The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-10-13

Aoau very long ana interesting paper Oh I'll
Results and Records of Preceding Con
gresses."
The Association for the Advancement 0
Women Was brought into existence by Sorosis
womaus' club of New York CITY, through it
| president, Mrs. Charlotte B ebe Wilbor, Oct
H. 1873. A neutrality-suspicious. meeting, as de
noted in the call, was held upon the evening
OF Der. IA h in New York city, to arrange TO
the coming public work of the Congress
Seventy Of the one hundred and fifty VIII,
signed the call were present. AT this meetiD.
the A A. w. was formed and the draft of thu
constitution presented and agreed upon
Officers were chosen TO serve until the Con
gress shall elect for itself" This list con
ssIed Of Mary A. Liv.rmore, president; Mrs
| Julia Ward Howe of Massachusetts,, first vice
president, followed by fifteen more ladies as vice
| Presidents, each representing her own stale
| Miss Fletcher and three assistant secretaries
Mrs. Hoffman and one assistant treasurer; ant
an executive committee, Mrs. Charlotte b
| Wilbor, charm N, and twenty-six members
| representing thirteen states. Eighteen statel
| were represented at this first Congress in The
| BOARD OF officers, and through the list Of
| names sgned to the call.
The first womans congress of America met
IN the Union League Theater, Madison avenue
on 10Th street, New York. on the morning Of
Oct 10. 1873, at 10 o'clock, and continued its
| session for three Gays. About 400 lad lies were
| present at the first session. All the papers
and letters of this first Congress were publish
ed by the association in pamphlet of 1875
| pages
The second Congress met in Chicago the
10Th, IS and 18th of October, 1874 A board
OF tbirty-one officers, with Prof. Maria
Mitchell as president was elected at this Con-
| gress.
The third Congress assembled at Syracuse
Der. 18th, 18th and 10 III, 1876. and consisted as
| haa the previous ones of nine public sessions.
| The election of officers for the next congress
resulted in the reelection of Prof. Mitchell as
| president, and the list of twenty vice Presi-
! dents from as many states, the whole board
consisting of thirty-eight members.
The fourth congress was held at st. Georges
Hall, Philadelphia, upon the 4th, 5tb and 9th
OF October, 1876. TIE association elected Mrs.
Juiia Ward Howe, president. and board of
forty members.
The fifth congress assembled in Cleveland,
Ohio, Oct. 10th, 18th and 18th, 1877. Mrs.
Howe. the president, being in Europe, Abbie
May, the second vice president, presided over
the sessions. At this congress the present con-
stltution and bylaws of the association
were accepted and ordered to be printed.
The list of officers elected was headed by Mrs
Kate Newell Doggett of Chicago, for presi-
dent, and consisted of board OF forty-nine
members. The sixth Congress of the A. A.
W. convened at Lows Opera House, Provi-
dence, R l.. Oct. 9, 10, and IL, 1878. Mrs Dog
gett in the CHI air. The officers chosen at this
Congress consisted of board of forty-two mem
bers With Mrs. Doggett as president.
The seventh Congress met at Madison Wis,
Oct. s, aud 10, 1872 Mrs. Doggett in the
chair. Mrs. Doggett was re- elected president
with board of forty-six officers. The eighth
Congress met at Boston, 18th, 14th, and 10 h
OF October, 1880, president, Mrs Doggett, in
the air. The board of officers eected at this
Congress numbered forty-seven, with Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe as president. The ninth
Woman's Congress met at Buffalo on the 18th,
10Th and 2lst of October, 1881. Mrs. Julia
Ward Howe was reelected president, and a
board OF fifty-four officers. The tenth Con-
gress bagan three nays session in Portland,
Oct 18th, and will hold its closing session to-
day.
Evening Session.
The evening session was preceded by an
excellent concert by Chambers orchestra
band.
