History of Woman Suffrage
Chapter 87 : Samuel Richardson, Rochester.[97] _The Lily_ was a temperance paper started in Seneca F

Samuel Richardson, Rochester.

[97] _The Lily_ was a temperance paper started in Seneca Falls, N. Y., in 1849. It was owned and edited by Mrs. Amelia Bloomer. Though starting as the organ of a society, it soon became her individual property. She carried it successfully six years, her subscription list reaching 4,000. It was as p.r.o.nounced on woman's rights as temperance, and did good service in both reforms. We are indebted to _The Lily_ for most of our facts on the temperance movement in New York.

[98] _Nomination_--Lemira Kedzie, Lydia F. Fowler, Amy Post, Mary H.

Hallowell, Frederick Dougla.s.s, Lydia Jenkins.

_Business Committee_--Emily Clark, W. H. Channing, Mary H. Hallowell, Rev. S. J. May, Mrs. Robie, Mrs. C. I. H. Nichols.

_Finance_--Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Bloomer, H. Attilia Albro. Also, on motion, the President was added to the Business Committee.

[99] Throughout this protracted, disgraceful a.s.sault on American womanhood, the clergy baptized each new insult and act of injustice in the name of the Christian religion, and uniformly asked G.o.d's blessing on proceedings that would have put to shame an a.s.sembly of Hottentots.

[100] _Vice-Presidents_--Dr. Harriot K. Hunt, Ma.s.s.; Charles C.

Burliegh, Ct.; Edward M. Davis, Pa.; Frances Dana Gage, Mo.; Ashby Pierce, Oregon; Rowland T. Robinson, Vt.; Melissa J. Driggs, Ind.; Thomas Garrett, Del.; Angelina Grimke Weld, N. J.; Hannah Tracy Cutler, Ill.

[101] See page 152--Cleveland Convention--for the full description of this mob by Miss Brown herself.

[102] _The Binghamton Daily Republican_ said: Miss Anthony vindicated her resolutions with great eloquence, spirit, and dignity, and showed herself a match, at least, in debate, for any member of the Convention. She was _equal_ if not _identical_. Whatever may be thought of her notions, or sense of propriety in her bold and conspicuous positions, personally, intellectually, and socially speaking, there can be but one opinion as to her superior ability, energy, and moral courage; and she may well be regarded as an evangel and heroine by her s.e.x; especially by the "Strong Minded" portion of them.

[103] _The Daily Standard_, Sept. 8th, 1852, said: The Woman's Rights Convention will a.s.semble at the City Hall this morning. Some of the most able women of the country will be present, and the discussion can not fail to be particularly interesting.

_The Daily Star_, a pro-slavery paper of the most p.r.o.nounced and reckless character, said: The women are coming! They flock in upon us from every quarter, all to hear and talk about Woman's Rights. The blue stockings are as thick as gra.s.shoppers in hay-time, and mighty will be the force of "jaw-logic" and "broom-stick ethics" preached by the females of both s.e.xes.

[104] THE NATIONAL WOMAN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION.

The friends of equality, justice, and truth are earnestly invited to meet in Syracuse, N. Y., Sept. 8th, 9th, and 10th, 1852, to discuss the important question of "Woman's Rights." We propose to review not only the past and consider the present, but to mark out new and broader paths for the future.

The time has come for the discussion of woman's social, civil, and religious rights, and also for a thorough and efficient organization; a well-digested plan of operation whereby these social rights, for which our fathers fought, bled, and died, may be secured by us. Let woman no longer supinely endure the evils she may escape, but with her own right hand carve out for herself a higher, n.o.bler destiny than has heretofore been hers. Inasmuch as through the folly and imbecility of woman, the race is what it is, dwarfed in mind and body; and as through her alone it can yet be redeemed, all are equally interested in the objects of this Convention.

We therefore solemnly urge those men and women who desire the elevation of humanity, to be present at the coming Convention, and aid us by their wisdom. Our platform will be free to all who are capable of discussing the subject with candor and truth. On behalf of the Central Committee,

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, PAULINA WRIGHT DAVIS, WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING, LUCY STONE, SAMUEL J. MAY.

[105] _President._--Lucretia Mott, Philadelphia.

_Vice-Presidents._--Paulina Wright Davis, Rhode Island; Caroline M.

Severance, Ohio; Elizabeth Oakes Smith, New York; Clarina I. H.

Nichols, Vermont; Gerrit Smith, Peterboro; Sarah L. Miller, Pennsylvania.

_Secretaries._--Susan B. Anthony, Martha C. Wright, Samuel J. May, Lydia F. Fowler.

_Business Committee._--Elizabeth Oakes Smith, Lucy Stone, Caroline M.

Severance, Harriot K. Hunt, Jane Elizabeth Jones, James Mott, Ernestine L. Rose, Elizabeth W. Phillips, Pliny s.e.xton, Benjamin S.

Jones.

_Committee on Finance._--Rosa Smith, Joseph Savage, Caroline M.

Severance.

