Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-01-08
ever and always for what is good
and true and pure:


If Col. w. G. p. Breckenridge
has an audience when he comes to
Memphis, there will probably be
very few women in it. That is q
settled fact.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Lyle Saxon spoke before
the Women's Council, which rep
resents 800 women, and sug-
gested that in the name of wo-
manhood the women of Memphis
should remain away from the hall
where Breckenridge is to lecture.
There was a quick response by
one of the members, who Is also
member of the Nineteenth Cen
fury Club, and the question was
asked how the matter could be
brought before the women OF
Memphis. Mrs. Saxon suggest
ed that every individual organi-
cation of women, the Nineteenth
Century Club and the organiza
tions composing the Woman s
Council, meet and adopt resolu-
tions against attending the lee
ture. 1t was the sense of those
assembled that such measures
would be taken.
The lecture by Mrs. Saxon was
preceded by musical program,
both vocal and instrumental, by
Miss McCallum and Miss Bessie
Bicknell, with Mrs. Cochran as
accompanist.
Mrs. Lide Meriwether presided,
and introduced Mrs. Saxon in a
very happy manner, telling of the
ups and downs she and Mrs. Sax
on had undergone in twenty-three
years. service in the same field.
Mrs. Saxon spoke for over an
hour on the "Reforms Women
Have Wrought All times she
was eloquent and was frequently
interrupted with applause.
She made a strong plea for the
necessity of NATURALIZATION of
women. She believes the great
est work will be wrought by the
women of the South. She paid a
glowing tribute to these women.
She spoke only as Southern wo-
man can who knows of their love-
illness, their gifts and their pow
ers.
The reforms dwelt on the most
were missions, temperance and
the w. G. T. u, with it's various
branches, and the opening of all
avenues to her as a means of live
lihood and self-sustenance.
She spoke of the approaching
visit of Susan B. Anthony in glow
ing terms as noble, womanly
woman gifted with all the woman
ly graces.
Mrs. Saxon was born in Ten
nessee, but was brought up in
Alabama. Her husband, Lydell
A. Saxon, is South Carolinian,
but soon after their marriage re-
moved to New Orleans, where
they yet reside. Although the
mother of seven children, Mrs.
Saxon has done more possibly
than any other woman, North or
South, for the advancement of
women.
In literature she is to the man
or born. 1t is inherent with
her. Not only does she write
with great force and strength, but
she speaks with eloquence and
convincing effect.
When her father, the idol of
her heart, was on his death bed
he exacted from her promise
that she would never relax her
efforts in behalf of women while
she lived. She has been true to
her promise so far. ~.
1t is due largely to her intiu-
ence that women in twenty-siX
States of the Union have the right
of school suffrage. Inmates of
asylums, almshouses, jails and
reformatories have reason to be
grateful to Mrs. Saxon for the
reforms her pen and her speech
have wrought in their treatment.
Philanthropy peryades every
part of her nature. During the
yellow fever in 1878 she was the
president of an association of
women who remained in the
plague stricken city and did all
they could for the stricken peo-
pie. Her hospitable and elegant
home was turned into hospital
and her parlor into work room.
She counted no effort too costly
that would alleviate the sufferings