The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-03-04
WOMEN IN COUNCIL.
7HE;coNvENTlON OF STRONGiMlND-
ED:FEMHIES:PiTHlL7 DESCRIBED:


..J Told Yuu There Would Bc Extra Snap
in this Movement When Southern Wo-
men Joined It,"
WASHINGTON. Feb. 20.-I went to
the womon's rights convention on Thurs
dav nioht and had much entertainment.
The ladies in the audience bolstcrouslY
enioyed the wholesale dcnunciatlon OF
monster man. while the men vigorously
and chivalrously applauded the many
hard hits at their SEX. Miss Susan Is;
Anthony, a small, grim, energetic oid
maid. presided, and dearly rellshed the
multiform conn pliments paid her by her
yocifcrous sisterhood. Miss Anthony
is sometimes called "Colonel Susan,"
but this is the designation OF some
masculine wretch. In the audience
Frederick Douglass stood up, like a
great bronze giant, With forest OF
coasc greg hair. In old days Douglass
used to preside at these meetings, but
seems to have fallen into disrcputc since
he turned his bacl, on the negro and
married a white woman. All of the
speakers were quite old or mature, cN-
ccpt the last. q Gcrman-American lady,
who had comcly face, a splendid voice
and the true fire Of cloQucncc. -
Miss Anthony, in prim, starch way,
like q veteran campa!gncr, told her oit
rcpcatcd story of the wrongs of persons
who happened to be born Of the female
gender. The old lady punched and cult
ed her misguidad brethren and warned
them that her spirit would haunt them
until Justice was done.
A buxom Boston lady: rising 80 years,
scntentiously pursued the same theme,
and severely rated statesmen who trlcd
to make woman nOncntlty. She sad !:
"Whcn Sara Bernhardt came to this
country, people were curious to see her;
She was exceedingly thin and was joEcd
about her attenuation. One day, man
was told to look ina carriage window II
he desired to behold the famous actress.
He did so, but declared that. he saw
nothing. Then you saw Bernhardt,'
was the instant reply" The Boston
lady proclaimed that denial of suffrage
made women nothing.
The fun commenced in earnest when
Mrs. Merriwether, who announced her.
self as a Southern woman from the
crown of her head to the tips Of her toes,
took the stand. She was considerably
advanced in middle age, but full offlght.
She went from Memphis to st. Louis.
A novel of hers. 1.-The Master OF Rose
leaf" was lurid attack upon the
Yankees and their reconstruction OF the
South, but the last chapter was SO hor-
rible and revolving that 1t sunk the BOOK
out Of sight, | understand. AS Mrs.
.Afcrriwetlla,s o.. nrossod-- -snrroXe that her
husband was Democrat, | presume
she has modified her opinions, but she
and her son crca.cd something of a dis
turbancc by calling forth and proddlny
out the traditional negro in the wood-
pilc." The idea Of black brute having
the franchise to the exclusion OF the
most exalted white woman reused the
Indignation and wrath OF Mrs. Mcr-
riwcthcr and her ''baby boy" q clipper
and cheeky lad OF 70 or 20 years oil age.
This lady made Il rattling harangue. tnll
Of wit. sarcasm and bitterness. Argu-
mcnt was lacking somewhat. but illustra-
tration ahounled. She read Il letter
from Senator Vest, who uncompromls-
ingly opposes the woman movement.
and then, bit by bit, and line by line, held
him UP to ridiculc rs 10 man has ever
vet dared to do. She had not read the
minority report OF the Senate committee
on woman suffrage. signed BY Senators
Brown and Cockrcll, but heard about it;
and vet she assailcu 1t Ill the same,
witha little spice Of J!asphcny, in the
BEGINNING. AID Il concluding o!icr to
teach better Bible doctrine to the two
Senators. whom she invited to 90 TO
Sunday school. She discussed the Utah
bills OF Senator I.dmumds and gave pa
tent recipe for discriminating poiygamY.
which is worth attention. Il would" J"
she exclaimed. ALLOW the Mormon w0'
men to keep their suffrage and disiran.
chisc the men. Then | would send
strong minded members Of our assoc'n-
ton out there as missionaries to teach
Utah sisters to be strong minded, too.
Then u Mormon man would not want
more than one wife. as one strong mnul-
cd woman would lie all he could cn-
lurcw am quite prepared to credit
this assertion aud 10 20 bcyond ii. In
deed. an irrCvcrcnt scamp says, that III
stead g. one such woman, he prefers
twelve wives OF thc other kind. Mrs.
NIcrriwctllur claimed :Ilm Jones as L
Tcnncssccan. and quoted him 10 show
the superiority oi woman. lie had beard
a lady make Il prayer so lcrHcnt that she