Volume III Part 40 (1/2)
[94] A private letter was received from Mrs. Ellen Clark Sargent, enclosing a check for $50.
[95] Miss Stanton, having studied astronomy with Professor Maria Mitch.e.l.l, went to Europe to take a degree in Mathematics from the College of France; but before completing her course, she shared the fate of too many of our American girls; she expatriated herself by marrying a foreigner.
[96] Letters were also received from Rebecca Moore, England; Mrs.
Z. G. Wallace, Indianapolis; Frederick Dougla.s.s, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.; Theodore Stanton, Paris, France; Sarah Knox Goodrich, Clarina Howard Nichols, California, and many others.
[97] WHEREAS, The National Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation has labored unremittingly to secure the appointment of a committee in the congress of the United States to receive and consider the pet.i.tions of women and whereas, this a.s.sociation realizes the importance of such a committee,
_Resolved_, That the thanks of this a.s.sociation are due and are hereby tendered to congress for the appointment at its last session of a Select Woman Suffrage Committee in each house.
_Resolved_, That the thanks of this a.s.sociation are hereby tendered to Senators Lapham, Ferry, Blair and Anthony, of the Select Committee, for their able majority report.
_Resolved_, That it is the paramount duty of congress at its next session to submit a sixteenth amendment to the const.i.tution which shall secure the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of the women of the republic.
_Resolved_, That the recent action of King Christian of Denmark, in conferring the right of munic.i.p.al suffrage upon the women in Iceland, and the similar enlargement of woman's political freedom in Scotland, India and Russia, are all encouraging evidences of the progress of self-government even in monarchical countries. And farther, that while the possession of these privileges by our foreign sisters is an occasion of rejoicing to us, it still but emphasizes the inconsistency of a republic which refuses political recognition to one-half of its citizens.
_Resolved_, That the especial thanks of the officers and delegates of this convention are due and are hereby most cordially tendered to Mrs. Clara Bewick Colby, for the exceptionally efficient manner in which she has discharged the onerous duties which devolved upon her in making all preparations for this convention and for the grand success which her efforts have secured.
_Resolved_, That the National Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation on the occasion of this, its fourteenth annual convention, does, in the absence of its honored president, desire to send greeting to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and to express to her the sympathetic admiration with which the members of this body have followed her in her reception in a foreign land.
[98] Committee on Resolutions, composed of Lillie Devereux Blake of New York city, Virginia L. Minor of St. Louis, Harriet R. Shattuck of Boston, May Wright Sewall of Indianapolis, and Ellen H. Sheldon of the District of Columbia.
[99] Mrs. Spofford, the treasurer, reported that $5,000 were spent in Nebraska in the endeavor to carry the amendment in that State.
[100] Short speeches were made by Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Lockwood, Mrs.
McKinney, Mrs. Loder and others.
[101] This was the last word from this dear friend to one of our number. I met her afterward as Mrs. Hudson with her husband in London. We dined together one evening at the pleasant home of Moncure D. Conway. She was as full as ever of plans for future usefulness and enjoyment. From England she went for a short trip on the continent. In parting I little thought she would so soon finish her work on earth. E. C. S.
[102] Mr. Springer had never been present at a single meeting of the committee, though always officially notified. Neither did Mr.
Muldrow of Mississippi ever honor the committee with his presence.
However, Mr. Stockslager of Indiana and Mr. Vance of North Carolina were always in their places, and the latter, we thought, almost persuaded to consider with favor the claims of women to political equality.
[103] Reports of congressional action and the conventions of 1884-85 have been already published in pamphlet form, and we shall print the reports hereafter once in two years, corresponding with the terms of congress. Our plan is to bind these together once in six years, making volumes of the size of those already published.
These pamphlets, as well as the complete History in three volumes, are for sale at the publis.h.i.+ng house of Charles Mann, 8 Elm Park, Rochester, N. Y.
CHAPTER x.x.xI.
Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.
BY HARRIET H. ROBINSON.
The Woman's Hour--Lydia Maria Child Pet.i.tions Congress--First New England Convention--The New England, American and Ma.s.sachusetts a.s.sociations--_Woman's Journal_--Bishop Gilbert Haven--The Centennial Tea-party--County Societies--Concord Convention--Thirtieth Anniversary of the Worcester Convention--School Suffrage a.s.sociation--Legislative Hearing--First Pet.i.tions--The Remonstrants Appear--Women in Politics--Campaign of 1872--Great Meeting in Tremont Temple--Women at the Polls--Provisions of Former State Const.i.tutions--Pet.i.tions, 1853--School-Committee Suffrage, 1879--Women Threatened with Arrest--Changes in the Laws--Woman Now Owns her own Clothing--Harvard Annex--Woman in the Professions--Samuel E. Sewall and William I. Bowditch--Supreme Court Decisions--Sarah E. Wall--Francis Jackson--Julia Ward Howe--Mary E. Stevens--Lucia M. Peabody--Lelia Josephine Robinson--Eliza (Jackson) Eddy's Will.
From 1860 to 1866 there is no record to be found of any public meeting on the subject of woman's rights, in Ma.s.sachusetts.[104]
During these years the war of the rebellion had been fought.
Pending the great struggle the majority of the leaders, who were also anti-slavery, had thought it to be the wiser policy for the women to give way for a time, in order that all the working energy might be given to the slave. ”It is not the woman's but the negro's hour”; ”After the slave--then the woman,” said Wendell Phillips in his stirring speeches, at this date. ”Keep quiet, work for us,”