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" VOLUME X. NJ 24. t . ; ' PORTLANp, OREGON, TOURSDAY, FJ-3I111ARY 24, 18SI. PER YEAR $3 00.
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. THE
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RECENT ; CONVENTION 0,P , Til E NATIONAL
WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION.
ICBETIA
HOTT
AXD I1KB IMVALCABLK
rOMMEMORATEIt,
SKRVICFM FITLY
2 From the Wanhlngton Ftwttvf January 19th. "
' ..In former years, flowers, bright colore,, music,
.and quiet, elegantly dressed women were not the
. surroundings and pernonnrl f the National
"Woman Suffrage Association; bujt reform has
pervaded the reformers, and the changes that
have been wrought this year were a pleasant sur-
prise to those who attended -the fjrst meeting of , , of her ow
Hall. Instead of the bare stage, filled with dowdy
and grotesque women, haranguing' to empty
benches, In a cold and cheerless hall, the stage
was as bright and pretty as flowers and a tasteful
arrangement of colors could make it; while the
audience, which filled every seat In the large hall,
flooded with the bright sunlight, represented the
best people of the city. Mrs. liayes, in company
-with several of her lady guests, occupied seats
near the front. Upon the stage were seated! the
following: Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Miss
"Pn6?be'"AVrCotitIns, Miss Susan B. Anthony7Dr:
Lozier, Mrs. SheldorirMrs. Spoflbrd, Dr. Caroline
-Winslow, Mrs, joy; Mrs. Archibald aud Mrs.
Godbe, both of Utah ; Mrs. Lapham, wife of Rep
resentative Laphani, of New York ; MayWright
$ Bewail, of Indiana; Rachel Foster, Dr. Jdson,
Mrs. Lockwood, Ruth Denniaon, Jutia Foster, II.
- J. Hinton. M. M. Rlcker; Mrs. C V. Waite, of
"Chicago; Marshal Douglass; ex-Senator Pomeroy
and Robert Purvis. It was a collection of well-
dressed, thougliiruTwonjielipwTlh fio?JddttyTfr
of character which was striking.' The speaker
sald-that Mr. Mott loved quiet, but she loyed
nothing better than talking. This statement aent
a gentle ripple of laughter .over the audience.
She described her home in Philadelphia,-; the
headquarters of the reformers and the refuge of
runaway slaves. Here came women and men of
distinction from this and foreign lamia, and, while
tteuded to her household duties, dls-
pantaloons or masculine Miss Nancy in long hair
to excite the laughter and the pity of the audi
ence. On the contrary, there were at least two
ladies on the ' platform' with ' seal-sklu "saeques,
While fashionably cut silk dresses and fur-lined
circulars were the prevailing costumes.
7 The decorations of the stage,whlch have seldom
been surpassed In point of beauty and tastefulness
of arrangement, formed a fitting setting forthe
notable asnemblage. of women. The background
was a mass o'f colors, formed by the graceful drap
ing of "National flags, with here and there a
streamer of old gold with heavy,' gold fringe to
glv variety, while forming the center was a Na
tional shield surmounted by two naps. On each
side flags had been draped and festooned, and
falling at each extremity of the front of the stage
Were the folds of the rich maroon curtains. . Her
gracefutfefnaand foIlageplante'; had been-ar
"rUllged, while un a table stood a large harp, formed-
-of beautlfurrM and white-flowenv--Uiothr.
end waa a graceful stand of" hot-house flowers,
while In the center,. resting on a background -of
red drapery, was a. large crayon picture of the late
Lucre'tia Mott, in wjiose memory the meeting was
held. Above' the' pasture a snow-white dove held
inits beak- sprays of smilax, which trailed down
on each sid.e, and below waa a aheaLbf ripened
; wheat, typical of the life that had elided. The oc
casion which had brought the jadles together, the
placid features of that kind and well-remembered
face, had a solemnizing effect .upon ' all, and
.. quietly, and without disorder, the vaat audience
passed Into the hall and took their seats. The
late-comers, finding all the seats occupied, stood
. In the rear and sat In the aisles. Ths lady dele
gates were already seated on the platform and in
. a alienee which was impressive the large assem
blage waited. -- : ' . ,
Presently- Miss Phoebe' W. Couzlns arose, and
stepping to the front of the stage, said, gently, "In
accordance with the custom of Mrs. Mott aud the
time-honored practice of the Quaker, I ask you
-to unite- in- an- i nvocatlon-4o-the-spi ri tt-She
bowed her head. The audience followed her ex-
7 ample. Far several minutes the solemn silence
of devotion pervaded the hall.' When Miss Couzlns
,had taken her seat, the quartette choir of St. Au
gustine's Church (colored), which was seated on
the platform, sang sweetly an appropriate selec
tiohT The venerable Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
'whose portly form and lovely white hair has .been
the central figure in these annual conventions for
- years, then came forward and, adjusting her spec-.
taclesp placed her manuscript on-the-desk and
commenced to read in A low but distinct voice.
