New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-17
Your very humble Servant,
u CR ANLT
Mrs. stanton's Letter to the Akron Convention

Mrs. NtaBt0u'S Letter 10 thc AKRON NOnNchlIOn'
The following letter was addressed to the
Akron 90 Woman's Rights Convention, by Mrs
ELzABErH CADY STANTON, daughter OF Judge Cady
Of the Court of Appeals
"DEAR FRIENDS: II would give me great pleasure
10 accept your invitation TO attend the Convention
but as circumstances forbid my being present with
you. allow me IN addressing yOuby letter. totouch on
those points of this great question, when nave, OF
late much occupied my thoughts II Is often sand 10
US tauntngly, We'll, you have held Conventions,
YOU have spCCChltCd and resolved, protested ana dp
pealcd, and now, what next why DO you not do
something" have a. often heard the reply, we
know not what TO do
Judge our grievances, our legal ami political dsaoul-
ucs and SOClal wrongs. itl as glance d WHAT we may
ao-af the various rights of Which We may, even now,
quietly take possession True, our rlsnl 10 No't We
cannot exercise until our state CONSTITUTIONS are re-
modelled but We can petition our legislators every
session. and plead our cause before them. we can
make Il manifestation by gong % the polls al etch
returning election, bearing banners, with inscriptions
thereon of great sentiments handed down To us by
our revolutionary fathers such as mo taxation
without rDprcsCudtlon,' mo just government can DC
formed without the consent oi Uc BoNtIht L. &c.
Wccau refuse 20 pay ali taxes AMI like the EnSilSl
dlsscnicrs suffer our goods To tc seized and sold
need hC such manifestations would appeal 10 a
class of mndN that now take no note OF our coNeh-
uon> or their proceedings who never dream even,
that woman thinks herself deiraudcd oi a single
right. The trades and professions are all opento us
let MS quietly enter and make ourselves IL hoi Iich
Many OF them are quite proper to woman ana some
peculiarly so As merchants. pOstnaSterS ana silver
smiths teachers, preachers and physicians woman
has already proved herself fully competent. VINO
S0Wc fitted to nh the pulpls ot our dtN rs woman
A admit her superior 20 man IN the affections. hgh
moral sentiments, and religious enthusiasm anu 81
long as our popular theology and reason are al oS-
yerhcadS, We have no nCCt OF acute mctaphYSiCiAS'
~ Shllm IopicianS nm our pup.tS. We want those
who can make tine most elective Appeals 10 our
mlagln3uOnS, our hopes and Tears.
Again. as Physicians. How desirable are educated
women m tins profession GIVE her knowledge com
MenSurac with hCrnaturalQ QUALIFICATIONS, ana tlVIclS
no position woman could assume thaI "oulu DC 40
prominently useful - hCt race ~ large ana llVi
own sex m particular, ~ that oi nlhlSleI"S a'Sct
10 the SICK and afflicted da ange-not Cdpaoe ol
sympathy merely, but armed with power 10 I'tNNV
SUFFERING and prevent disease. Inc science OF 'v.
Stsferics Is a branch OF me profession whch >houiu
be monopoh2ed by woman. The tact lhaI II Is nov
almost " holly IN the hands 90 the MAZE PaCtuVi.'t'
Is an outrage ON common dcccntN, lhA' ho'nu's o".
he tYrani CUSTOM can excuse. FROM the V"ilV>'
history down to 1863 u Wa pracuced oN Mohtll-
The distinguished individual hrSt 20 make the hilo-
VauOn on thiS ancient umc-Sncuned custom was
no less u parsonage tnan court prostitute 'ut
Duchess OF NlhCrS, iaYorltc mistress OF LOUIS
NV, OF France" THIS : formidable evil ana pro-
duCtne of much immortality, misery ana crime
But now that some colleges are open 10 women ana
the " Female Medical (OlCgC OF PennSNlNaM nus
been established for our sex exclusively, nope TINS
custom MAY De ahOl shed d speedily aS poNSipe' LOT
10 excuse can Dee found tor rs continuance IN me
seems 90 me, the existence 81 tins custom argues
much greater want of Ct,icacy and rehntmeht III
woman. than would the practice OF the profession oY
her m al - various branches.
But the great worA before us Is the educ3lioR OF
those lu>t coming on the stage Ot action. Begin Win
NE girls ol to-day. ana IN twenty wears we Gan rev.
ulOnize tins nation. laC ChAdhood OF Momaa
must be nee and uuuauinCltd tbc gt. must &c a.
lowed In ror,D and paV. Club. skate and SWIM her
clothing must De more IKE ihat oi the ooN-StIohs'
Ioo>c-huug garments, imcN ooot> &c, wa, S0 mo-
b out al al times and enter freely INTO an Allu> Oh
sports Teach her 10 20 alone oN hlsNt 'ut O'N IL
need DC, on the lonely highway, or uLouSh tie
busy streets of the crowded mttopoiS- ne u'a"
hef IN winch all courage and >eti-feua't : evu -
Cbt OF The gu-her path portrayed Win u@lSSI> az"
Siihculilc> that never e1lst Is melancholy lhuecu
Better, far, suffer occasional insults, OF Ot oOttSh'
idh 1--we the life OF a coUOrd or never move "teV"'
protector The best protector that any woman can
have. one that Will serve her 40 an tunes and m all
places Is courage tins She must get by her own tN-
ptucnCc, and experience comes on exposure. Lex
The elrl be thoroughly developed 10 body and soul
not mOdcled, IKE a piece @. clay. after some afIH-
Clal specimen OF humanity, with a body Ike some
plate lu GoCcyS bOOH Of fashion, and "a mind diier
the type OF Father GrcgoryS pattern daughters,
loaded down with the traditions pg0prltttS ana sen
rmeniahlcS OF generations OF silly mothers ana
gnndmo;hcr>-bU eit free % De, 10 grow. 10 iee 10
hink. 10 act. Development = one tnns. 'aa' S'>
TEN OF cr9mDlug, Te>tTc ninC tvrtuflns, ptINNlt-
mg and mvStiyng called education : quite an
Other We have had wCmcn enough oeiooiSL VA1't
me one system, pray lCt Is ~ tAt othtt' t"O S.-
must early be- Impressed with the .Oca t"". Sl5 = 10
Dc "a hand not a mouth 80 q worker ana not Ofuhc.
IN Tue great hive OF human activity. t1Ne me ool'
She must d. taught 10 look forward 20 lte OF sell
Sepeldercc. aud early prepare herself of some ''"lt
" profession. Woman ha> TCilel heretofore 100 GU
hTe.y Tor her Slppor, on the nc.f'c-iha' one-eycl
otmen OF destruction that syS H. thousands annu-
a}-that evil Seuius Of our sex. which. m Spilc OF
Al our DEVOTION Will nCScrmakC rs healthy Wediihy
OF Wise
a. Teach he girl II no part Of her life, 10 cater TO
vac MeluclceS OF those around her Make her lnde-
senuent OF public sentiment. by showing her now
"V''nie>s and rotten thing II Is II Is Se't'eu