS. NEHrwErHERs ADDRESS.

The New York Star awards prais,
to Mrs. Mary Meriwethcr, 9Th,
courageous and distinguished
woman, who had the pluck to ap
pear before the national convention
in st. Louis and demand hearing
for her sex" II was tremendous
thing for n woman to do. Mrs.
Meriwether's pluck stands out more
boldly because her companion, Mrs.
Minor, had not sufficient courage TO
mount the platform and face the
multitude. She gained the ear of
the convention by II petition read to
that body from the woman's con
vention, recently held i'm Washing
ton, stating that two Of It's members
had been appointed TO make Il short
talk, mot to exceed ten minutes to
the assembled democracy on behalf
Of the women of America. Permis-
sion being granted, Mrs Mcriwcther
appeared and made her plea. "Timc
and again" said she, "have the
women Of this country appeared
before your legislative bodies and
your great political conventions,
asking that the practice af this
government be made TO conform
with its principles. The basic
principles, the very foundation
stones on which this government
rests, are equal rights.n
She asked how equal rights could |
prevail when onc-half the people Of
this republic live In precisely the
same political bondage their grand
mothers lived la under the monarchs
of England, before the colonies
rebcllod and seeded from the |
British empire. II the conditions
then existing were slavery for the
men, they ARE, by the same token,
slavery for the women now. As
deputy for the Missouri Woman Suf
frage society, she asked recognition
Of the great principles before in
voked, and the pledge Of the demo
cratic party 10 procure such an
amendment To the constitution rs
will give to women equal civll and
political rights with men. She
cited the glory that attached to the
republican party for giving freedom
To 100000 negro slaves; but chow
much more glorious crown will
that party win," she asked with
glowing rhetoric, "thnt shall
achieve the frrodom Of the educated
Christian women OF this country ?n
Then, with caustic logic, the lady
asked, In the event this petition
should be- rejected that platform
ofpnnciples hcadoptod conformablo ,
with their social and political
practices, Asa preamble she sug-
gcsted declaration loo made that
all history proves that education
units a human being for subject
that for the last half p,
century the mistake has been made ,
of opening the schools and colleges ,
of the land to female scholars thus .
expanding their thoughts aud I'M =
,pasing their dissatisfaction, She ,
asked the adoption of ap'solution.
That We, the democratic men OF {
America, Ia convention assembled, 2
advise and urgc the Legislature of q
VERY state to enact such laws rs "
viii loNNVr put a stop to the vduca-
iou In this land of the female
'hildpu, aud We advise aud urev
hat Il La made a penal OitVnsV "
with line aud imprison- b
nont, to teach any girl her letters, n
nd that amy woman convicted NJ :.
,Adiug newspaper ar bOok, or Of y
nteung lvcturc halls Ia seventy q
lay law, 81
lhispolIIical lhadiusgc was not suit q
Il Ia tastes ~ Mn, Mvriwcthvr's s,
tolld hoaprs, aud it i, painful 90 u
vpou that considerable disorirr a,
'vNailvd, which was NpuNcd by pI
hc chair rs gps, dis,ourtosy The iu
ppcal WAS lost, however as the
'httom shortly Afterwards adopted
" hcvouyvuuon made no UtyWuyv
% woman sutiusv The hli,e viii T.,
laNv to tN asalu n'
d