The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-18
Annual Meeting of the California Woman
Suffrage Association.

commenced on Tuesday, May Sth, at 10
A. NJ, in Pacific Hall, the most cheerful
and elegant apartment in San Fran
cisco. II was presided over with dignity
and grace by the President, Mrs. c. NJ.
Palmer, and continued its sessions for
two days and evenings.
The day sessions were large and the
proceedings animated-the time chiefly
occupied in listening to reports, and the
discussion Of resolutions.
The evenings were devoted to speeches
lnterspersed with excellent vocal and
instrumental music
On Tuesday morning, after the usual
prellmlnaries, and while the various
Committees appointed by the Chair had
retired for consultation, brief reports
and remarks thereupOn were made by
Messrs. Stowe and Lining, and Mes
DANES Hendees and Waterhouse, after
which the Convention adjourned to
meet at , o'clock p. VI.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Col. John y. Collins, Chairman of the
state Board of Control, read an able and
exhaustive report of the work of that
body and the progress of the movement
IN California during the past year, from
which II appeared that the Board had
held twelve meetings, sent one petition
to the Legislature, for Constitutional
Amendment, y and enlarged political
privileges for woman, having upon II
5,l2T signatures obtained from thirty
four counties, also two Woman Suffrage
petitions To Congress, sustained by
nearly an equal number of names, all of
which were presented and referred to
appropriate committees. This secured
/ 4 fn
able report, supplemented with three
bills, one for a Woman Suffrage COnsti-
tutiOnal Amendment, one to secure to
widows the full and absolute control of
the common property, and one to make
woman eligible to any official position
in the Public School Department.
Through the Post Office the Board
had circulated 5000 pages of suffrage
tracts, four large editions of printed cir
eulars, written 354 letters, and received
in response lJ9. Mr.. Collins also stated
that during the month of June was held
q four days Convention at which, i'm
addition to reports and speeches from
our own members, we were favored
with an able address by Prof. Carr of
California University, and cheered by
the presence of Miss Phebe Cousins of
st. Louis, whose efforts greatly added to
the interest of the occasion.
Mrs. Clark, from the Committee on
Credentials, then reported the names of
10 accredited delegates from the various
counties, and Mrs. Lewis, from the
Committee on Nomination, proposed
official candidadates for the ensuing
year.
On motion, the Convention then ad-
jOurned till seven and a half z. NJ.
EVENING SESSION.
The Society met pursuant to adjourn
ment, and was called to order by the
President, Mrs. c. NJ. Palmer, who, after
an appropriate song finely rendered by q
select quartette choir, delivered an able
address. 1t was history of the Suf-
frage Movement from its origin to the
present time, being q comprehensive
and valuable statement Of the outlines
of the reform; replete with allusions to
its principal actors, and warmly eulO-
giZing those leaders of worldwide repu-
tatiOn, Mesdames Livermore, Stone,
Howe, Stanton and Anthony, and con-
Guiding with the remark that
"rhe work goes bravely on. With
union in our ranks, and few more
years of earnest effort the victory will
be ours"
II. c. Bennett, Esq, United States
Pension Agent, then made an able de.
| fense of wOman's claim To the ballot
and cOnclusively demonstrated that hel
elevation and political Acknowledgement
would add to the strength and glory O
| the nation.
After few closing remarks from Mrs
/ Hughes of San Francisco on the effect
of the agitation of the suffrage question
in America upon the rights accorded tC
woman in other countries, the Conven-
| tiOn adjourned until next morning.
SECOND DAY-wEDNEsDAY.
The Convention again assembled al
/ 10 \. NJ, the President in the Chair
| Two sessions were held during the day
| The time was mainly occupied in dis.
cussing the various resolutions present
| ed by the Business Committee until ) T.
NJ, when il adjourned till evening.
EVENING SESSION.
At : o'clock p. NJ. large audience
again convened, when Mrs. Mary +.
/ Snow, Recording Secretary of the SSar
Francisco Association, being introduced
by the President, submitted her Annual
Report-a synopsis of which is as fol.
/ lows:
The San Francisco County Society
numbering ninety-eight members, had
| held during the year eight meetings ot
the Board of Managers, three quarterly
for business, and two public gatherings
| for speeches and resolutions. One OF
| these was exclusively devoted to the
! furtheTance OF the suffrage cause, and
the other to advocating the claim OF
Grant and Wilson rs the Presidential
candidates of the party which had
pledged its respectful consideration" as
| to the Rights of Woman.
In allusiOn to the recent action of the
| Legislature of Massachusetts, wherein q
recognition of wOman's claim to the
| Elective Franchise has aroused the en-
| thusiasm, and inspired the earnest eff.
| forts of SO many noble women through
out the land, she remarked:
"But notwithstanding our recent de.
/ feat, we confidently rest in the hope
that our labOrs for the interests of the
dominant party will not long go unre.
wardedi knowing that,
"'Ever the right comes uppermost
And ever i justice dOnc.'"
In conclusion she thus briefly alluded
to Mr.. Frank Sleeper, late treasurer o
our State Association, who, since ou
last annual gathering, has "passed on:'
Ever at the post when duty calleC
AMI strength permitted; we greatly
miss his visible presence in our ranks
yet we believe he is not uninterested il
our efforts here for the publication o
| political life, and the general uplifting
OF humanity; and we trust that all Ou
[ deliberations on this occasion may be
pervaded by his gentle, though evel
earnest spirit"
The report was followed by an ably
written and well delivered address from