Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-07-06
IN W0MAN'S BEHALF.
BEGAN UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
Susan Il. Anthony's First Speech Was
Straight to the Point.

bussn Is. Anthony's First speech was
Straight to the Point.
"a woman preaching is like a dogs
walking on its hind legs. 1t is not done
well, but we are surprised to find 1t
done at all"
II is long time since johnson gave
vent TO this statement In the mean
time, the spectacle of woman speak
ing Tin public on the stage" has
become so common that II IN
no longer either n circus or n
sacrilege, 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 commotion her act excited.
1t was at the New York state teach
cr'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 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 n
teacher was superior in Importance to
that of lawyer or doctor. Yea! even
of a minister At this point of the dis
cussiop 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-
tered the mans head, never even
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, Il 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 solcmnly 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
half an hour they discussed that
motion. Finally by small majority,
was permitted to say what / had on
my mind. All this time | had stood
there, determined to keep the floor at
any cost There was a big lump in my
throat, but choked it down.
"'Mr. President and gentlemen
said as bravely as could, Il have
listened to your discussion with 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 a lawyer, but has
ample brains to be teacher, every man
of you distinctly acknowledges that he
has not any more brains than q
woman?"
when | sat down three men walked
the length of the hail. 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 | hit the nail or
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. myself was asked
to read a paper-which, by the way,
got my friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
to write for me-and, in voice some
what the worse for having my heart in
my throat, read it before the conven
ton, OF course the paper was good
Mrs. Stanton wrote it; but this is the
cheerful way in which Father Hazeltor
complimented me on it;
"In matter and manner would mo-
have asked that your address should bt
different; but, madam, | would rather
have followed my wife and daughter t.
Greenwood cemetery than have hat
them stand before this audience ant
read that address,
Now, wasn't that nice of him?" say
Miss Anthony, quizzically, and thel
murmurs refectively: THE world d.
move. IN. Y. Sun.