The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-21
EQUAL RIGHTS.
Henry Ward Beeoher on the
Woman Question.
Public Meeting at Brooklyn Acal-
emy OF Music.
Addresses by Henry Ward Beecher, Mrs
Stanton and Mr.. Celia"
Burleigh.

fhs Brooklyn Academy OF Music was crowded
hast night with very influential and highly re-
spectacle audience, composed mainly Of men. to
listen 90 addresses from Miss Susan u. Anthony and
Anna E. Dickinson, benalf OF the Brooklyn Equal
Rights Association.
Mrs CELIA BuRLEiGH, who presided with consid
er8ble grace and TACT occupied the char called
the meeting to order and said she regretted to
forward as an apolozist. She had to announce with
disappointment that from some unexplained CIR
cumstance Miss Dickinson had not jet put In
an appearance. There was however, a gap
to be flied, and was glad to be able TO
state that Mr.. Beecher would ably fiji the gap made
by Miss Dickinson, and also Mr.. Burleigh, who had
not yet spoken publicly on this movement would
help to fiji That gap; ana she sure Vie meeting
would be glad to hear him, and she was quite sure
she should. G.aughter) she would, however, intro
duce Miss Anthony--''the nobest Roman Of them
allp-to the meeting.
Miss ANTHONY, after q few preliminary words or
regret to Miss DckInson's absence, proceeded TO
speak on the question OF what she regarded as the
false theory OF societyhat women were born TO be
supported and protected. After uttertng few SEN
fences she said she could not 20 on, and turning
round 70 Mr. Bescher said he must speak. for she
could not
Mr.. BEECHER, who was received with applause,
said II was most humiiiating position to Ind him
self in. He did hope that they had got to that
initiating confession that women were not able to
take care Of themselves. II he wished to
cali to mind any class Of persons who
to express their own minds IL would have been
women generally, ana Miss Anthony In particular.
made By the DIVINE Beng both weak ana i- strong;
they were weak after all. However much they
% On se the ss 81 1sg we're mot
like vines. Whether II be the force OF nature
or the force OF circumstances, woman was
had been SO, it was so now, and to a very
lnrpe extent 1t wond continue 10 be so. and he for
one hoped earnestly 1t would always be SO. II he be-
Neved that this agitation was to make woman nm
womanly-was TO make her man under another
support. What was wanted was that the vomanis
0uaies shown in her affections ana her sensibili.
ues ner imagipatlo1 should be brought to bear IN
for men TO pour such counsel into the minds OF
women and men as could be given by Lucretla
Eot? The question Of education could be better
understood by women, many OF whom had had
the heartache for many year in LOOKING
cone into the family, and were so wei auanted to
WIZ the heart o. childhood by their sympathes ana
knovledge OF the subject There was an IDEA that
tins emancipation OF woman would unsex her.
Why, II wonld be as unnatural 10 unsex woman as
q woman. We all know with what contempt we re-
gard man who cannot hold his own among men.
Let woman stay In her own sphere, and that sphere
obtained o more complete and social freedom. He
should be very sensitive or the Introduction
OF the social philosophers from abroad
dlsorganize the whole world lie believed that this
that belonged to Christianity, and which would be
calculated 10 give women more moral strength. Mr..
women political freedom would not cause ali We
men TO have passion for walxing on the stage and
IN ave hundred was fitted for that, any more than
one man IN one hundred was. Why II was hard
M9fk now 70 ataRoon men enough 70 attend inc
an
the gft OF speech why should she not exer-
else it, II any woman was lineay descended
from Cicero or Demosthenes why should she
not assert her lineage but the fact that not
woman IN o thousand had the gift. The develop
household stronger than t was before ana aAS Oil It
with light 1t never had before. That would cause
was very pretty giri when the court
ing began. would be an intelligent conf
rsn sGe rs WIFE, n.ds wss
bankrupts. In referring to the mistake In the
movement he said that In the transition from lower
plane to higher plane OF social advancement men
made many MISTAKES and they take never to do
1t again. Like naylsators navigating an unknown
time He believed that it was . cause that
wac so wise and so Just that Il would
mended the cause to fathers because 1t Tor the
benefit OF their daughters. Suppose the little he
daacsser with ner two T' Children lad nonr
but her attalnments to struggle through the
wSTld twit,mwhy he saw d nothing but cary
daughter he thought for other daughters. 1t
reminded him OF mother who, when told her
newborn babe was daughter. exclaimed, 40 Cod
Godf" remembering the misery OF her own life,
ana the misery OF that remembrance oyercame the
there no chance to make such world bet,erf Did
not such movement command their judgment,
their influence and their prayers before God
Miss ANTHONY then again addressed the meeting
and In referring to hr. Bsecher's remark 10
woman unscxing bersell she asked II the audience
had ever heard or fish that would cease to 1--we In
the water. Had they ever heard. whatever arrange
ments might be made, or bird that ceased TO
IN the laws Of the universe thai men should believe
thar gfvlng woman freedom would cause her to
cease to be woman There was nothing IN the
universe that could 80 change Gods laws that
woman should cease to be woman In all her woman
hness MISS Anthony then referred at length to her
to do that which Mrs. Tilton had done
10 well that evening" arrange and organize
make good speeches. Yiss Anthony then related =
plumber OF anecdotes about her past lifs q school
teacher and the injustice OF the Boards Of Education
IN Detroit and New York State. These injusncel
would not have been perpetraed, IN her opinion II
these women had had power to drop the vote
ACCOMPLISHMENTS from The Board for their injustice.
ehc SAID that the married women were at the bot
% q Snss to Dr9s. sa,s
Ind that would prevent the expression OF pity when
single woman asserted her right to obtain her own
III. BrnIf1sH next rose TO speak and pn,d that he
was recent convert TO the equal rights momement.
He had not had very pronounced or hostile oppo-
slton 70 IT. ne was convert Of the president of
That meeting nfrs. Burleign.l He had come TO see
that 1t was degradation OF man as wen as woman
to deprive woman of her rights. This and other
cognate uuisms OF the equal rights movement were
illustrated by Mr.. BurIeigh at some length. !
Mrs. HASDALLs then gave, with considerable elos
cutonary effect, several poetical selections, among
Which were "fhe Creeds OF Beils.u WITH . Deauu-
fully, clear, meodious voice each bell was rang In
It's own sectarian tone, and concluded with the
nest lively passionate call 20 salvation sounded by
the Methodist bell" The meeting saorty alter
wards adjourned