The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-21
WSmen's Rights Convention At Saratoga
Correspondence Of the saratogan.l

Correspondence Of the saratogian.l
THURSDAY EVENING.
Before the meeting called to order, Miss 8. b.
Anthony passed up and down the various asles Of
the hall, auctioneering, in very pleasant and mu-
sical way various tracts, in which the rights md
wrongs Of woman are quite elaborately discussed,
ponder and inwardly digest"
Rev. AErOINETTE L. Brown was the first speaker
Of the evening. She began with an alluson to the
theological dis cussion Of the morning, and stated
that after the close Of the morning session clergy
man had accused her of misappying text Of Scrip
ture, and advised here to be particular In her
public statements He told her that the language
quoted by her did not allude TO Cain and Abel. Mis-
B. then read the text from Gen 4, 7:-"And unto
these shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over
him." and the context showed that the words were
addressed by God TO CAIN and the alusion was to his
brother Abel. Miss b. said, II the rev. gentleman
was present she would return the advice SO
kindly rendered with the remark that he should be
more particular before criticising She then com
pared the text above given with Gen. 3, l6, in
which God said to Eve-"And thy desire shall be to
thy husband and he shall rule over thee"-almost
the same phraseology being used in both instances,
and che asked If anybody thought God intended
TO make Abel secondary or subject 70, his brother
II was undeniable that Cain did I" rule OVER Abel,
for he slew him; 1t was also undeniable that man
has " ruled over" woman, for he has ensavcd her.
But that was not q command of the Great Father,
who regarded equally all his children, bat rather .
Of the iaIl. - 20
Miss y. then brapched OF upon the subject Of wo-
mans position. and advanced the idea that II was
about equal TO her present capacity. This might be
regarded as O great concession, but she thought It
was not so when properly considered. Woman's po-
siton had dwarfed her capacity, inst slavery had
dwarfed the capacity Of the negro. And the blight
Ing effect was not only visible in the intellectual and
physical condition Of woman, but Of man also. For
when the piping voices and eGcminate airs Of some
OF our young men are remembered, the fear should
be, not that woman should become manish but that
man would become womanized. This she regarded
"a the direct result Of female life and education and
hence the necessity Of extending the sphere and en-
lar9ing the capacities Of woman, for the advantage
ard glory OF the race.
The reverend lady was followed by Mrs. Ernestine
l.. Roae, in most animated speech. She excepted,
In part to the position Of her reverend predecessor,
that woman's position IL equal to her capacity, con-
tending that il fashion, custom, and Law, that
crushed her natural aspirations, and prevented the
manifestation Of the powers with which she was
endowed.
Miss Brown interrupted to say that her position
WIS misapprehended-that she only contended II
WAS the general rule; there were Of course excep-
tons In v hch women had showed themselves vastly
superior 10 their condition as EEK. She put this
question Suppose all women possessed the courage,
spirit and clear, analytical mind Of ERNEsTINE T..
RosE, who believes that the present disabilities Of
the Sex would exist one hour (Applause.)
Mrs. RosH acknowledged the Intended compli
ment, but still insisted that there were hundreds ard
thousands Of women who were superior TO their
sions TO Washington, Bonaparte and other great
hghts, who had been In advance Of their age, and
enforced il in strain OF eloquent and cogent remark.
She followed by Lucy STONE BLACKWELL,
upon what had been sct apart as the principal topic
Of the cvenipg-womans right TO suffrage. II would
be useless for US TO attempt TO reproduce in the space
ut cur disposal, either the arCumrnts the ilustra
tons employed by the eloquent lady this occasion
she contended that suffrage should be extended TO
woman as right. not q favor. She considered IL
the basis, as well the safeguard Of oil other rights
because, until that was conferred even II one Legs-
lature shoud concede the rest another might snafch
them away. She met the objection that women
could not leave their children 20 To Congress- with
sharp alluson to the mothers now in Saratoga who
had somehow managed TO leave their babies But,
the said OF course every mother would recognize her
duty TO her children, az the first the highest and ho
hest, and would not permit IL to interfere with mo
tives OF Office and ambition. The argument that
politics is degrading, proved too much If true,
men themselves should hasten 10 get out OF IL. But
the presence Of woman would have redeeming In
tiuence. A gentleman had said to her, "You will
be insulted at the polls" Would you do II ?r she
asked. "No." "'Thenr said she, q give 10 Others
the same credit you take 70 yourself" Women are
taxed but they are not represented Let any man
explain IL he could how that fact can be reconciled
with the theory upon which the government Ii found
which the Revolution itself was projected
that there can be no taxation without representa-.
ton. And so the lady went on for an hour the az.
dience seemingly unwearied, and often applanding
her happy hits.
After which the resolutions were put To vote and
adopted. The convention then adjourn
Vi sine die.