4
THE BEAVER RADICAL.
SMITH CURTIS, BDITOp.
BEAVER. PA„
Vrijitr morning) February 14,1873.
female suffrage.
The subject now Which draws the
largest audience and excites the
most enthusiasm, is that of grant
ing the elective franchise to women.
It has recently called put an earn
est debate in the Constitutional
Convention, bat has hot'yet been
pat to a vote in that body, though
an effort was made to do so. There
is no disguising the fact that female
suffrage is becoming to be a vital
Question of politics.
The idea is made prominent in
almost every lecture from the ros
trum, comes to the surface in a
thousand ways; in social circles it
is the easy and inexhaustible topic
of conversation; on the street it
breaks out in heated discussions;
in Congress it disturbs the repose
of committees; it occupies the col
umns of the press; it agitates
churches and conventions, and now
it is rapidly passing from the sphere
of thought to that of action.
There must be force and vitality
in the idea to have accomplished the
Change in public opinion that al
ready has been wrought in regard
to it, and since revolutions never go
backward, its conquests over preju
dice and sentiment in the commu
nity, so rapid and remarkable, give
some evidence that the agitation
will go on until female suffrage is
adopted by the majority Of the peo
ple and made a part of the law of
the land. Some of the very best
men in the country, both in private
and public life, who ten years ago
felt no sympathy for the cause and
gave it no voice, now are earnest
champions of the movement, and
in the pulpit, on the rostrum, in the
halls of legislature, on the bench,
before a jury and through the press,
are proud to advocate this new
doctrine. Not men only, but parlies
begin to be moved by the rising tide
of the agitation. In this Stale
the question is now before the rep
resentatives of the people and will
gain strength by discussion, but we
do riot think the masses are quite
ready for the fundamental changes
which it would inaugurate. We
are in sympathy with the movement,
but fear, as in New York some years
ago, the question.is pushed too soon,
and if referred now to the decision
of the people Without distinction of
sex or to the women separately it
probably, defeated. The
women themselves generally do not
desire or demand the privilege of
voting, and are so educated as to
prefer the subordinate position in
which they have so long been plac
ed. The question would iarq better
if submitted to the men alone. The
current arguments raised against
female sufferage have been pretty
thoroughly exploded, and it is diffi
cult to give a good sound reason
why women should not yote the
same as men. The physical strength
necessary to do so is but little, not
any more than is exerted in depos
iting a letter in the post office.
Voting is chiefly a mental and moral
act, with the moral element predom
inating. The ballot, polls and sur
roundings are external means. The
free choice, more or less enlighten
ed, of the individual, in regard, to
who shall make or interpret or ex
ecute the laws of the land, is within
the capacity of all sound and; matur
ed persons, whether male or female.
The wisdom of the selection de
pends more- upon the heart than the
head and the emotional or moral
faculties of women are acknowledg
ed to be superior to men. Voting is
an act that implies a high moral
purpose, for it relates tp the good
of the whole community, iand in it
self therefore is ennobling and hon
orable. What woman could exercise
the privilege without bringing, her
heart into sympathy as never before
with the great questions that effect
the welfare ot the people? There
isnotbing indelicate or de
grading to women in epjoying this
privilege of directly exercising that
choice which more than anything
else represents the natural rights
of citizens. Does the privilege de-
grade men ? Then why women ?
The associations are the same as in
blber public places where men and
women congregate. Women are
subjects of Government and amena
ble to law, why not give them a
voice jn determining the law? They
pay taxes why not allow them a vote
in fixingthe amount, and directing
the use of it ? They are deeply in
terested in the stability and pros
perity of the nation, why, not im
pose upon tliem the responsibility
of assisting in securing these bless
ings ? The elevation of women to
the elective franchise is necessary
in order to widen her sphere of
usefulness and utilize her transcen-
pb*fsr.
society dernands that ||omen
taice a raore active parfc in pubhc af
fairs. Thegreat reforms of;the age
lag for want of her assistance.'' She
does hot yet realize the full scope
of her grand mission. We shall 1
hail the dawn that ushers in the
day of woman's emancipation.
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.
The vote in regard to this in the
State Senate, on the passage of the
resolutions of instructions was
twenty-nine in favor, to one against,
instructing and requesting our Sen
ators and Representatives in Con
gress to oppose the measure.
