The New York herald., 1874-05-22
W o M Z N.
Their Relation to the Moral, Social
and Political Questions.
Mass Meeting at the Brook
lyn Academy.

ooJect oi tue meeting, Wnlcn was very extern
sively advertised. coupled with the announce
ment that Rev. Henry Ward Beecher would
speak, had the effect of filing the building with an
which the gentle sex or tile strong minded order
may be said 10 have predominated.
MT. gEEcHERs SPEECH.
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was the first
speaker, and on teing introduced was the recp.
lent OF hearty applause. He SAID Il was about the
year 1855 that he first began to speak In public aud
lecture Ia favor OF the right or women 10 speak
upon the public PLATFORM At that time
such speaking was regarded by many Joke,
which was tolerated for Its novelty; but he was IN
earnest then, and thought that those women to
whom God had given the ability to speak would do
in the welfare Of the commonwealth. 1t was
well understood that one would go ana listen to
a lecture even by a woman, except in cases where
they expected to be instructed. women's right to
speak upon the moral social and political topics Of
the day had been questioned. There we,o .lac who
thought that this women's movement was cn!eny
erervescent. and would pass away as soon as the
novelty OF the thing wore out, while Others
feared it would tend to break up the
structure OF society, by dsorganizing the house
hold and disarranging the family affairs. No
movement in his opinion, could ever take place
which would tend 10 bring about such an irregu-
arity. He did not see anything in these questions
that were calculated to change the sphere OF
woman hood or the foundation OF the household.
II ne supposed that the doctrines which he advo-
Gated would be likely to change the woman ne
would rarher that his tongue should cleave TO the
ro0i OF his mouth before he uttered such words.
Education and refinement tended to make women
larger hearted, more useful more companlon-
able, better mothers, better sisters, better
was no aaaser Of Women speasng wno
did not want 70 speak. Tne talents winch
God haa given then them tney snona pe permitted 70
permitted to speak. II 10 paint, they should be
artists. II to teach, they, should be teachers. 1t
had lifted rneni 70 do. He did not regard 1t the
duty OF every woman to be politician or a stump
speaker. Yet there were some who, he believed,
were fitted 10 speak, ana any Of these gifts. wn.ch
were dlgnfed In men. should be dignlned IN
sns naere @ WAS sd ana 81
woman was In tin.s, and the moment you take her
out into the sunlight and expose her to the !uil
glare you take from her cheek the delicate tint,
which was ike tnat OF the plum, which, wnen
once lost, never could be restored. He said
aid not want to add doubtful men TO tne number.
WHAT man ever became a woman from being Kind
and gentley was there any more danger Or women
ties which belonged to meny Mr. Beecher tnen
dwelt upon the sphere OF women In The pulpit and
rs teachers, euogizing them Tor their noDle work.
ST. Paul would not allow women to teach; but then
u has been said by some the reason for his ob)ec
t!on was that he was Il bachelor. There was MOTH
ing In the New Testament which says there shall
be any particular iorm and women would preach,
despite ,he iact tnat II mad been he'd by
be allowed 10 preach. She filled the position OF
teacher and missionary. conducted the Bible class
lloyed on committees and Ia hospitals ana lii the
collection Of statistics. and did all the work. and
vet she was not allowed to talk. The paariseeS
say tnat she must not preach. Applause He
argued that she should come out and, like he tree
wncn THROWS on a It's sh bark every year II would
servative trees was generally cracked and filed
with all sorts oi insects Of conceit. whcn
matched out all sorts OF nischie. He did
not look upon woman as being VINO
should be constantly confined to the house,
sewing on buttons and mending STOCKINGS
compelled in the morning to get up at Ave O'clock
TO get her husbands breakfast ana GEAR up the
her Is being fitted ior 4 higher sphere OF lie. In
Europe tney are getting u little squirmish because
OF the very widespread agitation Of tne women's
question In this country. Aristocracy was OPP
posed to the democratic spirit which was favor
able to the elevation oil the women lie said:-
''Why should woman not vote IL IL a dangerous
thing to have strong minded woman at home.
Let her come out ami snare IN the responsibility"
While the beginning might have whirls aud
eddies at frst there would lie little doubt DO you
think If the man should say TO his VIE, "rhere
is to be primary meeting tonight, put on your
neignbor and his vile and the young man and his
sweetheart, and they should go to the primary
that IL would be carried Oh as 1t Is now Prlna-
ries are not very pleasant pictures now but there
Is no reason why they should not be held In parlors.
When all these things were changed, Mr.. Beecner
said. there would be refining influence. Why
should he speak IN behalf OF the emancipation or
women ~ wnen there ,, was one present who could
vocate women's rights when there was woman
present able in her own example as well as by her
any rate he would bring his remarks to a cOse by
saying that whether women IN general had right
to vote he was perfectly satisfied that Mrs. Liver
more had a right to vote.
SPEECH OF MRS. LIvERMORE.
Mrs. LivERMoRE then came forward and said
that unless the people had kept pace WITH this de-
velopment OF women with tue onward progress
oil what was called the ''women's movement"
they would be surprised when tuey came TO look
at the position wnicn women occupied tod ", and
to see the various movements that they we're
carrying forward, the various enterprises that
were in their hands aud tue positions tuat tney
were nng. Mr. Beeches had referred 10 the time
he nrst began TO SPEAK IN Iavor OF the woinen's
movement. Why, between that time and now
tnere had been q revolution. 1t had been carried
forward 80 peacefully so quietly, so nightly, that
the women ot to-day could not at all ue compared
with the women OF that time. 1hey were another
sort ot women. To-aay We mad women In puulic
proceeded TO speak lurtner OF the progress OF The
movement ana 10 argue Tor the right or suffrage
ior women as weil az Tor men. Ii was impossible
to put women back IN the positions which they
formerly occupied aud they were now iound In all
positions. and even IN the pulplts. not
withstanding tue presbytery. They are invited
to preach and speak. and they are Physicians,
dentists and ia other PROFESSIONS She went
that size must cease to labcr and ,ry rs and amase
herse. she went TO u lemale physician, and sue
gave her quite different advice. and recovered.
The women IN MASSACHUSETTS ned POSITIONS, and
they were doug great deal OF pooo WORK the
temperance cause. This country Is covered all
over with a network 81 women assisting others.
They are performing missionary work and visiting
places wherever men have been. Go where tney
would there was an agitation among women |;
there was discomfort at their position. and she
thanked God Tor II. me pilgllns would never rave
come ont to tns country had not been this dis
content. While they were struggling for more edu-
cation and more equal position they dia not for
get tbelI proper positions. Tue various questions
which hGd been discussed at the Womans Con-
NeutUu IN New YORK were tucu felerrel There
Was no man bat some woman nad 10 endure him
355 DAYS III the year, ana she was sure she might
! engure him an nour or so at the poiis. She then
spoke oi the scenes wnere women visteu saloons.
sne never saw any trouble. THESE rough, Dioated
and bseaf.ey ed e0ws io0k OF their hats and act IN
the most respectful manner, ana many were deeply
affected. IL vas feared that the household duties
would be neglected, nut tnese things would settle
themselves. some little girl would volunteer to
attend the cnildfen, ana tney mlgut get an invita-
ton 10 take ainner with some neignbDr. The