The New York herald., 1869-08-29
WOMEN's RIGHTS


style of Female Oratory-Dcoiine Of the
season-visitors mt the Hotels-New York
Pilots Caught In "a Low Tide.
NEWPORT. R. l., August 81. 1859.
The strong minded ladies have nearly all gone
home after the convention OF the past two days.
The portly Mrs. Stanton fingers here day 30 to
get the benefit OF the breeze and recuperate from
her arduous iabors of many years In behalf OF
woman. The convention he'd In the Academy OF
Music, commencing Wednesday morning and ending
last evening, gave excellent opportunity to the
crowd OF fasniOnabe loungers this point OF attrac
ton to see the apostles OF femae suffrage In the
flesh. The show was select ana impressive. On the
platform were Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton. whose
majestic presence commanded at once the attention
and admiration OF the audience; Mrs. Paulina
Wright DAVIS, q lady OF extremely refined ana IN
telecfuai expressiOn Mrs. Lille Devereux Blake,
dressed IN lavender silk trimmed with black lace
earrings OF enamelled gold, moresque design, ana
q wealth OF raven hair descending on her neck, q
stray ringet OF which stole truantly over her left
shoulder; Mrs. Isabella Beecher Hooker. OF Hart
ford one OF the wonderful Beecher family, mOdestIy
attired in black silk, and possessing a voice
OF much anu tender sweetness; Mrs. CatharIne
Hunt, OF Providence, lady OF considerable ability
~ q writer and conver satlonaist; Mrs. Elizabeth
Kltrldge Churchill, tashionably apparelled and tax
ing o deep interest In the proceedings Mrs. Sarah
Helen Whitman, of Providence q recent addition to
the phalanx OF distinguished women engaged in the
new movement OF elevattng the female sex to the
political level OF the male. Theodore Tilton was
also ON the platform, and Monsieur Du Chailu, the
great French traveller, pat in appearance. Miss
Susan B. Anthony fresh from the scene Of her late
sensation In the Philadelphia Labor Congress- came
upon the stage about noon fair and amable ever,
and wearing IN her eyes the old intense expression
nfa q hanQ Iaut nj
A charge Of fIIy cents admission in the evening
failed to deter . numerous audience from being
present. II was composed principally OF visitors TO
this place. and was mainly feminine. The Academy
Is not very large building but 1t is extensive
wants OF Newport. About one.third of this number
listened to the rhetoric OF MIS- stanton ana the
Drsciatlye assembage ana of that fashionable TYPE
which has hlthertO declined to recognize the
woman's movement in any share. But then there
was nothing on the platform or In the logic OF the
speakers to excite particular comment. The strong
minded looked no different from other women, and
the speeches III some cases of that stereOtyped
order that have been in use for many years-at one
time to help forward the cause OF negro freedom,
aud now with trnlng adaptation made to serve
the cause Of female dlSenthrament. The fair ladies
OF Newport, who attended, seemed not so much at
tracted TO the Academy from any particular al mira
ton for Miss Anthony and her colleagues but rather
rom that natural propensity to see whatever pro-
fesses to be sensational ana has been duly adver
tised In the papers. Many OF the fair listeners how
ever, went away favOrably impressed with such
ladies as Mrs. Paulina Davis and Mrs. Beecher
HOOkcr--tne WOmanly re0nement Oh tne one, ana
the regal men Of the other being well calculated to
secure the respectful attention OF any audience Be-
yOnd passing set OF resolutions and delivering some
few speeches the women accomplished little more in
this convention. True was servceable in disabus
ing the minds of some Of the elegant and arstocratc
ladies OF Newport in reference to the leaders OF the
movement for female suffrage but the men In at
tendance were few and rather cold In their way OF
accepting the offered arguments. ~ Is the men tnat
making power, and 1t is for them TO say II 1t
be Q meet and proper thing for woman
hnun tha no nf
Mrs. Stanton took ground III favor OF the broadest
and truest democracy; but she could not under
stand the right and consistency Of the German who
has harnassed his wife and his COW together. the
Chinaman who thinks 1t would spou his wife to al
Southern plantation who has not the slightest idea
OF our grand political system TO make laws Tor her.
