Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-26
THE wOMAN'S CONGRESS.
The international Council Opened.
THE SCENE AT ALBAUaH,s TO-DAY.
Mrs. Stanton'S Address Of Welcome.
SPEECHES sY FOREIGN DELEGATES.

came to the opera house through a cold, shivering
March rain that turned to Ice on the sidewalks.
In the lobby OF the theater they stopped to re-
move their damp waterproofs, and there one got
another impression. and that was that the gath
enng was, taken as whole, exceedingly we'll
dressed. composite photograph Of the council
would produce the figure Of a woman
rather comely OF face and fgure, about
Iorty years OF age, with O good COM
plexion. There are many matronly ngures and
gray heaus In the council but the large number OF
YOUTHFUL AND PRKITS REFoRNEKs
viii pull the average down to the middle line
OF life. There are OF course, some refOrmeno
OF the old-fashioned, strong-minded type, thin
and angular, but the abundance OF matrOns OF
good comfortable inquire, suffices to give the COM
angular mailens from doing any serious damage
10 The outlines The resultant figure, too, Will be
dressed ON the verge OF richness. There are some
some young women whose ease OF movement and
lack OF bustless indicate their adherence to the
p1hcRes o. put as whole r tne
iurs, shmmering silks, luxurious velvets and SOFT
mellow velvets predominate. Jewels fash from
many throats ana bonnets are trimmed and hair
dressed fashionably and becomingly.
THE INTERIOR OF THE OPERA HOUSE,
to which the elements OF this rather attractive
composite was making her way was somewhat
gaudily decorated with banners and nags Of states
and nations, placed around the balconies and In
the insignia used to indicate that it was gather
f'he wide stage was set with an interior scene
ial castle, with arched dOorways and great blue
squares on the walls. set on with little round
Of red AND The seats in the BODY q
be called good house, but there was room for
more.
PROMINENT LADIES ON THE STAGE
About 10 O'Clock members Of the committee of ar.
nd r1v od dolo no.
gan assembling on the stage and taking their seats
on the plush-covered chairs and sofas arranged in
semi-circular form. When the ladies came upon
the stage many OF them removed their bonnets
and wraps. Mrs. stanton sat with Mrs Gage on a
sofa N front with a little table before her. Miss
Anthony came In, removed her bonnet and fur cir
cular and donned bright red shawl Mrs. Blake.
Mrs. Sewall, and q score OF other we'll
known American women were assembled
about Mrs. stanton. Mrs Dixie, Mrs. Gustafson,
Miss Gripenberg and the other foreign delegates
were also assembled on the stage.
Just before the proceedings opened three men
the only men who appeared on the stage, and
came on, bearing a great pyramidal floral piece,
which was put on the table in front OF Mrs. STAN
ton. As this completely hid even Mrs. Stantons
portly figure from the view OF the audience, It was
soon removed to one side OF the stage. On the
other side was parior organ, over which
Mrs. rbert presided. The preparations on
the stage for opening seemed TO move
with stately elaboration, and meanwhile the sew
eral hundred women in the audience, and the fifty
OF one nunureO men among tneul, kept up u OuZZ,
buzz, buzz OF comment and conversation The
audience became impatient and began to stamp
and clap their hands.
MISS ANTHONY OPENS THE MEETING.
Miss Anthony then stepped forward, raised her
hand and restored silence. 81 have been waiting"
she said, "fOr quite while for the gavel but see
you have sounded 1t yourselves so we will go
ahead" Then she referred TO the call for the
council The specific purpose OF calling it this
year and In this country was, she said, that just
40 years ago the first convention of women called
by women was held In this country. They would
open with prayer by Rev. Antoinette Brown
Blackwell, who was the first woman ever Ordai ned
to the ministry In this country. and she believed
In the world.
placing her hands upon II, lifted up her face
closed her eyes, and offered prayer. Her prayer
was an eloquent appeal for justice, and for the
guidance OF divine wisdom.
Miss Anthony then rising said that before adj
dressing the audience she wished TO address the
stage. Then turning her back she admonished
the ladies on the platform under no circumstances
to whisper or rustic papers while any one was
speaking. This little speech pleased the audience
and was greeted with applause Miss
was going to introduce Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton
Harbert to read the hymn with which they would
open. She would ask Mrs Harbert to read 1t not
only because she was the author OF 1t but because
Mrs. Harbert's eyes were better than her own.
Mrs. Harbert then came forward and read a
hymn written by her for the co,-nctl, entitled
1.-THE PROMISED LAND"
She said she had given 1t this title because this
morning they now entered the promised land with
their Moses and Joshua-and she waved her hand
toward Mrs. stanton and Miss Anthony. She then
read the hymn, which Is In three stanzas, begin
ming with the words:
'Our weary years Of wandering Ger
We greet with Joy this radiant shore;
The promised land OF liberty,
The dawn of freedoms morn see.
Mrs. Harbert read the lines with some elocu-
tionary effect. Then the audience rose and Joined
In singing the lines to the tune OF "Beulah Land. "
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Miss Anthony then came forward again. The
call for the meeting forty years ago. she SAID II
she remembered rightly, had no signatures to It.;
but nevertheless the two moving spirits in
originating and carrying on the work, were those
OF Lucretta Mott, the Satnted Lucretia Mott and
Elizabeth Cady stanton, who was with them to-
day. She referred In passing to the progress
made In forty years. Forty years ago woman had
no place anywhere save In the home; no hope OF
pecunidfy Independence, or place, or position in
the world; no purpose In life except that which
came through marriage and the home They
never heard any such thing then as a woman
earning her living in any way ex-
cept In teaching, domestic service, or in
factories. During the forty years there
had been an open sesame to almost all the avenues
in the Industrial world. What was true in work
was true In education-in everything. Men had
granted them everything almost but the one
pivotal right by which the women Of the country
could protect all other rights. She then intro
duced Mrs stanton, who for twenty years had
been, she said, the president OF the National
Woman Suffrage Association.