Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-01-31
From Our Regular Correspondent ]
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 2


WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 27, 's3.
Lincoln Hall has been resounding this
week to the ringing cloquence of numer.
Gus noted advocates of female suffrage
The 18th annual Washington convention
of the national woman's suffrage associa
ton has just closed its interesting sessions
and among the delegates were many long
and widely known workers in the cause
The irrepressible Susan B. Anthony still
comes to the front and presides with hel
usual ability. decision and pluck. Time
treats her kindly, for, after close scrutiny
| discover no new traces of his ravages,
since two wint srs ago when she stood on
the same platform. She delivered the
opening address: "Why we come to
congress-" in black satin dress, simply
but fashionably made with plaitings,
ruflles and lace; this pretty attire on a
woman whose attire has been distinguished
for its severity, seemed almost like an
unspartan concession to frivolous fashion.
These woman have been considered
totally dev bid of capacity for tasteful
dressing. 1t cannot be charged that they
give their whole minds TO their drapery,
but their costumes were almost without
exception, tasteful and, in some instances,
elegant and handsome. Encouraging
proof that in O0naan the ooquetry of dress
cannot be wholly consumed by the fires
of her enthusiasms.
Mrs. Amy T. Dunn of indianapolis
gave very entertaining character lecture
(Zekle's wife, She appeared in costume
and simulated an old woman of seventy,
a genuine type of the feminine New
Highlander of fifty years ago. who married
and moved to the western states and
territories. 1t was a satire on mans laws
for woman and his treatment of woman,
1t was very creditable performance, and
presented the suffrage idea fully and
lorcibly. Nay Wright Sewall of Indian
apois gave 1.-THE Lesson of the Nebraska
Campaign" which. by her Interpretation
is, that woman is capable of devising and
executing grand schemes in spite of
overwhelming disadvantages; that women
can act in unanimity and from purely
impelsonal motives. All of which is
calculated to abate "vain mans" native
arrogance of superiority. She is a strong
woman and speaks with free and even
eloqucn co. Phoebe Couzins told "What
a woman without Country" is. Ten
years ago Miss Phoebe was the professional
beauty of the sstelhood, but that was ten
years ago. Lille Devereux Blake spoke
from the text: sis it crime to be a
woman?' There were addresses also by
Harriet Spattuck of Boston, Virginia
Minor of St. Louis, DR.. Caroline Winslow
of Washington, d. c., Henrietta West
brook of Philadelphia, and others equally
we'll known. During one of the morning
sessions which were of rather u private
character, being devoted to executive
business, Il reporter succeeded in entering
the hall and esconoed himself in a quiet
corner. But he could not escape the eye
of ever vigilant woman. He was APP
preached, and kindly told that they wanted
10 have "a little family talk" wanted to
say something that would not get into the
papers. So he was compelled to fold up
his note book and "quietly steal away"
The public meetings Of the convention
were well attended, the large audiences
being mostly composed of women who
seemed to be in sympathy with the cause,
but there was also a sprinkling of con-
eressmen and Of some men, prominent in
official life here. The committee on
presented a series which were
read, discussed and adopted. The gist of
it was that women are citizens of the
United States, that by voting they could
directly influence legislation for the
promotion of morality and good govern.
ment, that they want congress to pass
without delay a sixteenth amendment to
the federal constitution now pending in
the Senate, which prohibits the several
states from DISTINGUISHING United States
citizens on account of sex. In short,
they want to vote, and they say they
surely will vote in the course of time.