The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-10
indianapolis Women at the Convention.

National Repnblican.
Mrs. Mary E. Haggart, of Indiana, spokeupon
the question, 'Why Do not Women Voter This
question she answered thus: Because the world
has been told that the woman suffrage move
ment is not a reform in the true sense of the
word. However that may be- said Mrs. Hag-
CART, 1T is a return to first principles and a re
minder that natural rights have no SEX" An
other answer was that ''the world has been told
that for a man to be womanly is to lose his in
tiuence, and for a woman to be manly is to lose
her influence"
Mrs. Haggart admitted the latter portion of
the proposition to be true if manhood consisted
in drinking whisky, smoking and chewing to-
baeco, splitting, swearing and fighting. In
this manner Mrs. Haggarr went through
the long list of objections which the OPP
ponents Of woman suffrage have made, and
for each one she had n ready answer. Mrs.
Haggart is SAID to come from a family of orators,
and she upheld the reputation of the family.
She appeared TO have perfect command of Ian
guage, never hesitated for a word, and put words
| together into pointed sentences in a wonderful
way. She talks very much as Anna Dickinson
used to talk in the days when she was at the
height of her fame as IA lecturer. The speech
was alive with logical argument, sharp sarcasm
and picturesque metaphor. 1t was sometimes
eloquent, often pathetic. and always original.
Mrs. Haggart Is % short and stout lady of mid
die age. She looked rather sleepy when the
speech began, but soon convinced everybody
that she was thoroughly awake, and certainly
there were no sleepy eyes among the audience
while she spoke. She was frequently aDplauded,
and at the close of the speech was warmly CON
graduated by the ladies on the platform and by
many in the audience who came forward for that
purpose.
When Mrs. Sewall is at home, in indianapolis.
she teaches school, edits two columns of a Sun
day paper and delivers parlor lectures on woman
suffrage. 1t'would seem that a woman must be
strong in body as we'll as mind to fulfill all these
duties, and Mrs. Sewall appears not to have suf-
fered either in body or mind from the exercise.
She is one of the very few plump delegates in the
convention. She is an easy speaker, steps to the
extreme front of the platform, keeps her eyes
upon the audience, neither reading a lecture or
$consulting notes. She has a clear voice, ex-
pressive face, and talks with the confidence and
self possession of a woman thoroughly convers-
ant with her subject. thoroughly in earnest, and
accustomed to public speaking. She wore a
black brocade velvet dress.
In answer to an inquiry as to who she regard
ed as the best speaker among the advocates of
woman's suffrage who are in the city now, Miss
Anthony said, to-day, that Mrs. Haggart, of In
diana, was the most effective platform orator
among them. There are a number of able speak
ers, however, who have appeared on the platform
of Lincoln Hall during the week. They will be
here again next year, for they intend to keep the
movement up until they obtain their object.
Miss Anthony says that the wives of a good
many OF our public men are favorable to the sui
frage cause. hut their husbands persuade them
not to announce themselves, for fear it might
injure their own political prospects.