The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-30
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
The Indianapolis Delegate to the Paris Gather
ing Responds for Her Country Women.

Mrs. May Wright Sewall. of Indianapolis,
was delegate from the woman's national
council to the international congress of
women, held under the auspices of the
French government in Paris July 1918.
The foreign delegates were decorated with
a pansy, whose leaves were red, white, blue
andgold. Monsieur Jules Simon presided.
The name of the United States was called
first on the roll at the opening session, and
Mrs. Sewall spoke IN French, as follows:
''Mr. President. Officers of the Congress,
Ladies and Gentlemen-I come to YOU as
the representative of many hundreds of
thousands of my conntry-women, who are
of the United States. | deeply regret that
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Miss Susan
b. Anthony, Miss Frances f. Willard, or
some other really great woman, is not here
In my place to represent more honOrably
the progress of the women of my country.
But L bear from them to you most cordial
congratulations upon the progress of wOm-
EN- in France. which this congress indl-
Gates.
ut is, indeed, great event when an in
ternatiOnal congress of women can be con-
vened under the auspices and by the
aid of the government of powerful nation.
The women ofmv country regard this event
with surprise and admiration. Without enmi-
of France upon being the first to obtain such
recognition of national government.
This is not the first time that France has
taken the initiative in a great movement,
and taught the world lesson. France has
often been the first to utter the word.
France is justly celebrated for conceiving
great, universal ideas for making grand,
philosophical generalizatiOns, for striking
the keynote. France has done much for
the special friend of freedom in the
United States. Americans never forget
that France stood sponsor for their Repub-
lie at its birth. In their hearts the name of
Lafayette is forever associated with that of
Washington. Not only did France aid
America at it's birth, but when a century
had rolled by and our Republic was cele-
brating its majority. 1T was France that
placed at the eastern gate of our fair land
the emblem of freedom, and put into a
womaD's hand the torch which is to en-
| tighten the world. Americans do not wish
| to forget what they owe to France; and the
women of America accept with gratitude
this new gift, the example of a national
| government becoming the ally of woman's
| progress
But this is not the time for me to make
| an address word. and / close my greet
| ing Behold the subject of that word
this flower, which you have chosen as the
| decoration for your foreign delegates. This
| decoration is truly emblematic. The red
| white and blue are the colors of France;
| they are the colOrs of my country, also.
1.-THE red-lt is the blood. which is one in
| all the human race; one, because through
| whatever veins it flows, it has one source,
| the source of all life, the heart of the Eter-
| nal. The red is your great word, equality
| The blue-It is the color of the sky,
| the emblem of the free dome of heaven.
| 1t is the translation in color of
your word, liberty The whlte-It is
| the symbol of light, in which all colors
| blend, in which all distinctions cease. 1t
| is your noble, inspiring word fraternity"
| Here also your colors are blended with the
! gold. 1t is a compliment to America The
gold is the symbol of the stars upon our
| flag Let it be the symbol of the North
| star, which guided our enslaved race to
| the land of freedom; of the North star,
| which guides the mariner across the I'M
| lighted sea. TIE North star is i'm the ma
| teriai world what truth is III the world of
| thought
| Look! These emblematic colors are here
blended in an emblematic flower. 1t is the
| pansy, which the great Shakespeare says
stands for thoughts. May thought. may
reason rule this congress- may truth be the
one object of all its deliberations In
truth. all differences will be reconciled,
and true fraternity will be reached"