Many earnest friends beside the officers were present and took part in the discussions; among them Amy Post, Mary and Sarah Hallowell, Catharine A. F. Stebbins, Thomas and Mary Ann McClintock, Elizabeth Smith Miller, Rev. Lydia Ann Jenkins, Rev. Antoinette L. Brown, Lydia Mott, Phebe H. Jones, Mary A. Springstead, Abby H. Price, Rev. Abraham Pryne, Eliza A. Aldrich, editor _Genius of Liberty_; Dr. Cutcheon, of McGrawville College; Matilda Joslyn Gage, Lydia P. Savage, Sarah Hallock, Griffith M. Cooper.

[106] See Appendix.

[107] See Pennsylvania Chapter, page 360.

[108] _The Syracuse Journal_ said: "Miss Anthony has a capital voice and deserves to be made clerk of the a.s.sembly."

[109] When Gerrit Smith was in Congress, elected on account of his anti-slavery principles, his power to make friends even among foes was fully ill.u.s.trated. At his elegant dinners distinguished Southerners were frequent guests. Hence it was said of him that he dined with slaveholders, and would have wined with them but for his temperance principles.

[110] See Appendix.

[111] See Appendix.

[112] This n.o.ble man was among the first to append his name to the declaration of rights issued at Seneca Falls, and he did not withdraw it when the press began to ridicule the proceedings of the Convention.

[113] Rev. Mr. Hatch gave his idea of female loveliness. It consisted in that shrinking delicacy which, like the modest violet, hid itself until sought; that modesty which led women to blush, to cast down their eyes when meeting men, or walking up the aisle of a church to drop the veil; to wear long skirts, instead of imitating the sun-flower, which lifted up its head, seeming to say: "Come and admire me." He repeated the remarks made near the door on some of the speakers. The President hoped he would keep in order, and not relate the vulgar conversation of his a.s.sociates. He went on in a similar strain until the indignation of the audience became universal, when he was summarily stopped.

In the midst of his remarks Miss Anthony suggested that the Reverend gentleman doubtless belonged to the pin-cus.h.i.+on ministry, educated by women's sowing societies! which, on inquiry, proved true. It was almost always the case that the "poor but pious" young man, who had studied his profession at the expense of women, proved most narrow and bigoted in his teachings.

[114] The Jewish.

[115] See Appendix for comments of _Syracuse Star_ and _New York Herald_.

[116] This sermon was reviewed by Matilda Joslyn Gage, and a newspaper controversy between Mr. Sunderland, Mrs. Gage, and others inaugurated.

For several months the press of the city was enlivened by these supplementary debates.

[117] _President._--Lucretia Mott.

_Vice-Presidents._--Ernestine L. Rose, New York; Paulina W. Davis, Rhode Island; Clarina I. H. Nichols, Vermont; Mary Jackson, England; Caroline M. Severance, Ohio; S. M. Booth, Wisconsin; Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Ma.s.sachusetts; Mrs. J. B. Chapman, Indiana; Charlotte Hubbard, Illinois; Ruth Dugdale, Pennsylvania; C. C. Burleigh, Connecticut; Angelina G. Weld, New Jersey; Mathilde Franceska Anneke, Germany.

_Secretaries._--Lydia F. Fowler, Sidney Peirce, Oliver Johnson.

_Business Committee._--Lucy Stone, Antoinette L. Brown, James Mott, Harriot K. Hunt, Mariana Johnson, Lydia Mott, Wendell Phillips, Sarah Hallock, Wm. H. Channing, Ruth Dugdale, Martha J. Tilden, Ernestine L.

Rose, Elizabeth Oakes Smith.

_Finance Committee._--Susan B. Anthony, Lydia A. Jenkins, Edward A.

Stansbury.

[118] See Appendix.

[119] f.a.n.n.y Ellsler danced for the Bunker Hill monument.

[120] See p. 259.

[121] The Committee were: Lueretia Mott, Ernestine L. Rose, Marion C.

Houghton, Lucy Stone, Caroline H. Dall, Paulina Wright Davis, Dr.

Harriot K. Hunt, Mathilde Franceska Anneke, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell.

[122]

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Seneca Falls; James M'Cune Smith, New York; Mary Cheney Greeley, New York; S. G. Love, Randolph; Ernestine L. Rose, New York; Mary F. Love, Randolph; Samuel J. May, Syracuse; C. M. Crowley, Randolph; George W. Jonson, Buffalo; R. T. Trail, New York; Antoinette L. Brown, South Butler; Emily S. Trail, New York; Frederick Dougla.s.s, Rochester; Oliver Johnson, New York; Hiram Corliss, Greenwich; Mariana W. Johnson, New York; Lydia A. Jenkins, Geneva; Sydney Howard Gay, New York: William H. Channing, Rochester; Catharine E. Welling, Elmira; William Hay, Saratoga Springs; Mrs. Holbrook, Elmira; Amy Post, Rochester; H. A. Zoller, Little Falls; Mary H. Hallowell, Rochester; Stephen Haight, Dutchess County; Susan B; Anthony, Rochester; Sarah A. Burtis, Rochester; William R. Hallowell, Rochester; Lydia P. Savage, Syracuse; Isaac Post, Rochester; Lydia Mott, Albany; Mary B. F. Curtis, Rochester; J. B. Sands, Canandaigua; Lemira Kedzie, Rochester; Catharine H. Sands, Canandaigua.