The New York herald., 1873-10-17
The Strong Minded and Still
Necked in Council.
"'Do THEY CONDEMN INPAETIcIDE'"
Bows and Girls To Be Trained Together in
Colleges-Julia Ward Howe for bosting"
and Elizabeth Cady Stanton for New
York-A fashionable and Fearful
Audience for the Frenzied Females.


gathered to hear what might be said by the ladies
who have come here from all quarters OF the
United States to make new departure
IN the business OF humanity. There was
q great falling OF in the calibre OF the women who
spoke, yesterday, for the reason that nve or six
will insist upon speaking upon the one threadbare
topic regardless OF what has been said just hall an
hour before Many ladies who have never had the
honor of being mothers will insist upon their desire
to send in papers about the favorite subject Of
'Enlightened Motherhood"
certain lady, named Isabella Beecher Hooker,
belonging to a family which has been prohnc OF
divnes, novelists and poets, offered the prellmin-
airy PRAYER. Mrs. Hooker prayed with great ZEAL
and with her eyes turned to the ceiling OF the
theatre. Suffrage was In her soul and loomed
through her beautiful eyes. Her gray curls were
tossed in frenzy as she appealed to that deity
whom SO many of the ladies' OF the 'Woman's Con-
gress are ready and willing to discount
After Mrs. Hooker had sat down upon the plat
form and was calm, the Rev. Mrs. G. Augusta
Cooper Bristol spoke upon the topic OF "Enlight-
ened Motherhood" II seems to be the faculty, as
well as the propensity OF overy women in this Con-
2ress to speak this agitating subject OF Mother
hood" 1t would puzzle the average mother OF five
or six children to know why that women who
have never had children should discuss a subject
that they have no knowledge OF, except from the
reading of books.
Following the reverend lady, there came on the
platform Mrs. E. c. Lowering who was, for 8
wonder, not a clergyman. She said that but few
women understood the laws OF health which should
govern their conduct during the period OF preg-
nancy. No child should be brought into the world
which was not the product of love.
Mrs. ELIZABETH CHURCHILL spoke on the same
subject She said that 1t was mistake to think
that woman's sole duty was to .muliip,y and re.
10 Ia a nlan
already. 1t is in vain that Bishop Cox and Bishop
Hopkins talk from the pulpit against the crime Of
anything we know Every woman knows
that we are bringing into the world moral
monstrosities; When physical monstrosities are
born the physician thinks 1t perfectly proper TO
put them out OF the world. Mothers know that
they are bringing into the world every day these
moral monstrosities. 1t is not the duty OF every
man and woman to be fathers and mothers, for it
is the ante-natal condition that determines the
character OF the man.
Mrs. ELIZABETH CADY STANTON rose at this moment
and seemed to be a little excited. Briefly, she
seemed to coincide with the ideas OF the preceding
speaker. But Boston, full OF purity and sentiment,
was about to develop ITSELF
Mrs. JULIA WARD HOWE, who has been very
the platform steadily and With persistence, stood
up in the middle OF the hall, surrounded by water
falls and panlers. There was something in her
grave face and in her slow and distinctive speech
that commanded attention from the audience.
Looking toward the window, she said that she
to be in favor OF inanticide that
about to be placed upon the record. Mrs Howe
spoke in an earnest and forcible manner for some
moments against this deadly and villanous offence
upon the law OF nature, and when she had
finished there was more enthusiastic and honest
applause for her sentiments than has yet been
understood that the applause came from the
audience OF New York ladies who are separated
from the members o. the association by line Of
benches established for the convenience Of the as
E0ciati0n.
Mrs. STANTON, who seems to be an honest and
STRAIGHTFORWARD woman, rose to explain. Mrs.
stanton said that she had not the least idea that
the majority OF the audience thought that she
favored nfantcide She had merely stated that
sovsSs slwsss woaa qa y2%s3 aa9 f1s sS5rs saa
grand enough to bring, into the world dozen OF
children by all means let her do so. But If a wo-
man with a weak and sckly constitution should
be married to a drunken and pronigate husbspd
the fewer children she brings Into The world the
better for herself and all others. (Applause.)
AT this moment an old and venerable lady, with
white hair, named Mrs. Elizabeth Peabody, came
OF the kindergarten system. Mrs. Peabody from
her looks, seemed TO belong to the old school OF
houses any more. She looked IKE drawing made
by Hablot X. Browne or as II she might have known
Martina Washington, and the audience listened to
her indistinct utterances with great pleasure and
sollcitude.
Mrs. CHURCHILL. lady dressed In black and
with nervous manner, read paper on "Prison
Reform,m which was written by Mrs Elizabeth B.
Chase, who has been acting as prison inspectress
In the state OF Rhode Island, having been ap-
Oiilce.
The great paper OF the day was read by Mrs.
entitled .The Necessity OF Female Professorsnps in
Mixed Colleges.n Mrs. SOule is a portiy and
handsome lady with piercing hazel eye. and
was dressed IN black, with an elegant gold chain
depending from her graceful neck. To be brief,
Mrs. Soule stated that she was left at twenty
seven years OF age widow with five children and
describing the advantages that can be obtained
by b1tn sexes when they are associated together
bread for many years by her pen, and, though de-
cision might be given against literary women, she
was proud to say she could still make loaf Of
bread or milk COW.
Professor MARIA MITCHELL, a lady with a fine
face, grey curls and in old-iashioned costume who
Is daughter OF the great astronomer Mitchell and
great star-sazer and professor In vassar College,
delivered paper on "Higber Education for
Women.n She had visited England In Is4s and
spoke OF her experience there.
Mis- the chairman stated that the
said that whenever Mrs Ilyermore m ss'n makes es
determination unequaed. She also added that in
some parts OF Massachusetts the towns have put
women IN the School Board.
Mrs ISABELLA BEEcHER HOOKER then arose. and
being the sister @ OF Henry Ward Beecher, she said
placed women also on school boards.
Mrs. MARY I. DAVIS, very good and highly in
tellectual woman the vile OF the celebrated An
drew Jackson Davis, then proclaimed that New
Jersey had passed an act making women eligible
as scloo trustees.
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON then read a paper
entitled -sThc Co. Education OF the Sexes.n
This is part OF a lecture which she In
tends to deliver in the lyceums. IL was
getting late in the afternoon when Mrs.
Sarah ]. Spencer President OF the Board OF Trus-
tees OF the Girls Reformed School OF Washington,
ID. c., began to read paper. IL was entitled
eThe Dual Relation AT the very moment that the
most interesting part OF this paper was
the pipes in the theatre and the majority
OF Tie audience ned incontinently from the
hall. Mrs. Spenceris paper was very able
one, and very poetic one. One OF the principal
points In it was in reference TO "the danger OF
forming uawise attachments and marrying too
eary.n
:, In the evening session Miss louisa Woodwork
F0ss, OF Boston, recited Longieow's poem OF
.'sandalphon, the Angel OF Prayer" Mrs. Liver
more Ieao paper, the Jointpr0duction OF Cath
cIine c bescher and harriet Beecher stowe. MRS.
Geha Burlelgh read paper entitled "Reform in
Woman's Dress and Mrs. Charlotte b. Wilbur
ClOlpl n u