St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-03-11
Uon,on suffrage Conremtion.

this place-the meeting having been
called to order by A. J. Willard, ESD
Mrs. Lucy Stone was introduced by the
chair, and occupied the rOstrum until
past 9 o'clock. The seats in the hal
were well filled, and few listeners could
find only standing room. The crowd
was less than at Mr.. Carswell's temper
ance lecture, Tuesday evening. Mr..
Stone treated the subject of woman sui
frage very ingeniously, plausibly and de
lightfully, but much less convincingly
than we had anticipated. Some, with
out much reflection, may have accepted
her conclusions. but the number was ev-
lently not large. Notes Of approval
were very scattering, with much distance
between Indeed, when she told her
audience of Richard H. Dana's reply 10
her request TO him to report a bill to the
Massachusetts, legislature last year, grant
ng suffrage to wUmen-''thdt Il icOuM b.
Ggu0,st nature," she developed one great
and insurmountable reason why suffrage
should not he granted them. 1t will be
difficult for Mrs. Stone or any one else
to abrogate the force OF the primal ordl
nation, creating man for one sphere of ac-
ton, with divers duties, trusts, response
bilitics, obligations and laLors, and MO-
man for another, similar in some respects.
yet totally different and diverse in Others
Therefore, it is impossible TO maintain
logically, that women are entitled t.
the same, and all the rights and priv
lrges conferred upon and enjoyed by m.n.
or that men have an equal claim to all
the rights and immunities righttully pos
sessed by women. They do not, nor
should they lave. Diversity OF endow-
ment and service carry along with them
diversity Of privileges and immunilie>.
Intelligent women of well balanced
minds and passions, instinctivcIy and
heartily concede this, and hence make
no such claims. All men in civilized
and chri-tauized countries guard with
jealous and tender care the honor an
we'll being of the women, and bestow
upon them all inherent and legitimate
rights. and with Is much cheerfulncSs a.
they assume their own legitimate am
proper rights and responsibilities.
The candid listener to Mrs Stone,
Thursday evening, enjoyed the entertain
mcnt rs he would a dinner Of ''crull,''
and FLOATING islands" or pleasant sony
III the night.
The convention re-assembled FRIDAY
morning at 10 o'clock. Mr. Blackwell
(said to be husband to Mrs. Lucy Stone.
though we do not know why she doe,
not assume his name) addressed the as
scmbly-thc hall some two-thirds full
for an hour or more, and was followed
by a Mrs. Campbell OF Springfield, MAJ.
The arguments of each, with slight va
rations, consisted Of repetition oi
those advanced with more pathetic ANA
silvery tones by Mrs. Lucy Stone tn.
evening previous, with their force and
power considerably diluted.
In the afternoon the audience ill ID til,
seats, and was largely composed of wo-
men. \ Mr.. Leo Miller, announced Il,
from New York, kept the floor for hear
ly two hours, indulgin. in rather ram
bling mode of speech, and treating Of .
variety OF subjects, affirming among 9th
er things that il suffrage were given t,
women, they would exert "A mighty in
tluencc in the suppression of intemper.
ance, wars and fighlings, in rectifyiug
evils in prison discipline, in ameluratina
the treatment of the insane, in curing II,
of many of our social evils, and correct
our criminal Jurisprudence. The audi
cnce manifested more or less impaticnc,
before Mr.. VI. closed his long speech.
Mrs. Lucy Stone followed Mr. Miller
and repeated her assertion of the even.
inc before, that the refusal TO grant SUI
trage TO women placed them in the cate.
CORY OF idiots, the insane, and the mimi
mails, and referred to properly laws in
England, telling the audience hov crrrl
these laws We're upon the women ubot
country where Elizabeth and Victoria
have made laws for their sisters Lut 81,
felt constrained to thank the men of Yer.
mont Queens have never made law, CoI
NcrmOnD for giving to the women Of IN,
state such broad and beniiicent protection
IN this respect. (Just like the men 0
Vermont, TO shield women with helmet
OF love and law, and when they taxi
wives of the daughters of the ST ite theil
wives do hot refuse to be called by theil
namc).
AT the close of Mrs. Lucy Stones
speech, notice was given to those who
wished to form county suffrage society
in the interest of women, to remain.
About thirty-five of the four hundred
present gathered about the desk in res
ponse to the invitation, three-fourths OF
more Of the number females. Mrs. Lucy
Stone and Mrs. Campbell passed through
the hall during the afternoon, and per.