There is not a leading newspaper,
nor a prominent public man, except
one or two, in the country, so far
as we know, that favors postal tele
'graphy, and yet the Argus and one
or two other papers of like charac
ter insinuate that those who oppose
the scheme, are actuated by un
worthy motives. The motives of
the editor of the Argus, and the
little sheet from which he quotes,
and sometimes steals, are too well
understood to 'mislfad anyone. To
show what sort of consistency the
editor of the Argus maintains, it is
only necessary to state that he sup
ported a candidate for President
who was the champion of opposi
tion to postal telegraphy, and ran
on a platform of which opposition
to all suc]b schemes was the main
characteristic. The whole Demo
cratic and Liberal party to-day are
bitterly hostile to postal telegraphy,
and yet this wise and pure editor
with no convictions, no settled
opinions, no stability, characterise
tidy changes front, because of his
personal hostility to the roan who
introduced the resolutions. When a
man’s position on important ques
tions of public policy depend noon
the action of another, and is so evi
dently determined by personal feel
ing, what a laughing-stock he be
comes.
The Argus having deserted the
Democratic platform, can no longer
expect to receive the party support.
Poor Argus! what will become of
it? The Conservative is already
getting back its old Democratic
subscribers, and will undoubtedly
be the official organ of the Demo
cratic party in this county. It ap
pears to be taken for granted, in
some quarters, that Senator Rutan
is responsible for what appears in
the columns of The Radical, and
we wish to announce to all to whom
it may concern, that it is a mistake;
that he has no more control of said
columns than has the editor of the
Argus. ■
The Argus challenges us to prove
it a liar. We think that would be
a work of supererogation, for it is
generally admitted, as a friend at
our elbow remarks, “it prefers tell
ing lies on six months time, to tell
ing the truth for cash,” so fixed has
the habit become. Rather a falla
cious and dangerous argument of
the Argus is that,that a man stands
convicted, unless he proves himself
innocent. We know of an editor,
who, if he had been put to the tssi
of proving himself innocent of
charges publicly made against him,
would, m that case, have advocated
a very different rule of evidence.
If the editor ot the Argus or any
one interested will take the pains to
enquire of the Commissioners, or
the ex-Sheriff, our statement in re
gard to the malicious charges of the
Argus, will be found to be the
exact truth. '
Three weeks since, the Argus
promised to give some of the offi
cial acts of some of onr county of
ficials an “airing.” As the Argus
claims to be reproach for
truth-telling, and incorruptable in a
pecuniary way, and not to be in
fluenced by any material compen
sation in the way of printing, we
■;, ’ »V-' >■**•’» r-t .v-a> '* a ’ft--: Jet 5 i -*tv ; • i
? THE RADICAL : ' FBfchtlMhl? 14/1873.
have been expecting
tempest or a disastrous tratfri^n^
The Argus atmosphere has been
threatening storm,the elements;have
been
butas yet there is, nip hprricanej;
nothing but a tempest in ai tearpojjj.;
Is tbe man who works
absent from home ? or why It
air? This seems to be an tfofivora?
ble time for airing; the AtyUs ean’t
raise the wind. '
EXtGovbbnob Geaby, who was
recently released from the exact
ing duties of official, life, now
rests from all labors in the repose of
death/ A large portion of hip ma
tured life has’been spent in public
service, in which he has filled with
credit a variety of positions, wheth
er as an officer in the army in Mexi
co, or as first Alcalde Of San Fran
cisco, or Governor of Kansas, or a
General during the recent Rebellion,
or finally as Governor of this Com
monwealth. He was somewhat va
cillating in purpose, kind°;hearted,
egotistic, anxious to please
having good intentions and consid
erable force of character. The ser
vices he has rendered his country,
both in peace and War, will embalm
him in the hearts of his countrymen
and his fame will long.be cherished
while the names of some of his co
temporaries, more gifted by nature
perhaps, but less patriotic and use
ful, will sink into oblivion.
