Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-31
LATEST NEWS.
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TO THE WORCESTER DAILY sPB
New England Dispatches.
The New England Woman Suffrage Com
ventiOn-EXerciscs OF Decoration Day
Rhode Island Legislature, etc.

MASSACHUSETTS.
BosToN, May 30.-The woman suffrage con-
vention was addressed to-day by Mrs. Black
well, Charles W. Slack Grace Greenwood Mar
garet Campbell, Amasa Walker, Lucretia Mott
and Mrs. Margaret Lucas of England, sister of
John Bright.
Grace Greenwood contended that the clergy
men should be encouraged in the good work
they had untaken, for it was not only fair but
| pleasant that the pulpit, which had ever
| preached at women, should now preach for
| them.
Mrs. Lucas spoke of what the friends OF
woman suffrage were doing in England. During
| the present session of parliament the bill to ex
tend the right of suffrage to women was brought
before the house of commons, and they consd
cred that they had made very great progress
since the last year, in having it brought for
ward. The women of England, she said, had
labored hard since last spring 10 advance the
cause, feeling that this was just the crisis of the
moment. They were not SO far advanced as
their sisters in America as they did not ask, as
yet, for universal suffrage, but for household
suffrage only; though several gentlemen con-
tended that married women had an equal right
with those not married, and that suffrage should
be extended to all. However, it was mere
question of time. The former there, as here,
were slandered by their opponents, and several
members OF parliament opposed them because
they were afraid they would .ask for seat in the
house of commons. That question would be left
not quite ready for that yet. The fact
was, that the women were thoroughly
aroused on the question of suffrage They were
fighting a great fight on the licensing of vice.
and she hoped the American women would keep
Their eyes open on this question, for it was the
groundwork of all their misery. Then came the
question of temperance, a great one, truly,
which they would have to handle when they got
the right to vote. The wOman's property bill
had also made progress in Great Britain.
Mrs. Blackwell, from the committee. reported
a series OF resolutions, including the following
Resolved, that we demand suffrage for the women
of New England as their right, and protest against
the Acknowledgement, as a relic of barbarism
Resolved, that we call upon the woman suffragists
of New England to organize without delay, for the
purpose of obtaining from our respective state leg
slatures, next winter, an act authorizing women to
vote upon the same terms and qualifications men,
n the presidential election of 1872.
Resolved, that the majority of the judiciary COM
mittee and legislature of Massachusetts,, who con-
temptuously gave the petitioners for woman suf-
frage "eave to withdraw without assigning sim
gle reason for refusing their request, have been
guilty of gross discOurtesy to the women of Massa
chusetts, have violated their principles as republic
cans and as democrats, and have virtually admitted
that there is no argument against woman's equal
right to advice in making the laws she Is required
to obey.
Resolved, that the legislature of Connecticut, in
refusing to refer the woman suffrage petition to
special committee, have shown reprehensible dis
regard of the interest and feehngsI of one-haf of
their constituents.
Resolved, that the constitutional convention Of
Vermont, in refusing TO consider the woman suf-
frage amendment proposed by the council of GEN.
sors and by an almost unanimous vote against it,
have done dscredit to their state and have violated
the principles and convictions of their most enlight-
ened citizens.
Resolved that we rejoice to learn that the
women suiiragists of Maine about to organize a
state society," auxiliary to the American woman suf.
frage ASSOCIATION, and we hereby pledge them our
cordial sympathy and cooperation,
Resolved, that we unanimously adopt the following
resolution passed by the parent society at its recent
mass convention in New York: "Resolved that the
right of woman to participate in making the
laws she is required to obey has nothing to do with
special social theories that the attempts recently
made in New York and elsewhere to associate the
and to hold it responsible for the crimes and foies
of individuals, is an outrage upon common sense
and decency and an insult to the virtue and intelli
gence Of the women of America"
Resolved that the New England woman suffrage
association will never dsband till its object is at
tained and pledge ourselves to exert every egit-
innate moral and political influence for the estab-
lishment of a republican form of government upOn
the sacred soil of the North American continent.
Other resolutions thanked Gen. Butler for his
congressional report in favor of woman's right
to vote; also Hon. Geo. NJ. Julian, for his
woman suffrage amendment TO the district bill;
also the ffty-fve representatives who voted in
its favor
The afternoon session was opened by Rev.
Mr.. Bowles, of Cambridge, in an attempt to re-
tute the outside idea that woman was physically
lncapaDle ol dctlfe participation III polltlcal
canvass, saving that if her physique was below
the average of that of men, her brains would
lead her in the right direction.
Mrs Wilbur, of the New York Sorosis read
paper supporting the idea that a woman had
the right to vote under the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments, and requiring the pas
sage of the sixteenth. She opposed the word
privilege" as applied to an inherent right;
white" had been expunged from the constitu-
tion by the red hand of war, and now the OBJ
noxious "male" should also he taken out.
Senator Wilson, in brief speech, fully en-.
dorsed the movement, and was highly compli-
mented for his action.
Miss Celia Burleigh, of Brooklyn, claimed the
equal right of girls and boys to physical as well
as intellectual culture, and protested against the
unfair distribution of the worlds work, wherein
men were required to oYerwork themselves to
support appearances" in their families.
The resolutions were taken up separately and
passed, with little debate, the only opposition
manifested being to the resolution denouncino
those who charged the movement with free-love
objects. LucreIia Mott thought the resolution
was out Of place.
Stephen S. Foster considered it highly proper.
Mrs Liyermore stated her belief in disavow-
al of free-love objects especially as the head of
paper that claimed to lead in the movement
had been charged with advocating and practis-
ing free-love.
w. S. Robinson advocated the resolution, be-
cause of its vagueness. He considered it the |
only redeeming feature.
An attempt was made to refer it back to the
committee, to make its wording more pointed, |
but it failed and the bone of contention passed |
by large majority.
Charles Remond, eolored, protested against |
the filings of Mr.. Blackwell at the ignorant |
negroes" who had received the suffrage in ad- |
vance of women, and the latter disclaimed any |
disrespect in his comparison.