The Portland daily press., 1877-01-24
If We Only Had Our Rights.
The Woman suffragisfs In Council-Dr.
Mary Walker and her Manly Ways
How a Woman Lawyer Looks Mrs.
stanton and Her Crown of beauty.
WASHINGTON, Jsn.-- 1877.

WASHINGTON, JAM 1877.
"Mornin' Miss Roy, how's all?
"Fhank'ee, Mr.. joyce, alps well heab
What's de news wild yerself?'
Muffin much for news, Miss Roy, but I tell
yer sure 'nuff dat de whites is comm down
an de blacks is goin up euery Gay."
happened to overhear this scrap of conver
sation between two ''cOlored persons a few
days since, and was reminded of it as 1 sat
listening to the woman suffragists in conven-
tion at Lincoln Hall.
Moreover, am bound to say that in point of
Eoglish the self-congratulations of the suffra-
g'sts were not always greatly in advance of
the colored brothers. Perhaps it was due to
excitement, but there certainly we're some
among them perfectly capable of rejoicing that
man is coming down and woman is going up
every day. There were those among them who
not only would have deplored the fact that
men don't come down and women don't 90 nm
so fast as is desirable, but would have done so
IN English as good and voices as sweet as any
in the land. But of them more hereafter.
The prominent names before the convention
were those of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Matil-
daJosslyu Gage, Lille Dsvereaux Blake, Sara
Spencer, DR.. Mary Walker, Susan B. Anthony,
Phoebe Cousins, and Mrs Swisshelm.
Dr. Mary Walker and Victoria Woodhull
have tried the souls of these devoted women
for years, the first by reason of both dress
aud principles the second by reason
of principles alone. Victoria is in some way
quoted, aud doesn't appear, but Dr. Mary
Walker won't "out' and declares that she will
come and sit on the platform with the other
sutfragists-it is her right. And she has come
and does sit on the platform accordingly.
Nevertheless, at the opening of this years
convention, orders were given to the door
keepers tha. if Dr. Mary Walker came to the
doors of the platform she was to be refused
admittance. If she still insisted let il be made
known to the convention and the matter
would be settled. But that enterprising wo-
man hasn't lived long years in Washington for
nothing; and when she failed to effect an en-
trance at one. or two or three doors, she quiet
y took her way to another door, that every
body else had left out of the question, and
walked in smiling and swinging her cane. The
cane is new. Parting her hair on the side and
wearing trowsers haven't satisfied her yearuings
for freedom aud longings after the Infinite
probably, SO she tries this additional masculine
"fxing."
Having made her way in, despite of the
whole convention there assembled, she ap-
peared at every session thereafter And the
suffragists were consistent about it and gave
her her rights-because they couldn't help it,
Upon her appearance she is invariably received
by the galleries with shouts and whistles and
roars of laughter, to all of which she responds
by one comprehensive bow aud smile. She
had the grace to take seat at the back of the
stage and to keep it. She was allowed to
speak once or twice, briefly, upon giving her
word of honor-as gentleman 1 presume
that she would touch no point but the one
under discussion-wOman suffrage.
At the first evening session Hon. A. G. Rid
die of Washington, spoke Gan infinite deal of
nothing" until the galleries became tired and
tried to stamp him down. He would talk,
however, so the galleries would stamp. Mrs
Hunton rose to quiet them and they became
still as by magic; but whenever ''that horrid
man" opened his mouth the galleries began to
stamp till there seemed to be some mysterious
between the mouth of the man and
he feet of the galleries.
Then Susan B. Anthony came to the front
lsnd scolded the stampers roundly. She de-
clared that the house was the women's; that
they had invited a gentleman to speak for
them, and that he should be respected
Having appauded Miss Anthony for this
manly Conduct, they respected Mr.. Riddle for
a few minutes, but he wisely drew his address
to speedy close giving way to women whom
the audience wanted to hear. He proved
clearly, however that such men are as fond of
talking as such women, for he had been at il
an hour.
The next evening, as Miss Cousins of Mis-
souri, came forward, lecture in hand, the ire
pressible DR.. Mary Walker pranced to the
'front.' her Abbreviated skirts huttering with ex-
element.
'Ladies aud gentlemenr' she began. oh,
the mischief of hsrl She wanted to offer a
resolution! The house resounded with cries of
Walker! Walkerl Miss Cousins! Walker!
Chaos reigned in moment. The other wom-
en- crowded about her and begged and COM
manded her not to speak. Some scolded her.
others patted her on the back. Still she would
keep offering her resolution, and Susan B.
Anthony sent for a policeman. Think of iti
a man policeman, horrid thing, to quiet that
woman and make her stop offering that resolu-
ton!
She did stop at last, but as she walked to the
back of the stage she cried to Susan B. An
thony: "You care not for the sex; you care
for yourselfP'
Naturally Miss Anthony was angry and they
do soy that nothing but the presence Of the
policeman that she herself had called, pre-
sented her from pullipg DR.. Mary Walkers
nose, then and there.
The spectacle was a solemn one to suffra-
gists and especially to conventio uists, but to
evil minded people like me it was too funny.
1 question whether the cause will have N sde
great advance through such general and un-
equivocal displays of loss of temper.
Miss Cousins of Missouri is a lawyer. She
is under thirty should say, tall, slender and
exceedingly grace She is very dark, and .
brighter, swoeter face have rarely seen. She
is woman of intellect. Her lecture was full
of points well put, and was delivered in clear
agreeable voice whose tones showed her to be
a lady.
Mrs. Stanton, too, is lady. Rather stout,
with pleasant, intelligent face and dignifed
presence, she would make a fine figure-head
anyhow. But add to this such beautiful snowy
hair as don't believe any other woman ever
had-a very crown of glory-and there's a
grand whole such Jas my pen can't paint, but
which hushed even the uproarious galleries
when this handsome old face with its surround
ing puffs of silver hair confronted them. Her
voice is full and sweet and clear. She has
something to say. says it, and is done.
1t was enough to make one groan that she
and Phoebe Cousins should. be in such place.
with such women apd for such purpose.
didn't groan though, because I reileclsd that
they were there expressly to groan over such as
L. and knew my groans would be wasted.
A vast deal OF talking was done but little
was said by any but these two. 1t was very
much like great part of the talk in Congress,
and the women wouldn't show to bad advan-
tage in Congress after all. In either body, the
House or this convention, question or an
is hrOupht m and for some min.