The Constitutional Convention
drags its slow length along, and, un
less it hurries up faster than it has
been going, the members will be
overtaken with financial distress, and
on their knees to th.e Legislature,
begging for a lew more crumbs of
comfort. The diarrhea of words,with
which the Convention is daily
flooded, lias weakened rather than
strengthened the confidence of the
people in. the wisdom and ability of
that august body to . produce any
practicable, result. It has been
long enough at work to have per
fected a considerable _part bf a.con
stitution, but has scarcely as yet
done anything. Let, the Convention
rest its volnable tongue a little and
do more work. Shorten the speech-:
es, lengthen the sessions and)pusb
questions to a vote. 'lf unpaid bills*
begin to trouble the repose of the
members, unless they do something
worthy of their position soon, the
dear people will laugh at their ca
lamities and mock when their fear
cometh.
The House has passed a bill in*
creasing the fees of the Secretary
of the Commonwealth) to ten dol
lars per day. f
FROM HARRISBURG. *
Final Adjournment of the Legislature
-Local Option-Beaver County Tem
perance Besolutlons—Cross’s Tilt
With tbe Speaker—Apportionment
Bill—Beaver County Bills.
Correspondence or the Radical. , >
Harrisburg, Feb. 11,1873-
Both Houses of the Legislature went
to work in earnest last week, and it now
looks as if the Legislature might adjourn
tbe last of March or first of April. The
House passed a resolution for fipal ad
journment on tbe 29th of March, and if
the Senate concurs, there will be more’
work done in tbe next few weeks than
has been in the same time for years. The
Local Option bili'tiras reported from the
House Committee just as it passed the
Senate, but it was not reached, and. will*
not be taken up* before Wednesday. As
it provides for election in Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia and other cities where the
vote was not taken at tbe time of the
municipal election, it should be passed
at once, so that notice may be given and
tbe people have.time to prepare for the
Contest. It seems the temperance com
mittee in your county have been passing
resolutions denouncing the bill because
it separates cities and counties In the
vote on this question. It is very remark
able that the committee should havc fall-
en into this error, especially when a ma
jority, as your correspondent Is Inform
ed, consists of lawyers. 4 The. original act
provides for a separate Vote, and the sup
plement introduced is
only declaratory pf thu ihw ? ls, it
being alleged there was some obscurity,
and because of this the efaemiee of tern
peranoe in some of thb Pities where 'they
held the power did nqt permit a vote on
the question. Senator‘Fitch, who offered
the amendment, is a life tong, consistent
temperance man, and a, leader in every
effort for reform in that direction in Sus
quehanna county. HCiis one of the pur
est men that ever occupied a seat in the
Senate of Pennsylvania, a perfect model
of a man in every particular, and yonr
temperance men can trust Tiim ap implic-
itly as they* can any living iman. Of
course he may err as other men*but with
.it# ; 'Tour;
jft i" ** v s ■*' l' * '”* ■v 1 * *"~**! • -].*rr ->"\*'*’ *■; *f ~ , r (
correspondent tbteMdcH. d be*
cause loformed SaßfttorFitch has
temperanW men of yonr county, for do*
ing wbat Inteflfgent frlends of the cause
desired. ' > ' }ti
in
whichlooted, if the vole was
ta&entogether the cities would giye w
J^loxiSTJWi^
the "vote. <if Jhebalapce ofthe county.
The objectTshould be to exclude the traffic
from a% much territory as possible/and
not permit a large county like Allegheny,
to be cursed with the traffic In all its bor
oughs and townships, becausePiltsburgh
favored it Temperance men may differ'
on this question however, but it is possi
ble those who denounce she Legislature
for trying to make the bill of last year
plain and practicable, are more anxious
to find fault than they are for. tbe success
of this reform.
>,■ y’~
In the House on Tuesday, Mr. CroSsr
of your county, moved, to refer the bill
giving one million of dollars to the Cen
tennial Celebration, back totbe commit
tee, because there was not a full meeting
of the committee when it was decided to
report the bill. This motion gave rise to
a > warm discussion, during which the
Philadelphia members exhibited much
bad feeling. Mr. Cross acquitted him*
self with great credit and his motion pre
vailed by a large majority. The commit
tee reduced the appropriation to half a
million, and the House by a two-thirds
vote refused to pass the bill. It looks
now as if thisraid upon the Treasury was
effectually checked, but it nay assume
isome other form before the session closes.
