Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-10-19
THE wOMAN'S CONGRESS.
Who Belongs to it, and What They Do.

Who Belongs to it, and What They Do.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. st is the
custom to read the headings of let
ters from the Centennial ialheadquarters
and then say: II wish we could
hear something else besides that aw-
full exhibition" But, Mr.. Editor, /
know nothing more Indicative OF, an
unregenerate heart than such super
cilious expressions from the people
whom fate has denied the happy
privilege OF coming to Philadelphia
to learn the luxury of sleeping on the
soft side OF board at the very rea-
sonable price OF two dollars night,
paying twenty cents cup for coffee,
and getting acquainted with the
world as it is gathered here. Really
there is no use Of q sea- voyage to
see the world, for Turk and Christian,
Greek and jew, Irish and African,
all commingle harmoniously in this
city Of brotherly love. But 1 don't
mean to tell you word about the
Centennial, unless before 1 get
through with this letter / should
have special inspiration; but to the
women who read the Journal, an ac-
count of the, Woman's Congress,
which has just closed its fourth an
nual session, cannot fail to be inter-
esting. sta
. 1t will be. remembered that about
eight years ago the literary women
of New York formed woman's club
for social culture, which was called
49,, ~THE soRosIs."
The papers teemed with accounts OF
the elegant dinners at Delmonico's,
the womanly wisdom Of the speeches
made on those occasions, and all the
literary women in America began
presently to wish themselves resi-
dents OF New York city. Harriet
Beecher Stowe, the Luther of slavery;
Julia Ward Howe, the Republic Bat
tie Hymn poetess; Catharine Beecher,
Caroline Soule, the novelist; Rev.
Phebe Hannaford, Rev. Antoinette
Brown Blackwell, and a score OF
equally brilliant luminaries made the
Sorosis light to shine all over the
continent BUTT was not long until the
club became altogether too unwieldy
an affair, and it was determined to
establish the Congress, which was to
be made up of all the literary women
in the country. Mrs. Charlotte Will
bour was the originator of the idea
of Woman's Congress which should
give all literary women opportunity
to become acquainted with each
other and exchange ideas. The
first call was signed by over one
hundred prominent novelists. poets,
scientists and artists, and the first
Congress was held in Union League
Theater, New York city. Valuable
papers were presented by Julia Ward
Howe, Augusta G. Bristol, Mrs. Tracy
Cutler, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mrs.
Soule, Mrs. Wilbour, Lizzie Boynton
Herbert, Prof. Maria Mitchell, Prof.
Frances Willard, of Chicago, Rev.
Augusta Chaplin, Rev Phebe Hanna
ford, Rev. Celia Burleigh, now de-
ceased; Catharine Beecher, Rev. An
toinette Brown Blackwell, and letters
from Emily Faithful, Jean Ingelow,
THE CROWN PRINCESS OF GERMANY,
and Aurelia Cimius De Luna Folliers,
editress of La Cornelia, Florence,
italy. Mrs. Wilbour was the presi-
dent of this first Congress. The next
met in Chicago, and was fully up to
the standard of excellence o. the first.
Mrs. Livermore, as the president,
elected universal admiration for her
wonderful executive ability; indeed,
as presiding officer, she is not to be
excelled by man or woman in Ameri-
ca, was the comment of Hon. Schuy-
Ter Colfax, whom, it will be remem-
bered as Speaker in the United States
Senate has never had an equal. We