8he began s "On the 3d day of. January, 1793,
there was born on the Island of Nantucket the
tnost remarkable woman of her time." The first
part of the eulogy waa hiographical in character,
tnd a tone of uleippreciaUon-pervadedJt J iyhn h "t 1 tb iftfP"vn at
throughout.
-aether
The tribute paid to her as a wife and
peelally beautlfulr-and the contrast,
which ran through a number of antithetical sen
tences between Mrs. Mott and bernufbaiidrJehn
Mott, showed a power ef analysis and a conception
Mrs. Mot,t
cuKsions Of great topics were had, which Mrs. Mott,
pausing In her work, Joined.-Sagacity, the speaker
thought, was her chief characteristic, or rather,
it might be called a wIm; diplomacy. In June,
1840, the speaker met Mr. Mott. for the first time
In Ixndon, and found het to.be the greatest won
der of the world a woman who thought and had
"She was a woman eman
cipated from all roan-made creeds, and not afraid
to question anything. It was like meeting a crea
ture, from a higher sphere to meet one who dared
to. recognize the Judgment of a woman's mind,"
In closing, the speaker referred to the numerous
tributes that had been paid to the life and charac
ter of Mrs. Mott in the public press, and the vast
strides that public sentiment had made since Mrs.
Mott first apjeared before the public. . Rut amid
all thit no mention has been made of her political
degradation, which she so deeply deplored during
her life. When the Nation mourns the grandest
of her sex, no tear la shed, no mention Is made of
tier disfranchisement.
When Mrs. Stanton had taken her seat; -Fred
Douglass arose and said that he had listened with
Interest to the fine analysis of the life and services
of Lucretia Mott. lie was almost unwilling to
have his voice heard after what had been said.
confession was received with much laughter,- and7
after some urging, the lady consented to give some
account of her, work among the.rrionert, which
proved very interesting.
Fred Douglass arose to compliment Mrs. Ricker,
which he did very handsomely, and then branched
OflTlnto quite a little speech.
Mr. E. M, Davis then spoke briefly, and he was
followed by Miss Mary Foster, of Philadelphia.
Miss Anthony made a financial statement, and
then the Convention adjourned until theevenlng.
There was a very good attendance at the even
ing session, an admitwlon of twenty-five cents be
ing charged. The meeting was called to order by
Mr. Edward M. Davit, who introduced Mrs. Relva
A; Lockwood, who read a paper on "Why Women
Should Practice Law." She thoughtlhat women
should study law, because, in a few years, they
would have the right of suffrage, andfthj profes
sion xWas the road to the Capitol and the White
IIouHe. Further, the study of law taught women
Lwhen to speakand when to keep silent.
Mrs. Charlotteves (lodbe, of Utah, was the
next speaker, aud gave an account of Woman Suf
frage in Utah, which she said was of great advan
tage to women. "V
Mrs. May Wright Sewall.-of . Indianapolis,
thought that the right of women to vote was as
He was there to show by his presence his profound4 patent and as much au axiom as that the sun is
re ject and, earnest love for. Lucretia Mott. He
recognised none whose services in behalf of his
race' were equal to hers. Her silence, even, In
that cause waa more than the speech of others.
He said that he had no words for this occasion,
and took his seat- ' ' " ' "' j
Miss Susan B. "Anthony, with tears in her 'eyes,
arose and said : "I am sure If Frederick Douglass
cannot speak I cannot Next to the feeling that
we have the love and confidence of the great Cre
ator is to have the love and confidence of a grand
human being. Such was Lucretia Mott, and such,
was my lot. . I say to. youTliannot speak. The
speaker, ' whose voice bad become ehoked with
emotion,' sat down and buried her face in her
handkerchief. ... . .
Dr. Purvis said that at the request of a number
of citizens of Washington, he wished to present
the floral harp to Mr. Edward M. Davis, the son
in-law of Mrs. Mott. He then read a brief tribute
n. memojryj&f the deceaseI.
Mr. Davis, who Is a mTddlecnTnp"nTgn,n7
had a seat on the platform, and received the floral
"glfrthpprorH-latewoidaithankaIIa said
that-he-wouhl follow-the-example of Mrs. Mott,
who seldom retained a gift long, and present it to
Mrs. SpofTord, the Treasurer of the. Association.