The apportionment bill will be report*
ed in the Senate this week in all proba
bility. It is now thought your district
will be Bearer, Lawrence and Washing
ton, and Butler, Armstrong and Venango.
The Democrats Will get about eight dis
tricts. They should bare ten, but the Re
publicans have the power and w ill insist
on exercising it to the utmost.
The number of bills presented exempt
ing property from taxation is increasing
yearly and daily, and it is felt the time
has come to. adopt a new policy on this
subject. Fifty four millions of dollars
worth of property in Philadelphia is now
exempt from taxation, and every day bills
are presented asking for additional ex
emptions. The Finance Committee of
the Senate reported a bill to-day repeal
ing all laws exempting property, except
ing only churches, school buildings, hos
pitals, poor houses and charitable insti
tutions. The hilt should be passed and
then no special exemptions be subsequent
ly permitted by the Legislature.
The only local bills introduced from
your county were in the Senate': a bill to
. prevent destruction of fish in the waters
of Beaver i County, by prohibiting seining
for five years under penalty of fifty dol
lars, an act repealing an act pf last
winter, laying out a State road from Har
kin's mill,-New Sewickly township, Bea
ver county, to farm of Henry Rape in
Butler county; and in the House repeal
ing the act annexing the farm of D. Ehr
man to Baden borongb.
Governor Hartranft gave his first recep
tion last night, and the ladies vote it a
grand success. It was more largely at
tended than any reception for years, and
the guests were delighted with the Gov
ernor and. bis lady. The mansion was
finely decorated with flowers donated by
friends in Harrisburg,' Philadelphia and
Norristown. The collection of boquets
sent by. Mr. Joseph Bollock, of Norris
town, was said to be worth one thousand
dollars. M.
FROM PHILADELPHIA.
Union Passenger Ballway—Meeting
Called to Protest—Philadelphia Edi-
tors—District Attorney Col. Mann—
Constitutional Convention.
Correspondence of tbe Radical.
There is considerable excitement in this
city today oyer the passage of the sup
plement of the Union Passenger Railway,
authorizing that company to run their
cars on Market street from Ninth to
Front, over the lines of the Market street
company. The merchants between Ninth
and Front streets on Market are alarmed
lest another track will be laid, and thus
the street be blocked so as to interfere
with their business. A meeting has been
called for this evening to protest against
the bill being signed by the Governor. A
similar bill was passed one year ago, but
the Supreme Court held it unconstitu
tional on the ground that the title did
not express what the bill was, as required
by the constitution. The bill was again
passed this week through, both Houses
with little or no opposition, and this is
made the occasion of severe attacks; upon
the Legislature by papers friendly to the
Market, streat line. It ia hard to tell
which is right in this matter, as it is only
a fight ‘between" two ' corporations, in
Which the stockholders areabout the only
ones concerned. The Union line wants to
run their passengers down to street
without change of cars, and thus afford
passengers greater accommodations, while
the Market street line prefers the passen
gers of the Union should be compelled to
get out at Front street, and take their
can, paying an additional fare to ride to
Front street. Public convenience would
require that tbe bill asked by the Union
company should become a law, unless the
are thereby Injured by the
blocking up of Market street. The Union
company propose to run their track over
the track of the Market street company,
Philadelphia, Feb. 8,1873,
making ihelr line to correspond with the
line of Market street cars, so as not to in
terfere, and pay half the expenses of lay
ing the track. This should be accepted
and would be satisfactory, but unfortu;
natelyit effects the : profits of the Market
street company and the stockholders,
among whom are the merchants and edi
tors, and T they areop so there is
a 'great hubbub, and the Legislature; is
getting it-right and left in some papers,
while others Indorse their action! The
Philadelphia delegation' id both Houses
were ahndtot a unit In favor of the bill
asked for bjr the Union, only two out of
eighteenopposinfg it In the House. 001.
McGlurcvoted against if in the Senate
because he lived in West Philadelphia on
the Market street line, but .he made no
opposition and was understood to.be real
ly ih favor of the bill. With the Phila
delphia members all for the bill, the coun
try members of course were compelled to
favor it and the city delegation take the
responsibility. On all merely local ques
tions this is the rule, and It is right be
cause only the immediate representatives
can decide what should be done in their
district on billsof this character. If the
Philadelphia delegation misrepresented
their constituents hold them responsible,
and send better men in tbeir places the
next time In this case the same men
who voted for the bill last year were re
turned, and this would indicate they did
faithfully represent their constituents on
this question.
