The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-08
WEDNEs DAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 1871.
WoMAN's SUFFRAGE.
WHAT THE LADIES AT THE CUSTOM
HOUSE SAID. 4
Their Audience.

| Their Audience.
Whatever the reason, woman's-right!
meetings are becoming more popular IL
Richmond, aud II we have many more visits
from speakers Of the fair sex, 6 larger room
will have to be provided to accommodate
the audience. In the papers of yesterday
there appeared an announcement that Mrs
Isabella Beecher Hooker, Mrs. Paulina
Davis, and Miss Griffing (all female moral
reformers Of notel, would speak in the
United States Courtroom last night, and
that the public were invited to attend.
A representative Of this paper, in official
capacity, was one Of the first on the spot,
and having smuggled himself into the hall,
had good chance to watch the arrivals,
at that time there were present three mem
bers of the Legislature (all Radicals), appa-
rently there by accident, or endeavoring TO
make it look SO; bank clerk and collec-
tor hid behind the stove, and lady and
gentleman who had boldly taken their seat
Presently the door pened three inches, q
white face with beard was seen for On in
slant, and the door came to with slam.
| All was quiet for q while, and then two tel
egraph operators entered, and were greeted
with loud applause from the clerk, collee-
tor, and reporter. The next arrival was
tDo. A very determined-l Hooking woman.
| followed closely by very meek little old
gentleman ; and they were seated in silence,
| the male looking the other way. Half O
| dozen young men entered bashfully, and
| they also tried to get behind the stove but
their appearance was forgotten in the grand
entree Of the postmaster, her family, seve-
raj of the post-office clerks, and an interest
Ing array of her female friends. This party
occupied the whole Of two benches, and
looked as If their minds were made up,-
another latly and gentleman, evidently lately
married and with half mind to retreat.
timidly took the seats assigned them by
the unctious oficious coIored usher.
After this the benches began to FIJI
more rapidly, and we presently noticed in
| the throng several members of the Legisla-
ture, two or three blushing lawyers, three
or four ladies, accompanied by their hus-
| bands, a prominent banker, a retired news
paper editor, an eminent railroad counsel,
some salesmen in dry goods stores, three
colored men in their best clothes, Martin
Meredith Lipscomb, and forty men and
boys not classified. Seeing that there was
such crowd, the ladies present ceased to
men raised their eyes and looked around
| defantly. ...,....s. ~..r.......... .,
The speakers were a little behind time,
| but not so late as to find the audience i'm
patient. The party was composed of Mrs.
Hooker, Mrs. Davis, and Miss Grifiing, who
| were accompanied and introduced by Mrs.
A. w. Bodeker, of this city, president,
&C., OF the Virginia Woman's Suffrage As
sociation. The first to take the stand was
Mrs. Davis, who is very pleasant, moth
erly-looking lady of middle age. She is
handsome and in every way prepossessing
in appearance, and the male portion of the
audience was evidently pleased that this
was the case. She had manuscript before
her, but spoke without more than two or
! three references to it; and her delivery was
| easy and graceful. 1t was her part to
give some slight account of the origin
| OF the WOman's Rights movement and Of
the principles upon which it was founded
task for which she was peculiarly well
fitted, being one of the signers of the call
for and member Of the first National We
| mans Rights Convention, which met in
Worcester, Mass, about twenty years ago,
| she being then, of course, quite young
woman. She laid down her views with con-
siderable emphasis, and expressed the pro-
found conviction that woman's political
millennium is nigh at hand.
Mrs. Hooker next stepped up. She looked
well, and spoke even better than Mrs. Da
Wis, though frequently embarrassed by ar
unfortunate and most inopportune de-
rangement of her back hair, which
threatened at one time to fall, whatever hair
pins might interpose their puny arms. Mrs
Hooker is member of the Beecher family
and has their gift of speech. She said she
was a grandmother, but really looks far or
the sunny side Of forty-ive has q good
strong voice, and can talk eXlempore on
Woman's rights all night long. Her re.
marks were heard with close attention,
and were frequently interrupted by ap.
plause. Before she took her seat she
| took occasion to announce that a meet.
ing exclusively Of ladies would be held at
the same place this afternoon at O'Clock,
and that q public meeting would also be
held there at 8 o'clock tonight. Husbands
were urged to send their wives, brothers
their sisters, and sons their mothers; and
all ladies who cannot come were urged to
sign the following pledge 1--WE publish it
gratuitously), which, having been signed
by one hundred thousand of the fair sex, is
to break down all opposition to Woman's
suffrage in Congress next winter:
| "We, the undersigned, believing that the
sacred rights and privileges Of citizenship
in this Republic have been long guaran
teed to us by the original C0nstitu ution OIL
| the United States. and that these are now
made manifest in the 14th and 10Th amend
ments, so that we can no longer refuse The
solemn responsibilities thereof, do hereby
pledge ourselves to accept the duties of the
franchise in our several States so soon as al
legal restrictions are removed.
| And, believing that character is the best
safeguard of national liberty, we pledge
ourselves to make the personal purity anC
integrity of candidates for public office the
first test of fitness.
"And, lastly, believing in God rs the Su
preme Author Of the first American Decl;i
ration of Independence. we pledge our
selves in the spirit OF that memorable &C
to work hand in hand with our fathers
husbands, and sons, for the maintenance Q
those equal rights ON which our republ
was originally founded, to the end that l
may have what Is declared to be the firS
condition of just government-the consen
of the governed"
At half.past 8 o'clock the meeting ad
|journed, Miss Griffing being too fatigued I
take the stand. She, however, occupies
herself most zealously after the adjourn
ment in distributing tracts, for which ther
was a great rush. There will be some NOR
there to-nlgnt.
CITY SAVINGS AND INSURANCE BReKERAG
CoMPAEY.-This is the name OF compan
chartered on yesterday by the Clrcui
Court of Richmond, with maximum cap
tai of $20O, 900, divided into shares OF %
each. In addition to the usual business
a savings bank, the company will engage
q general insurance brokerage. The o.
ficers are Lawson Nunnally, president
Il. B. Meade, secretary; William Coulllns
cashier u. s. Woodbridge, William L
Taylor, William Fl. Powers, james Piea
SAINTS, John II. Greanor, W. x. Suarles