New-York tribune., 1868-05-13
THE WOM1NS CLUE.

At the second regular meeting of tho 'sWo,na,,.
Club" which took place recently at Dslmoricos the ~.
Miss Alice Cary who presided IN person for tbs is ,ss
LADIES' AS Il win not DO expected Of me TO Mss.
speeches very often hereafter think may presume .
tunity Permit me- then in the first place. 70 thank ~
for the honor you have done me in assigning TO ms a.
Presidents chair Why should have been chosen viz.
there are SO many among you greatly compoenf q
III the position, am st loss 70 understand unis.s
stranger and your imagnatl0ns have clothed me VIA
qualiti not my Cue This you would soon discover fe.
bearanee, though in tins regard yentured almo-,
to anticipate your lenity nasmnch as You all know hss
order and how unused to executive management nost
women are. II take seat. therefore, without css
your generous kindness and encouraeement 10 betts
things: "a wOman's club Who ever heard Of the IiEsi
Oe3ectsp These questions which are pTopounded y
me day after day since this project set eioos b
gentlemen, Of course And have answered that In ous
humble way, we were striving TO initiate their exsmps
You have your exclusive clubs 1 have said, ana rhv
interests cannot be detrimental 10 us; and that ys
md these reunions helpful to yourselves and ben
ecal to society cannot doubt You, gentlemen pss
fess to be represenativestO represent ua befer
than could possibly represent ourselves therefor
rooms, fine furniture, luxurious dinners and supper
expensive wines and cigars the handyng OF poor ess q
the excitement Of tho gamingtab Such dsh0noriRg
suspicious as these are not 70 be entertained for mo-
ment OF our own knowledge, / have said, we are not
able TO determine what special agencies you employ Zee
your advantage and your delberatiye assemblies
for il has not been thought best for our interests that We
Councils; and doubtless, therefore, in our bisd
ness and ignorance We have made some pitful ms
Thiss hard saysgthe head and froht Of the charss.
brought against us-and we cannot but acknowledge q
Justice and its force; we are, In fact weighed down v
shame and humiliation, and impeed while we abost
It, to make full and free confession OF all our wild and
guilty phantases We have then TO begin at tho bedn
nng proposed the inculcaton OF deeper and broades
ideas among women, proposed 70 teach thein 70 thnf
themselves and get their opinions at first hand nOso
their right because their
We have also proposed 70 open out new avenues
and less burdensome-to lift them oat Of unwomanIy
selfdstrust and disqualifyi0g dindence into w0many
work honorable by each doing the share that falls her.
or that may work cut 20 herself ageeaby 70 her Oya
special aPGa SG r. ~ to sn her We have DOpO
TO enter protest against all Idle gossip against al 0
morazng ana wicked waste 81 e ss3 al a9srs. ss
impositons and disabilities In short against each and
every thing thst .nS % Nv or pessor We hs
proposed to lessen the antagonisms existing at prescs
between men and women M Sy tine Sss ot us sS I .
ranty and saying and doing what we are able to say ehf
do without asking leaye and WI Without ~ sane.g Iaa sd
hold that there - no exclusive, ana ne
and what inures me Injuries him, II be could but b
made knOwt itjnjures him whether or not he made
to know It, such nave sap are e some ~ ~ our S,
dIgested plans, and clearly defined courses We are -
children feeling our way IN the aarn LOT u nus. oe ~
schools even In the most enlightened portions Of our
country were frat opened 10 girls How, tnen, should
you expect OF US the fulless VI wisdom which you r
whole centuries have been gathering from sehoo col.
leges aud the exclusive knowledge AID management o.
affairs We admit our shortcomings, but We do feel
gentlemen that in spite OF them honest earnest and
transformations effort toward broader culture ana nopef
feis entitled to heartier and more sympathetic recsg
milton than yet received from you anywhere
even here at home the leaders 0 e
NewYOrk press have failed IN that magnanniity which
wehaye been accustomed TO attribute ~ them. IL We
could have foreseen the sneers and sarcasms Win Ssa
have been met, they Of themselves would have eco
sttuted alsucent for the establishment 0f ths
wOmans club; as it is they have established strong in
pulse toward its continuance and final perpeuty Buf
ladies' these and sarcasns are after all but 50 May
Acknowledgements Of our power, and should and WI
stimulate Drawer assertion 70 more persistent enou
toward thorough and harmonious ana Goa
cert and harmony all that need TO make this enter
prise ultimately great power for good Indeed win
such women as have already enrolled their names on our
list for my part cannot believe failure possible Soma
Of cannot hope 70 great results for our feet are
already on the downhll side OF fe, the shadows are
lengthenng behind and gathering before u.s. and ere
long they viii meet and close, and the places that have
known us know no more. But H. when our poor wofk
is dOne any OF those who after US shall nnd IN
some bn OF usefulness toward nObler lives. and better
aud enduring work, We for ourselves rest connA