This is a fair sample of the kind of edi
tors we have in Philadelphia, and the rea
sons they have for abusing the Legisla
ture as they do bn all occasions. When
their private interests are involved they
at once set about denouncing everybody
as corrupt, without discriminating be
tween the guilty and the innocent. In
nine cases out of ten it may be taken for
grapted that the Legislature is denounced
without cause, and by editors who are in
fluenced by interested and corrupt mo
tives in doing so.
There is a time little scheme on bands
with some of oar politicians to remove
the Eastern PenitenMary and sell the
grounds in the city on wbicMt is located*
If the bill passes in the shape it now is
some one will pocket a large fortune at
the expense of the public. The Peniten
tiary should be removed, and the ground
can be sold for a sufficient sum to buy a
farm and put up new buildings if it is
properly done. Let the sale be made pub
licly by the merchants’ exchange after
due notice has been given and after the
buildings have been* erected. If sold
now a fair price could not be realized, and
that is the reason the parties having the
bill in charge desire to sell at this time.
Public sentiment forced the District At
torny to try one of the gamblers, arrested
by the Mayor, a member of the Council
by the name of Linly. In selecting the
jury the gamblers were fortunate enough
to get one of their friends chosen, and
the result is the jury has been out four
days, standing eleven for conviction to
one for acquittal from the first, and no
prospect of an agreement. The gam
bier’s friend is doing good service, and
promises to remain out forever rather
than agree to a verdict, although the evi
dence of guilt is overwhelming.
It is high time Col. McClure’s jury bill
and other reform bills, were passed, and
the courts and public offices cleansed of
some of the rascals that fill and run them.
Philadelphia. almost as .bad as New
York ever was, and reform is as badly
needed. The Mayor is doing his duty, but
he is thwarted at every step by the Dis
trict Attorney Col. Mann, whom the May
or boldly charges with being in league
with the gamblers and furnishing them
protecction, for which he received thous
ands of dollars yearly. Col. Mann filled
the office for years, and finally the people
rose in rebellion against him and com
pelled him to retire for a time. He was
again nominated under promise of reform
and was returned as elected, although
running thousands of votes behind his
ticket, and being largely cut in the best
wards and among the respectable citizens
of the city. His administration is, if any
thing, wgrse than before, and he can nev
er be elected again to any office.
The Constitutional Convention is still
draggings its slow length along. From
present appearances it will remain in ses
sion until 1&74, and perhaps until the
Centennial Celebration. A number , of
the members were urging an increase of
pay when a leading.member interposed
an objection. He said he wanted to die
at home, and if the Legislature increased
their pay the Convention would never
adjourn. The objection is so forcible
that the Legislature will be apt.to sustain
it. All of this week has been spent in list
ening to long windy speeches in favor of
woman suffrage. It is an. able Conven
tion, but the disposition to talk cannot be
restrained, and so far nothing practical
has been done. Gen. White. Is abused for
holding two places, yet he ia one of the
most practical and nsefcl members of. the
Convention and would be greatly missed
if he would resign. The .news of Gover
nor Geary’s sudden death created a pro
found sensation, and- the Convention ad*
journed out of respect.
—TheMonirose Republican says: Tio
ga county voted on the question of license,
or no license, January 24th. The result
was a majority of between 1500 and 2000
against license. That’s the way the peo
ple look at the question. As Bradford
and Tioga have decided, so will Susque
hanna on the 21st of February.
Ms
Occasional;
FROM WASHINGTON.
[Correspondence ot the Radical.]
Washington, D.C., Feb. 10.1873.
The debate in the British parliament oa
the award of the Geneva Tribunal has
excited some attention here id official
circles and Iheopinion is expressed that
the Britisb Goverriraent *w ill execute
faithfully the! stipulations of the treaty
of Washington, notwithstanding the op.
position manifested by Mr. Israeli and
the Earl of Derby.
