The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-10-30
The Providence Gathering: or the Wo
mnn Question.


Of truth, we men must begin to bestir our
selves. What with "Women-Parlamen y
"Woman-Suffrage Conventions" here, there
and everywhere, throughout the land, "Work-
mg-Women's Associations" and the "Sorosis'
we are likely soon to have our hands full and
the sooner the better. 1t may bring us all to
our senses. and reveal to the wisest and best
OF us our dread accountability to God for the
treatment of his ''last, best gift to man."
Returning from the Providence Convention
where L had an opportunity of seeing for my
self, What women are good for out of the
kitchen, the nursery and the bed-chamber, it
occurred to me that the testimony of an eye
Witness-however partial to women, as wo-
men, both in the abstract and concrete, would
be well received, not only by women but by
men; and therefore, at my earliest leisure, l
send you this. Let me begin with saying
that in my short stay, found three capital
housekeepers, and as many capital bread
makers among them.
The Convention lasted two days. There
were no less than four sessions, two evening
and two day sessions; all well attended, and
three absolutely crowded, with continually
growing interest up to the very last hour.
Among the foremost were Rev. Phebe Fl.
HanDaford, Rev. Olympia Brown, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton, Susan D. Anthony, Elizabeth
Ii. Chase, Paulina Wright Davis, Col. T. w.
Higginson, Theodore Tilton, General Francis
Lippitt and "ourself."
And furthermore let me say, that 1 have
been in the habit of attending, or as the fash
ion is now, to say of assisting at conventions
of almost every conceivable character literary,
scientific, political and religious, for nearly hall
hundred years, and that 1 never saw a con-
vention better managed, or more quiet and
orderly, nor officers and committee more apt
and business-like, or more selfpossessed I'M
der somewhat embarrassing circumstances.
The President Mrs. Paulina W. Davis, a
thorough bred sentlewoman, disn6ed, stately
and courteous. wearing her beautiful white
hair, unproaned, untampered with, and
though of high nervous temperament, and
evidently very sensitive, managing her voice,
ana putting her questions with the readiness
ana siearness of Congressional speaker,
may be regarded as eminently fitted for the
position she occupies.
The Rev. Phebe A. Hannaford and the Rev.
Olympia Brown gave us two capital addresses
or speeches rather-for they were evident
Iy unwritten, though well-considered; full OF
good sense and earDestness, with occasional
touches oftrue eloquence and pathos, though
unencumbered with establishment or rhetor-
ic.
Mrs. Stanton another pleasant, disnified,
queenly woman with white hair, surpassed
herself, which is saying all we need say OF her
as natural speaker, q severe logician, ana
great thinker. l had never heard her before,
though / had often heard of her, and only
few days ago, from her cousin the greatly
distinguished philanthropist Gerritt Smith,
at Oswego. A born lawyer, the child of great
lawyer, who studied in her fathers office, Mrs.
Stanton has been ever among the foremost
In works of reform, having reared no less than
SIX out of seven children, after a system of her
own' which has vindicated itself by its results,
though greatly differing from all the long es-
esiaohshed usaees, until her daughters were
abe to take care of themselves, and her bows