The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-26
Centennial Letter.
For the ADVANCE.
BRISTOL, Pa, July 18th, 1876.

llSnt PIOCesSlOti, lillltdly lduc,
and general turnout in the Centen-
NAL city, on the Fourth of July,
which some wav seemed to CON-
mence on the first, and last four
days. They know that Richard
Henry Lee read the Declaration,
that VIM. II. Evarts delivered the
Grafton, and that Bayard Taylor re-
cited an original poem. They know
Just as we'll, and heard about as
much Of as some who were in the
outskirts of the assembly at Inde-
pendence Square, but there Is a
part Of the proceedings of the day
upon which this information may be
more meagre, VIZ: the National
Woman's Suffrage Meeting, held at
DIR. Mays church, corner of Tenth
and Locust Streets, at which the
Women's Declaration Of Rights was
read by Mrs. Stanton. This declar-
alton was drawn up at 1,431 Chest
nut Street, the Centennial Head
quarters Of the, Wonans Suffrage
Association. A few days before
the Fourth the ladies asked Of Gen.
Hawley, President Of the Centen~
NAL Commission, the privilege of
silently passing in their declaration
after the reading of the old declara-
ton setting forth that all males are
created equal, with certain inalien-
able right, etc. They asked not to
have it read, but simply to hand it
in, that it might be placed among
the archives to show to the women
of 1876 that the women of 1876
did not allow this Centennial to
pass over their DISTINGUISHED heads
without 4 protest. Gen. Hawley
10ulN not grant their rcQucst-so he
assured them. That being the case,
Immediately after the reading of the
Declaration by Mr.. Lee, Susan b.
Anthony followed by several ladies
who occupied seats on the platform
passed up to Vice President Terry
and handed him the forbidden doc
umtnt, which he received with a
bow. (Ihat is one OF the things
Gen. Grant missed by being absent.
The ladies then started for DIR.
Mays church, where the meeting
Was to open at ? M. with the ven
cradle lucretia Mott, now 81 years
Of age, presiding, with the assistance
Of Mrs. Stanton. AS Miss Anthony
passed off the platform there were
calls for the Women's Declaration,
and the ladies scattered printed
copies right and left. There were
calls of "Read it, Read it," and
so while the men were going on
with their celebration in Independ-
ence Square, at the back of indie
dendence Hall, Miss Anthony read
the Declaration of Rights from the
steps in front of the Hall, and then
proceeded to the church at Tenth
and Locust Streets, where an eager
and earnest assembly had gathered.
Addresses were made by Mrs. Mott,
Mrs Stanton, Mrs. lockwood, who
practiced law in Washington, D. c.,
Mrs. Spencer, who represented the
Woman Suffrage Association at the
Cincinnati Convention, Phoebe
Couzins, the St. Louis lawyer who
addressed the Democratic conven
ton, Miss Anthony, and Others
The last speaker, Mr.. Roper, o.
Manchester, England, said he left
the independence Square meeting
before its close to attend the WON
ems meeting and that he considered
~tAeir meeting the meeting of the
day, and the event Of the day which
would be handed down in history
10 make his words good, the WON
en- will have to furnish historian
for notwithstanding the exceeding
interest which bent q 1aroe en+h,c