The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-08
REFORM LEAGUE.
Anniversary Meeting I'm steinwny Hall
Yesterday Afternoon-siim Attendance,
but Spirited Speech Ma king.

but Spirited Speech-Making.
The anniversary meeting OF the Reform League
was held yesterday afternoon at Steinway Hall.
Weeks ago it had been hoped that Wendell Phillips
and other stars OF the iconocastic school would be
present, and under the influence Of these expecta-
lions the big hall had been engaged These anticipa-
tions, however were disappointed and consequently,
although the League had to pay for the big hall,
they thought 1t best, in consideration Of the small
audience which they drew together to assemble in
the smaller chamber. Only about sixty or seventy
persons were present.
After the usual inaugural speech, in which the
various social evils Of the day-incuding the great
est OF all, the evil Of fallen women-were discussed
with extreme freedom
Mrs. DAVIS addressed the meeting on behalf of wo-
mans rights. She said that twenty -four years ago,
in 1s48, Lucretia Mott and E. Cady Stanton called
the first Womans Rights Convention at Seneca
Falls And nObly had those two women and their
adherents since worked for the emancipation OF
womanhOOd, though they had been the target OF
abuse from all over the country, from the press,
the pulpit and the stump Sometimes the battle
had seemed to be almost won; and yet, just at this
crisis, there seemed to come up a new form OF an
tagonism. This antagonism was threefold in
its Characterization the scientific, poti-
cal and theological worlds. Professor You
against woman suffrage, basing his objection on
the assumption that If women should give her at
tention to political questions it would remove her
from her own peculiar sphere and detract from her
usefulness as mother. He had said that so soon
as this were successfully accomplished the race
would certainly die out. That was one view but all
women who understood the history of woman would
at once and utterly reject 1t. Both Mrs. Stanton
and Mrs. Mott were mothers of large families
Another class OF scientific men took the pO-
sition that woman, In the very beginning OF things
was made subordinate to man. This was what
we were told in wonderful book entitled "Univer-
s0logy," which said that the feminod by nature
derived from the masculold and much more of the
same sort-among other things that man was the
image OF God and woman the image OF the fOOstOol,
or the world. Then there were the pOstivsts,
many. Of whose doctrines were undoubtedly true
aud benevolent About woman, however, they
said that they should be treated in the old chivalrc
manner She should not think OF rights, but
should employ herself with her duties The political
world again, II was clear, was in the midst of
great crisis. When 1t was plain that the two great
parties would break up, many women had taken
reformers, had hoped that justice would be done to
their SEX woman had therefore, gone to Gin
cinnati-Mrs. Gordon, from California. The first
day the Convention had listened patiently to her
until she used the phrase, "Grant her rights" when
she was overwhelmed with derison, and denied
been one OF the original laborers in
the cause OF womans suffrage, Susan Anthony,
mad on the ana th sns she
the chairman, there was at once general litter
and a storm of Kisses. 1t was to be hoped for the
If 1t were, what could be hoped for from political
parties The third class of opponents were theo-
the PRESBYTERIAN Church by speakinr in public that
they had required the General Assembly to forbid
churches to license or ordan women TO oficiate
in the churches under their supervision. They gave
as their reason the mere assertion that 1t was not
w0man's function to offlcate publicly in the
Church. and that she was merely called upon to be
helper. They added :-'God had made woman SUBJ
iect to her husband, and, therefore, If woman
were pastor her husband would be greater tnan
fhn nnlnn Nnfh MIR hn
more insulting and she the speaker) predicted
that this action would drive out of the Presbyterian
There were many objections brought against
woman's suffrage per se-for instance that the
exercise OF political rights would break up the
peace OF families. Such statement was simply
absurd. The justice Of wOmans suffrage, would on
the contrary, bring harmony not discord, and would
unite closer than before husband and wife and
brother and sister. When woman was the equal
OF man, and the mother stood side by side with the
father In authority family quarres and chickering's
not only good women, but base women, would
exercise the right OF suffrage If it were
downtrodden sisters would be endowed with the
rights OF citzenship-ay, even the basest and low
est-and commence the work OF self.respect by
Knowing that she was recognized as an American
citizen. So, too, the working women and the wives
of drunkards would then be able to ask their
brothers to protect them from the grinding hand of
usury and the cruel hand of oppression.
Just so long as women were held
ts hey n wo%d ., be ground into aS
lightly upon women who were joined to noble men,
who were better than the laws; but when you went
down into the lower classes of society man exer-
cised these barbarOus and unjust privileges with
fearful frequency. There was q dark side OF human
nature and women should be protected from 1t.
the ballot. No doubt there were, indeed many
women of whom that was true but such women
were either selfish or thoughtess. But If 1t were
wholly true did that show that she was to be al
lowed to remain in this ignorant and selfish condi-
tion9
letter was read from Wendell Phillips, express
ing sympathy with the society and regret at his
compulsory absence.
much the same as before, but especial stress was
laid upon the Civil Rights BILL and Charles Sumner
was appauded to the skies for his energetic advo-
cacy of the right Of negroes to use the same hotels
and cars as white men. The resolutions are, how
ever, much too long to be given at length.
Mr.. LINTON OF England, then addressed the meet
ing. He said that the Cincinnati fizze had at least
taught them how little was to be expected from
politicians. The effect OF this great reform move
ment was to give the American people the choice
between Grant and Greeley He hoped that no one
was satisfied with Grant: In Greeley he recognized
easness OF disposition was a fatal objection
to his being good President. He was not
o the that
marked our people, while Greeley was fair repre-
sentative OF the numerous absurd crotchets in
which so many Of us INDUCED. Mr.. Linton then de-.
nOunced what he called the great conspiracy of
constltutionalism, which was simply scheme of
men Of wealth to Cypress the masses by means OF
ing ave have yet to begin our work;
the republic has yet to be-" and all friends
political outlook. He was so utterly disguised with
universal suffrage that he was not sure that the
ballot would be blessing to woman. Mr.. Linton
then spoke OF the International W0rkngmen's
Union. He begged all workingmen to distrust all
political parties. The workingman should have his
own party.
Mr.. CHANDLER next addressed the meeting, and
after some more speechmaking the audience dis
persed
THE HOWARD MISSION AND HOME FOR
LITTLE WANDERERS.
The eleventh anniversary Of this institution was