Mrs. May WrlghtSewall, a rather young-looking
lady, dressed in a fashionable walking dress of
blue silk, trimmed with dark fringed satin, was
the next speaker. After speaking of the many
admirable qualities of heart and mfnd of the de
ceased, she said that while she heard on all sides
that this was a magnificent audience, and thought
so-herself, yet, as she looked around, she could not
help asking this question, "Where are' the young
girl faces r They should be here. It It is the
birthright of every girl to know the life and deeds
of every noble woman. She thought that Lucre
tia Mott was as much above the average woman
as Abraham Lincoln was abovV the average man.
Miss Couzlns was the last speaker. She wor a
dark green dress, of fashionable, cut,. and a circu
lar, lined with delicate white fur.- Her short,
curling hair crowned a face that bore the impress
of thought. She said that It had been the inten
tion to-aecu re -ile-House-of Representatives In
whieh to hold these services, but the necessary
arrangements had not been made. The meeting
was not what it had been intended to be, but she
hoped the mothers present would carry away the
impressions received. The members of Congress
from Pennsylvania had, been invited to take their
seats on. the platform, but one said tliathe be
longed to the, Ways and. Means CommitAee, find
would not be able to cornel' Think of this. If he
had been called io attend the funeral of such a
man as AbrabamI4ncoln, thatjfactjrcould not
have prevented his going. The speaker then read
an eloquent tribute to the life, character and ser
vices of Lucretia Mott.
' The choir tbensung fNearer.My Ood to Thee,
and the entire audience arose and Joined in the
singing, after whieh the meeting adjourned.
two o'clock, Mrs. Stanton presided and made a
onei speecn .... . , N
Mrs. Martha' MqClellan Brown, of - Pittsburg,
followed. Bhe-apoka nf ths value nf Individual
character; and said any obstacle placed In the way
of its proper and free development was a crime
agajnst .God and man. The obstacles placed in
the way of woman to prevent her from exercising
the right of suffrage were of this kind.
The next speaker, Mrs. Rlcker, of this city, said
site had three. -reasons for not speaking: 1. She
was afraid ; 2. She knew that she would always
be afraid; and 8. She always was afraiL Tlie
bright or a tea rose sweet; but that loglo was of
little avail on the suffrage question. The various
At the morning session
which will begl n at 10:30 A. M rt'lrt .of dele
gates from Ideal societies will be received, from
May Wright Bewail, Pha be W. Couzlns, Martha
McClellan Brownt Edward M. Davis, Dr. Ciemence
IiOtler, George S. Stearns, anil others. A letter
will also be read from Isabella Beecher Hooker.
At the afternoon session, at 2:30 p. M., short
speeches will be made by Mrs. Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, May Wright SewaI,
and others. At the evening session, at 7:30 p. M.,
speeches will be made by Phoebe W. Couzlns,
Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony.
Of the floral decorations, to which reference is
made above a contributing so largely to the
handsome appearance of the stage, the harp was
furnished through Mr. Worm ley 4 In behalf of the
colored admirers of Mrs. Mott, and the tjttryM
was provided for the occasion by the National As
sociation. There was also a basket of flowers,
conspicuous for its beauty, sent In by. Senator
Cameron. ' " t
feminine
'epoch,
Miss Helena Gladstone, a young daughter of
the Prime Minister of England, is causing quite a
sensation in England and m the Continent by
the moral courage developed in her recent deter
mination to enter an active and useful career, and
to give the young women of England a good ex,
ample. The idea of the daughter of the Prime
Minister becoming a teacher, or, as some other
authorities state, secretary and active agent. Is
something so new to the aristocratic
world of Europe that it is marking an
as they say. - "
The mother; of the late- Professor Watson,
astronomer-of -Michigan -Univeraltyr-supported
him by her dally labor until he graduated., In
his will he gave all he .possessed to a scientific
society leaving his mother $150 ayear, all she
has to depend upon. Ills brother, criticising the
will, - says : "I was proud of. my. brother ; his
ability was fin honor to him, and his life a val
uable one tobeloitrllia-irili is a dixgrace to
his name." ' . . ,
"Mn J. W. Strange liaTaisumed conlrol'STTBl
RoseburgTi(affufeaer', and promises to keep the
naper no to its standard of excellence. -
ONE WEEK OF 8UFFRAOE W0RK. V
(Fmm th Woman's Journal.'"' " I
Tlie last week of January, 1881, can be cons-. ; v
niendel with genuine satisfaction to those who
think the cause of Woman Suffrage is dying out.
Nof for many a day has there been seen a week - .
so full of activity In the line of the enfraiichlse-
om of women. : r
In six States the question of an amendment to '
secure full suffrage for women was either directly TT
iK'fore the legislatures or before legislative com-""""
ml t tees , . ;
In Maine," on the 27th, Senator Dudley waa
heard on his own bill-to strike out the word
"male" from the Constitution of that State, At
the same time and place, Mrs. Dr. Devoll, Mrs. L
M. N. jHtevens and Mrs! Geo. S. Hunt were" heard"
for etltloners, whose names covered sixty feet la ;;
length, for school suffrage. , So acceptable was
their plea that there Is-little doubt it will bevr
grantetl. . !