while Intelligent women are kept silent nSa Women AT a,
| little for which TO labor or TO hope.
| II all the women had the breadth OF comprehen-
sion and the steady judgment OF Mrs. Stanton there
would be nothing to rdicule in the woman's rights
movement, and Mrs. stanton would not be COM
PEELED to slander the reporters OF any parhcular
! paper In complanng-th that herself and the move
| ment was mfsrepresented.
Miss Anthony was anXiOusIy inquired for by the
| curiousy disposed who visited the convention.
She gathering in more experience, more grace OF
| EXPRESSION and more wOmanly sense every day.
She made a good, direct and sensible speech We'd
nesday night, and simply placed the question OF
suffrage in It's true light by saving 1t was now con-
learned vile and virtuous, everything bearing the
semblance OF q man; but IL IS withheld from women
well-that rs their choice OF language was good and
delivered witt! 1uency and appropriateness OF gcs-
ture; but there were some strange ideas enuncated
as for instance the existence OF real antagonism
tween the sexes, rivalry OF late and dstrst OF each
other. For this there is hardly any warrant; but In
the intense championship or what they deem right
withheld by mans Jealousy u Is hardly surprising
If some women will not IN broOding over the sub
| ject, especially where they have never been the
recipients OF mans affection, proclaim that man Is
an enemy OF the sex and deserving OF no quarter.
| by comparison with the few men who spoke III the
| the advantage.
men spoke against its adoption because IL does not
! include women. For this he was promptly rcbuked
| by Mrs. Hannaford, who showed her unselnshness
IN prcferI1ng the claims OF the negro TO her own.
| When men take part in these womens conven-
lons they generally overdo the thing and out Herod
riohts whittier the poet Is. perhsps' the most
correct and elegant IN what he says on the the sui
frage question. 81 can understand, " he observes
''without sharing the misgivngs OF those VINO
fear that when the vote drops from wo-
| mems hands into the ballot-box the beauty
and sentiment, the bloom and sweetness OF
womanhood Will go with 1t. But in this matter
IL seems TO me that we can trust nature stronger
than statutes of conventions she viii be cOnserva-
tive of ali mat the true loves and honors in wo
man Here and there may be found an equiv0cal
unseXed Chevaer d'Eon. but tue eternal order ana
! fitness OF things will remain. have no fear that
man VIII be less manly or woman less womanly
when they meet on terms OF equality before the
law.m
Women's conventions nave one feature about them
! particularly characteristic. When the speaking
! iags, though why IL ever should is not easily ex-
| planned, song recitation playing on piano or
melodeon is introduced with the best possible el-
feet. last evening Mrs Sarah Fisher Ames, on being
| introduced gave some pleasant dramatic readings
with much taste and spirit. Her rendering OF Poe's
"Raven,' was particularly tne aud called lortn en-
thusiastic applause. the Hutchinson family sang .
variety OF airs-''Star Spangled Banner "Good
Time Comng,p &c In fact, tie convention more
nearly resembled an eXtenporlzed concert than a
doliberatye body or deltberation there was really
! very little Dut OF music great deal The ladies sat
in row around by the wings OF the stage. and from
| dressed the audience.
In the remarks made by the lady orators there was
hardly any OF that rant which some years ago was
| peculiar TO every gathering OF women.
The following for Instance, in the address or Mrs.
Stanton has the ring OF as highly cultivated style
as obtains IN any academic or legislative assembly or
| males:-"First, urge the idea OF woman's equality
upon the women OF the fashionable classes, because
| their personal dignity, virtue and safety depend
upon their position in the scale OF being In no