Page:The Souvenir of Western Women.djvu/78

72

HE FIRST APPEARANCE before a legislative assembly by official invitation in any part of the Pacific Northwest, of which the compiler hereof can find a record, occurred in the autumn of 1871, in the capital city of Olympia, Washington Territory, when Abigail Scott Duniway, accompanied by Susan B. Anthony, was graciously accorded a hearing by invitation of a joint session of the two houses in advocacy of the enfranchisement of women. The addresses of these famous leaders attracted wide attention, but failed to secure the legislation desired, though they opened the way for subsequent action.

In the month of September, 1872, Mrs. Duniway, being clothed with discretionary power by the executive committee of the Oregon State Woman Suffrage Association, visited the Oregon legislature and began a peaceful struggle for the enfranchisement of the women of Oregon, of which the compiler cannot do better than to quote from her personal narrative (see History of Woman Suffrage. Vol. III, p. 770). Mrs. Duniway says: "My first experiences at the capital city were especially trying. I spent two days among my acquaintances in Salem in a vain attempt to find a woman who was ready or willing to accompany me to the state house. All were anxious that I should go, but each was afraid to offend her husband, or make herself conspicuous by going herself. Finally, when I had despaired of finding company and had nerved myself to go alone, Mrs. (afterwards Doctor) Mary P. Sawtelle volunteered to stand by me, and together we entered the domain, hitherto considered sacred to the aristocracy of sex, and took seats in the lobby, our hearts beating audibly. Hon. Joseph Engle, perceiving the innovation, at once arose, and after a complimentary speech, in which he was pleased to recognize my position as a journalist, moved that I (as editor of the New Northwest) be invited to a seat within the bar and provided with table and stationery, as were other members of the profession. The motion carried with only two or three dissenting votes; and from that time forward the way was open for women to compete with men, on equal terms, for all minor positions in both branches of the legislature—a condition they have not been slow to avail themselves of, scores of them thronging the capitol in later years and holding valuable clerkships, many of them sneering, the while, at the efforts of those who had opened the way for them to be there at all."

Continuing her narrative, Mrs. Duniway says: "In September of 1878 I was again at my post circulating my New Northwest among the lawmakers. An opportunity was given me at this session to make an extended argument before a joint session of the two houses, which occupied an hour in delivery, and was accorded profound attention.

"I was much opposed to the growing desire of the legislature to shirk its responsibility upon the voters at large by submitting to them a proposed