' In MassachuHetton the same day, the Green
Room was crowded with thoe who came to hear
the plea for an amendment to secure Presidential'
and municipal suffrage, H. B, Blackwell, Wen- :
dell Phllll(Mi, Mary F. Eastman and Lucy Stone
speaking for the ietltioners. '
Ou the evening of that day began the twelfth
annual meeting of the Massachusetts Woman
Suffrage Society, which continued through four
full sessions, with the fine list of speeches before .
announced In these columns. Thanks to the effh.m
clent Chairman of the Committee of Arrange- - -ments,
MrTS. C. Hopkins, there were clergy me 7 '
ami clergy women, lawyers, students, young mm
and elderly women, helping on the cause of equal ;
rights.' The Boston papers gave friendly reports. ,;
In Rhode Island, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Chaee aatt
aTimnrfirraTwdT
were then taken up and answered with consider
able wit and skill, and were' loudly applauded.
Miss Anthony said that she knew she was ou
the bill, but she did not feel like speaking when
the spirit did aot move her. Then; again, she had
been, here" sooften For eleven years she had
come up here to shout freedom for, women. . What
she wanted 4o know was what could be done to
make it disreputable for politicians to vote against
Woman Suffrage. She said that Ben Butler told
her last Winter that tlie way to accomplish this
was to go out and educate the people. Why, that
Is what they had been . doing for the hut thirty
years. The trouble was that women did not have
the ballot, and Congress would not listen-to them.
If politicians cankeep women crying and- pray
ing, they are willing to Ut them go on.
At the close of Miss Anthony's remarks, the
Convention adjourned until this morning,
of
committee of the Senate, to whom suffrage pett-'
tlons had been referred. Governor LittleneltL
Lieutenant-Governor Fay and many others ay-era'
attentive listeners to these able and eloquent ad-"
vocates of equal rights. - J '
' Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Miss Susan B. An
thony and Miss Mary Stuart were heard before ;
the Delaware Legislature, on an' amendment to
expunge the. word "male" from the State Consti
tution. Governor Hall and many other promi
nent gentlemen were well entertained by the elo
quent advocates of woman' rights.'
One branch of the Missouri Suffrage Society
voted thanks to Governor Long for the encourage :
Ing words of his message, and the other appointed
a committee to go to. the Legislature of that State
In the Interest of equal rights for women. ' '
In Colorado, the hall of the House of Represen
tatives was granted for the formation of the Colo-
fN''V Htnff Wiiffraire Society. While Jn the Legla-
laturebf that State, the bill to extend suffrage te
women7Intraiaced'ly 'U6ven6iprh"weni'U,,"
its third reading. A motion was then made that
It tie Indefinitely postponed, which was lost by ,
one vote, 20 to 21 ; but on the motion that the bill
do pass, It was defeated, 24 to 18. -The next-day i.
Mr. Bryan moved to reconsider the vote on the
Woman Suffrage bill, and said : "Mr. Speaker
yesterday, from deep-rooted conviction, I voted
against bill No. 60 In relation to Woman Suffrage.
My convictions have not changedbu W jearninf
that the honorable Senators are aggrieved thai v.,
the charming pet of my valued friend from Weld
county should have been torn from their expect- ' '
ant arms, I move a reconsideration of the vote-oa-that
question, In order' to give the Senate and
the sovereign people a chance." The motion waa
carried and consideration of the bill was fixed for '
Tuesday of this week. We shall soon bear the, '
result. .'. 1 '
The Massachusetts School Suffrage Association
held its annual meeting. Other States, Indiana,
Pennsylvania, California, are In active prepara
tion for appeal to their respective State Legisla
tures. . ' '
This abundant and independent effort Is a most
hopeful indication of a fresh purpose on the part
of suffragists to do what in them lies to secure
equal rights for women. The year Is well begun.
. Commenting on the hanging at Newark, N. J
of -Frank Laman and Mrs. Melerhoffer, for the
murder of the woman's husband, the We$tem
Light 'says: "When the hangman's rope la
ready for adjustment, the Government suddealy
recognizes an-equal-platform for the sexes; feul
when "delegates aresentto"JefrersOntnty talay
before the Legislature its sins of omission byex?
cluding he women tax-payers from equality her
fore the. aw, this same Government Is oblivious
to an equal platform for men and women.".- : .
The Engllthwomen't Ktvieja says the 'English
suffragist. "are touch interested In the woman
question and It result In Oregon and and Wls-
consinTTtjne suffrage ls'thet&irTri?iy taat
amendment' In theJegal or social status of
women." " T
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