The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-06-28
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
BEGAN UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
Susan b. Anthony's First Speech Was
Straight 10 the Point.


Susan b. Anthony's First Speech Was
Straight 10 the Point.
"A woman preaching is like dogs
walking on its hind legs 1t is not done
well, but we are surprised to find 1t
done at all"
1t is long time since johnson gave
vent to this statement. In the mean
time, the spectacle of woman speak
ing ''in public on the stage" has
become so common that it is
no longer either circus or
sacrilegc, in both of which lights
it was formerly viewed. But as an his
torical curiosity, the early experience
of such women as Susan b. Anthony are
extremely interesting. 1t is just forty
years since Miss Anthony first lifted
her voice in public. She spoke exactly
three sentences on that occasion, but
they cost her an effort almost greater
than the connection her act excited.
1t was at the New York state teach
er's convention, in the city of Roches-
ter, and Miss Anthony was in attend
ance for the first time in her
life There were about thou
sand woman teachers there and about
two hundred men. But the men were
certainly a glorious minority. They
gave the reports, made all suggestions,
nominated committees-of themselves
and, in short, they were the conven-
ton. Not one of the women had ever
raised her feeble voice in approval or
protest.
At this meeting several of the men
loudly bewailed the fact that society
did not respect teachers as it did law
yers, doctors and ministers. They said
that they were called Miss Nancys and
old grandmothers, which terms they
did not seem to consider respectful
They declared that the vocation of
teacher was superior in importance to
that of lawyer or doctor. Yea! even
of minister. At this point of the dis
cussion a strange and awful thing oc-
Cured. A woman rose and said, Mr.
President. That woman was young
Miss Anthony. This is the way she
tells of what followed:
when the president stepped to the
front of the platform he said: What
will the lady have? just as if some one
had tainted away or something had
happened. The thought had never en-
cracked the shell, that one of a thou
sand women should speak when there
| were two hundred men present for that
purpose.
Mr. President, said, 4 would like
to speak on the question under dis
cussion.'
What do you think he said? He
| looked down at the handful of men,
who, of course, had the good seats in
front, and inquired solemnly what was
the pleasure of the convention Then
some gentleman arose and made a
motion that the lady be allowed
allowed mind you-to speak. For
kali an hour they discussed that
motion. Finally, by small majority,
was permitted to say what had on
my mind. All this time I had stood
there, determined to keep the floor at
any cost. There was a big lump in my
throat, but chobed it down.
Mr.. President and gentlemen l
said as bravely as | could, i have
listened to your discussion with a great
deal of interest, but it seems to me
that none of you quite comprehend
the cause of the disrespect you COM
plain of. Do you not see that while
woman has not brains enough to be a
minister, doctor, or lawyer, but has
ample brains TO be a teacher every man
of you distinctly acknowledges that he
has not any more brains than a
woman?n
| When sat down three men walked
the length OF the hall, shook hands
with me, and thanked mel hardly
know why. The newspaper accounts
the next day said that made the men
very angry, but that l hit the nail on
the head. But it did some good, any
way. After my plunge women were al
lowed to read papers, were placed on
committees and took an active part in
the conventions. l myself was asked
30 read paper-which by the way,
gvt my friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
to write for me-and, in voice some
what the worse for having my heart in
ry throat, read it before the conven-
ton. OF course the paper was good
Hrs. Stanton wrote it; but this is the
cheerful way in which Father Hazelton
complimented me on it:
lin matter and manner | would not
have asked that your address should be
different; but, madam, l would rather
have followed my wife and daughter to
Greenwood cemetery than have had
them stand before this audience and
read that address,
"Now, wasn't that nice of him?" says
Miss Anthony, quizzically, and then
murmurs, rclectively; 1.-The world do
move. IN. y. Sun.