The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-16
SUSAN B. ANTHONY,
A Sketch of the Life of the Napoleon of the
Woman Suffrage Cause"

under the Hoosac mountains. She was born on
the 18th of February, 1920. Her early life was
spent under the influence of the rigid blue laws
of puritanic family management After reach
ing womanhood, Miss Anthony BECAME school
teacher; which she followed for fifteen years,
at the end of which time she found herself with
only 5000 in pocket. She desired to do some
thing to right the wrongs which woman suffered,
so determined to enter the lecture field which at
that time was considered a mans work, and re-
ceived q mans pay. AT the present time she is
reported TO be worth near $50, 600
Having been successful teacher she was
much interested in educational conventions.
Her attention was first reused by listening to a
long discussion on the "divine ordinance of
hogging children, the majority of the male
teachers quoting Solonon'S injunction. Spare
the rod and spoil the child" At another time
Miss Anthony, having listened for hours to dis
cussion why the profession Of teaching was not
as much respected as that of the lawyer minis
ter or doctor, without once as she thought touch
ing the kernel of the question, she to unite
for them the Gordian knot, and said; Mr.. Presi-
dent. Ii all the witches that have been
drowned, burned and hung, had suddenly APP
peared on the platform, threatning vengeance
for their wrongs, the officers of the convention
could not have been thrown into greater conster-
HdblOH Inefe SIOOu LnaG quaker girl, calm ana
self possessed, while, with hasty consultation,
those frightened men could not decide what to
do; how to receive this audacious invader of their
sphere of action. AT length, President Davies,
OF West Point, in full dress buff vest, blue coat
etc, stepped to the 'front.' and said in tremulous,
tones what will the lady havel" 81 WISH sir,
to speak to the question under discussion" Miss
Anthony replied. The gentlemen, more per-
picked than ever held longer consultation,
and finally decided that the lady could speak ="
he ham. na,,t 3.a,s
which Miss Anthony arose after that half hour
of suspense and the bitter hostility she noted on
every side. However, with a clear, distinct
voice she said: ut seems to me- gentlemen that
none of you quite comprehend the cause of the
disrespect of which you complain. Do you not
see that so long as society says woman is in
competent to be lawyer, minister or doctor,
but has ample ability to be a teacher that every
man of you who chooses this profession tacitly
Acknowledges that he has no more brains than a
womanl And this, too, is the reason that teach
ing is a less lucrative profession, as here men
must compete with the cheap labor of women.
who labor with you. Would you make it more
lucrative, increase the salaries of the women en-
gagged in educating our future presidents, sena-
tors and congressman" This said, Miss An
thony took her seat amid silence, broken only by
three gentlemen walking down the broad aisle to
congratulate her
To give the women of to-day some idea of
what 1t cost the pioneers of the suffrage
movement at the close of the session
Miss A. heard women remarking: did
you ever see anything like this performance"
Il was actually ashamed Of my SEX" 81 felt so
mortified really wished the floor would open
and swallow me up" who can that creature
bem ''She must be a dreadful woman to get I'D
that way and speak in public;" II was so mad
at those three men making a parade to shake
hands with her; that will Just encourage her to
speak again" These ladies had probably all
been TO theaters, concerts. operas, and gone into
ecstaeies over Fanny Kemble, Rachel, and
Jenny Lind and Fanny Ellsler, balanced on one
toe, the other foot in the air, without having
their delicacy shocked in the least But sim
pie Quaker girl rising in teachers convention
to make common sense remark so tried their
delicate sensibiities that they were afraid to at
tend the next session.
The reports Of the ''womans rights" conven-
tons held in Seneca Falls and Rochester first at
tracted Miss Anthonys attention to that subject
Afterward for her courage and executive ability
she was facetiously called by William Henry
Claiming the Napoleon of the woman suffrage
struggle. The Woman's Declaration of hide
pendence," issued from those conventions
Startled and amused her. she laughed heartily at
the novelty and presumption Of the demand. On
returning home during vacation, she was sur
prised to find her parents and sisters indorsing
the conventions. She was already interested in
anti-slavery and temperance; so her mind read
lily responded to the demands for the enfranchise-
ment of woman.
1t was in the month of May, of this same year.
that Mrs. Stanton first met Miss Anthony. That
was to both of them an eventful meeting. Mrs.
Stanton says ''How well l remember the day
first met my lifelong friend. George Thomson
and William Lloyd Garrison were my guests dur
ing anti-slaveTy convention. Walking home
after adjournment, we met Mrs Bloomer and
Miss Anthony, who had come to attend the meet
ing, on the corner of the street waiting to greet
us There she stood, with her good, earnest face
and genial smile, dressed in drab silk, hat and
all the same color, relieved with pale-blue rib
bens, the perfection of neatness and
sobriety. I liked her thoroughly, and
why L did not at once invite her
home with me to dinner l do not know She
accuses me of that neglect, and never has for
given me, as she wished to see and hear all she
could of our noble friends"
During the years of friendship that followed
Mrs. Stanton says, she has many pleasant mem
cries of flying visits to the hospitable Quaker
home of Daniel and Lucy Anthony, Miss An
thongs parents. Whatever opposition and rid
icule their daughter endured elsewhere, she en-
ioyed the steadfast sympathy and confidence of
her own home circle. Her faithful sister Mary,
a most successful principal in the public schools
of Rochester for quarter of century, took
her shoulders double duty at home in cheering
The declining years OF her parents that Susan
might do the public work in these reforms, in
which the sisters were equally interested. At
one time, when Susan had expended her last dol
lar in the publication of her paper, the Revolu-
ton, also 81, GOO given her by wealthy cousin,
Mary generously advanced announcer $o, UUO, ana
thus bridged the last chasm. and now, with lifes
work nearly accomplished, the sisters are living
happily together.
Last year, during her visit in Europe, Miss
Anthony received much attention and honor,
especially in England. She dined with Mrs;
Westlake. a member of the London School
Board at her beautiful home in London; visited
the Lambeth district work house, with the Lady
Pooraw Guardian Miss Frances Lord; at
tended reception at Mrs. Jacob Brights; also
line will Fright
was given ''in honor of Mrs. Stanton and Miss
Anthony" by Mrs. ! p. Thomasson, wife of the
well-known member of Parliament; also, another
reception in their honor, on July a, by Mrs
Melen, at Pembroke Lodge They addressed
several large suffrage meetings. The writer had
the pleasure of meeting Miss Anthony a few
years past in Washington, D. c. She is of
medium size, has firm, but pleasant counte.
nance; hazel eyes and dark hair, combed
smoothly over the ears and bound in coil at
L. hncl. Sl.a 1uas dressed in -crain silk