THE CREDIT MOBILISE INVESTIGATION
The select appointed by th e
Senate to consider the evidence taken by
the Credit Mobilier Committee affecting
members of the Senate held a preliminary
meeting on Saturday, tb discuss inform
a% what Is the exact scope of the duty
with which they are charged. *
It met again on Monday morning, but
nothing was done, for the reason that no
complete copies of the testimony had
been furnished- the committee, and it i 3
probable several days will be occupied in
examining the evidence when submitted
before a farther plan of action is deter
mined. Oakes Ames, who Has been home
raising money to meet his notes, has re
turned, and will appear before Judge
Poland’s committee to-morrow with , his
memorandum book. Mg. Colfax win be
allowed to offer the testimony which be" ‘
declares will show where the $1,200, de-‘
.posited in the First National Bank, came
from.
On Friday, Job Stevenson made an
otbei effort to catch the Speaker in gome
thing that Would be discreditable, bin
only succeeded in patting himself in a
most unenviable attitude.
On the question of jurisdiction, the
committee seem disposed to decide the
House cannot proceed against those in
volved. One member, however, is stren
uously arguing that any Congress can
punish one of its members for grave of
fenses committed daring the previous
Congress, provided the offense was not
discovered arid made known until alter
the election.
Gen. Begley is fighting with mignt and
main to defeat the bill to create a new
judicial district in the Northern part of
the State, .which would be mostly taken
from the Western district.
PATENT OFFICE STATISTICS,
* &
Commissioner Leggett, of the Patent
Office, reports itbe receipts of bis Bureau
during the calendar year 1872 as $699,720;
expenditures, 665,595; and balance now
in the Treasury to the credit of the office,
$794,111. Eighteen thousand two bun*
dred and forty-six applications have been
filed, and thirteen thousand five hundred
patents issued during the past year; tbe
number of applications being fewer and
of patents larger than in the previons
year, as tbe Commissioner says t *iu const*
q nence of the more thorough diffusion ol
patent office intelligence and regulations,
which has made tbe applications, through
less in nnmber, much better in quality.
The proportion of patents to the popula
tion ranges from one in eight hundred
and twenty-nine persons in Connecticut,
to one in every forty-five thousand nine
hundred and thirty seven in New
Mexico.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The House Committee on Judiciary
have reported, through Mr Butler, the
following annual salaries to be hereafter
allowed : • I
President
Vice President
Chief Justice ,
Justice
Cabinet Members
Speaker of the House...
Members of Congress...
The River and Harbor bill, contains
the following among the principal items
for the West:
Chicago harbor
Fox and Wisconsin rivers
St. Mary’s canal
Toledo harbor
Des Moines Rapids
Rock Island
Improvement of Mississippi, Missouri and
Arkansas
St. Louis and Alton harbor
Ohio river—
Falls or the Ohio
Upper Monongahela
Month of Mississippi
Upper Mississippi
Illinois river
The Philadelphia raemhersjhave agreed
upon a provision, which Mr. Myers has
presented to the committee, asking for
$200,000 to spend in improving the chan
nel of the Delaware river, under the su
pervision of the Secretary of War.
. The friends of Secretary Delano are ex
pecting him to be inade Secretary of the
Treasury after the 4th of March.
The March Fourth procession will be to'
terestingto see, but when Nye leaves,
who will remain to raise a laugh in the
Senate, and when Cox goes, what ray of
sunshine will enliven the dullness of the
House. Both these witty fellows will be
sadly missed by the next Congress; the
House can fall back on Ben Butler, but
what is to become of the “grave and rev
erend Senators?” .
—A Tribune correspondent in Tallahas
see, Fla., writes: ‘‘After a bitter and ex
citing struggle of eight days, the Senato
rial contest in Florida has been ended by
the election of Hon. S- B. Conover to suc
ceed T* N. Osborn. Senator Conover
a lifelong Republican; and was elected by
a combination of Liberals, colored Re
publicans, and Conservatives. In b' l ”
election the ‘ring’ power here meet# ns
death, and the State receives a chami '' l "
whose honesty and integrity all
acknowledge.”
<!
*50,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10.000
8,000
* 1(0,000
. ,300,000
. 200,000
. 100,000
. 400,WD
. 00.000
100.000
100,000
200.000
100,000
66.000
125.000
250.000
50.000