The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-29
THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT.

The Work of Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
and Lucretia Mott.
Kansas City Star.
At a recent meeting of women Elizabeth Cady
Stanton gave an interesting account of how she
and Lucretia Mott started the womsn-suffrage
movement, and how the first convention was got
together in 1S4S.
'In lS4O,n said Mrs. Stanton. ''the Worlds
Anti-slavery Convention was called in London,
aud the societies Of this country sent over sev-
eral women as delegates. was not q delegate,
but my husband was, and the trip to London
was our wedding trip. The woman delegates
were Lucretia Mott, Sarah Pugh, Abby Kimber,
Elizabeth Neal (Gay). and Mary Grew. of Phila-
delphia, and Ann G.. Phillips, Emily Winslow
and Abby Southwick. of Boston. But We found
there was a great deal of objection there 10 wom-
en- being admitted as delegates.
SIT was something that had never been heard
of Ia England-women az delegates, TO sit as
councillors, to vote in proceedings. So the whole
Of the first day was taken up in discussing the
merits of the question. The objections we're
drawn chiefly from the Bible. At last it was
decided that they could not enter the convention,
but they were carefully concealed in some seats
hidden by a curtain, just as you find the choirs
in some of our churches. After listening to all
the arguments (which were very insulting to
womenl, as l walked homo with Lucretia Mott
l said: 1t seems TO me high time to call avon
ans convention. Here are men from all parts
to discuss the rights of the negroes to freedom,
~ u III l0So " i 6ul ElkuloO ! lEeS-
dom for women"
Eight years after that Lucretia Mott and I
recalled this conversation, and called q conven-
ton. We advertised il q country paper, occu-
pying . space as long as your finger. We wrote
a few letters to friends, and that was all the an
nouncement we gave. The next point was a
declaration, and here we were at sea. Then q
happy thought struck us-thst our fathers Dec
laration OF Independence WINS exactly suited to
our needs. We read it carefully over, and
fouud that nracigelv the sama Criavapces that onr
fathers had to complain OF against old King
George We had to complain of against our own
Saxon fathers.
in the resolutions / wanted to demand the
right of suffrage then and there, bur my hus-
band and Lucretla Mott thought it would make
the whole thing ridiculous. So l seemingly gave
1t up, but determined TO push it in a resolution
at the convention. But | did not know how to
put two sentences together in public, and SO
when l cot to the convention | cast about for
some one to present my resolution. saw Fred
Douglass, and knew he was just the man. But
he didn't speak fast enough for me nor say all I
wanted said. and the first thing l knew I was on
my feet defending the resolution, aud in due
time Douglass and l carried the whole conven-
ton, and the suffrage resolution was passed
unanimously.
Every newspaper from Maine to Louisiana
published that resolution. and made comments
ridiculing the whole thing. My good father,
who was then in attendance upon the Supreme
Court of New York State. rushed up to Seneca
Falls to see If l was insane. If | hadn't had q
remarkable constitution l think I should have
gone to the insane asylum. l heard nothing but
ridicule. Many women who had subscribed to
the declaration in the enthusiasm of the mo-
ment hurried to withdraw their names. / never
can describe to any one the humiliation l felt,
especially as / knew l WAS right.
Perhaps l might have subsidized altogether, IL
it hadn't been that shortly after that l met
Susan b. Anthony. We put our heads together
and made an attack ali along the line. We be-
seiged the Legislature every year, and when
ever we saw q convention of men having O nice
time we sent them resolutions demanding a
recognition. I used to write the speeches and
resolutions and Susan used to go down to the
convention and fire them off. Ridicule was the
chief weapon of the press. We rere csricatured
in all the papers until really the majority OF
people supposed women on the suffrage platform
had horns and hoofs. But now how changed ls
the scenel"