Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-02-10
The Woman Suffrage State Convene
ton.

ent, and though at first it may have been
feared that they would prove burden
rather than prop, they struck into field
of song wholly new to Vermont and
awoke both enthusiasm and delight in the
entire audience. 1t is not the Hutchin.
son family proper, but three male voices
and their songs are adapted to the occa.
sion.
The only speakers of the evening were
Lucy Stone and her husband. We had
seen Mr.. Blackwell before and did not
fear him. But since Mr.. Dewey and 9th.
ers have told us 80 much about the har.
pies and the Amazons, ranting and tearing
through the State, we were prepared TO,
the worst before the introduction of Lucy
What a surprise A modest, quiet, pleas.
ant little lady of some forty summers,
of smiling features, gentle voice and the
most womanly demeanor, proceeded to ad.
dress that hushed assembly, as simply
and naturally as though the were enter.
tanning her guests at tea. She spoke for
over an hour, and not once did she strike
dramatic attitude, not once did her voice
rise above the conversational tone, not
once with clenched fist did she beat 1.-THE
air." Notwithstanding she had been held
up to Montpelier audience as all that
was to be dreaded and an evil to be avert
ed, she did not indulge in single person.
atty, nor even allude to the slang with
which the cause has been assaulted. Per-
sonality-especially her own-was wholly
subordinated to argument, and this was
brought forward not as an abstraction, but
as theory for practice.
While she answered all the leading OBJ
jections to suffrage, and made logical, if
not convincing, appeals to men to grant a
political equality which they cannot
Withhold except as might makes right, yet
the most impressive and perhaps the most
necessary part of her address was to con-
vince women of the Importance of suffrage
to their temporal interest. But in this
there was no arraying of the sexes against
each other; on the contrary there was a
plea for greater harmony-that which
can truly exist alone where there is justice
as we'll as love. She told women their
position under the law, in relation to
property, personal liberty and the custody
of their children, quoting from our Ver-
mont State law, and said that if the ladies'
husbands had not as rule been much
have demanded their rights long ere this.
1t is not our purpose to make an alb
stract of her address. Our home readers
can hear for themselves next Friday even
ing. Bat suffice it to say that in fairness,
logic, laughable and pathetic illustration,
quietness of appeal and repletion of well
matured thought, it was just such an adj
dress as all like to hear, whatever are their
views or prejudices, and which certainly
disarms prejudice as thoroughly as it an
swers argument.
Mr.. Blackwell spoke with good accept
anoe for nearly another hour. Though
touching upon several features of the
measure. his special point was to discuss
its social, domestic and political effect In
this he was impartial, straining no point,
and avoiding no fact, and though we
watched with anxiety lest he should fail
in some respect OH this, TO us, most doubt
full problem of the scheme, we could de-
tect no weakness in the thread.
But no, too, will be heard by most of
our local readers, so We will not attempt
report.
Among other speakers in attendance
may be mentioned Mrs. Bowles of Cam
bridge, Mrs. Cambell of Springfield, Mass,
Rev. Mr.. Walker of ST. Adams, Miss Far
rand of Fairfield and numerous gentle
men from different parts of the State.
VIM. Lloyd Garrison was called to at
tend the funeral of friend and it was
feared he would not arrive to speak this
evening, but Mary A. Livermore, Julia
Ward Howe and Lily Peckham were
positively announced and the speakers
bid fair to be so numerous, the time so
short and the cause SO great. that the Ex-
eoutive Committee resolved to limit all
speakers to twenty minutes during the re-
mainder of the Convention.
It's exercises will conclude with the
evening session to-day, which will be adj
dressed by Mrs. Livermore and by Mr..
Garrison, if present. But some Of the
speakers will remain in the State and
meetings will be held in all parts. Even
the preliminary meeting of this Conven-
ton last evening brought out "solid men"
from distant sections, lawyers, ministers,
politicians and the inaugurators of the
movement here are surprised as well as
gratified to find who really are its friends.
There can be no doubt now that it is
spontaneous" and none that it will grow.
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