The Congress was called to order by the pre-
ident Mrs. Howe at eight o'clock. In the au-
dience were Mrs. Martha Mowry, NJ. D., of
Providence, R. 1. DR.. Abby Fulton. Ellis
worth, Me. Mrs Mary Peckham, Providence,
r. l. Rev. Mrs, Lorenzo Haynes Unitarian
clergyman at Fairfield, Me. Mrs. Pauline
Gerry of Boston, Mrs Mary E Foster of Mich
igan was the essayist of the evening. She
read a paper on Regulations discriminate
ing in favor of single women against married
women as teachers.
MRS. FOSTERS ESSAY.
Marriage has been defined as the union for
life of one man and one woman; an ordinance
of 1.-THE Creator. The Romish idea that it is a sac
rament has proved unsatisfactory Marriage
is sometimes regarded as a civil contract but
Bishop says "the perfected marriage is no more
a contract than the woven silk is a worm.i'
The constitutional provision forbiddiDg the
States from passing any law impairng the OBJ
legations of contracts has no relation to an exc
cuted marriage.
The ,ten1e solestauds for the most part in the
eys of the law do men. First, then, what
are the legal Determinations in favor of single
women? They have common law and consti-
tusional rights, enlarged or restricted by stat
ules; they have all the civil rights of men, can
enter into contracts. esand be sued, act as
guardians or administrators, &c., but they have
not any direct political power, hence they
cannot be elected representatives of the peo-
pie, nor be appointed as judge, clerk, consta-
BILE or to any other office unless expressly au-
thOrized by law-instances occur of the APP
pointment of postmistresses-nor can they vote
at any election but by statutory enactment.
Second. To what extent do these distinctions
favor single women against the interests of
married women as teachers, guardians, admin
istra ors There is no logical discrimination as
teachers in favor of single women as against
married women in Michigan; though some
school boards think it inexpedient to employ
married women when single women can be
obtained. think it is the general custom to
employ that teacher married CT single who
will do the best work for the least money. Our
school board recently raised the wages Of the
male teachers, but no increase was given to
the female teachers.
In Michigan, all determinations by law,
made Setween single and married women are
for the benefit of married women. In hold
ing, managing and controlling properly they
have the same rights men. This apparent
generosity is only apparent. When we would
take our rights We ind they are but bubble.
When an estate is doomed to probate court,
where they reluctantly dole out to you what
was your own property, we fad that laws
which read well may be dead let er- as
"ths allowance shall be ample, according to
circumstances and condition in life."
When Que great blot on anations fame is
wiped out, the vision of the iruth-seeker clears,
aud he asks what duty lies next and nearest.
Custom has sanctioned many things that tend
to slavery; among them is the sO-called right
of one sex to do the thinking and iaw-making
for the other. They are anxious to represent
us III every place where money or honor can be
obtained, willing that we should think as they
direct, and pay taxes of their imposing. They
willing to set bad examples at home and
on the street leaving us to correct the harm
done. We ought to study the wants Of woman
because we are looked upon as a riddle to be
oOlfoas WO AFRO wy VI uIuueCs mintiCcc VI
servant, queen or slave, as circumstances may
decide. Much time has been wasted in trying
to define our sphere. 1t is only measured by
our capacity. Ii becomes us as women in all
the walks of life, public or private, to be ear
nest and faithful: when in our weakness we
know not what to do, let us seek the true wis
dom from ,ovs. Then, in whatever capacity
We serve, we can give intrinsic value erecting
monuments that will be more enduring than
granite, linking righteous principles with kind
words and loving deeds, that shall reach from
earth to heaven.
Miss Laura Clay and Rev. Lorenzo Haynes
spoke briefly on some of The points brought out
in Mrs. Fosters paper. Miss Clay spoke of the
advances made in law being in favor of woman
and OF the time coming when woman should
have an equal chance with men to enter the
legal profession. She thought gratitude was
due to those women who had sdone what they
could to prepare the way. She urged that il
was every woman's duty to know at least the
law of her own state if not for her own sake
yet for the sake of those upon whom the laws
bore hardly.
Mrs. Haynes thought that from the nature Of