The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-28
Elizabeth Cady stanton.

The honorable distinction which came
to ELIZABETH CADY STANTON in her later
years was vindication of the cause Of
woman's rights for which she had fought
through two generations against ridi-
Cule and reproach, but, far more to her
satisfaction it was evidence Of the prac-
teal triumph n that long struggle.
The obloquy which was poured out on
Mrs. STANTON and her women associates
when they began their agitation for
woman's equality under the law is hardly
conceivable by this generation. The
appearance of woman on public
platform was regarded and treated as
an indecent exhibition. Mrs. ST STON
and Miss SUSAN b. ANTHONY, now a
venerated figure, were hooted at and
lampooned or looked on as dctestable
monsters of feminine i'm propriety. In
those days there was great talk about
woman's sphere" and by the preju-
dlces of the time that sphere was SO
closely restricted that practically the
whole of our contemporary womanhood
has passed far beyond it.
Lady HENRY SOMERSET is now in this
country and is making public addresses
in behalf of temperance No criticism
is made of her for transgrcSsing womanly
proprletv and none is made of the many
ladies who now preside and speak at public
meetings, both here and in England But
in 1870 a Worlds Anti-Slavery Conven-
ton at London refused by an overwhelm-
ing majority to admit some women dele
gates who had been sent from America
The English members, more especially the
clergymen among them, were Mortified,
and women generally, at home and
abroad were shocked by an intrusion
which seemed to them utterly unfeminne
and unseemly.
When Women's Rights Convention
was called for the first time, eight years
after, at Seneca Falls in this State, BY
LUCRETIA Morn, her sister, MARTHA
WRIGHT, MARY ANN MCCLINToCK and
ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, the nnova-
ton was received by the public loosely
or with contempt; yet practically every
right under the law demanded in the
Declaration of Sentiments of that
convention has since been granted.
though the elective franchise. the right
most insisted on, in only modified
degree. It has come to pass that, as
Judge SCOTT OF our Supreme Court re-
marked several years ago, the law Of
this State not only does not discriminate
against woman In any respect, save
that of voting, but actually affords to her
many special privileges and immunities
not enjoyed by men," And this is true
Of the States generally. Even the liberal
divorce laws Of nearly all the States,
against which there is now so A,uch out
cry, were passed solely with a view to
the protection Of wives.
The battle In which Mrs. STANTON be-
gan to engage in her young womanhood
she lived to see carried forward to VIC
tory. She and the little company of
women who bore with her the brunt of
the fight had long ceased to be singular
before her end came. So far as con-
cerned the general emancipation of
women from the restraints and disabili-
ties against which she had fought almost
shgiy Tor so many years. she became at
last the representative of the great mass
OF intelligent women; and, accordingly
she found honor heaped on her in her
later years.
women now enter into every depart-
ment of activity not requiring rude
strength merely, and without reproach.
brt with applause. It il no longer true,
as the Seneca Falls Convention declared
In lsis, that all the avenues to wealth
ana distinction are closed TO woman.
that as "A teacher Of theology, medicine
or law she is not known - that The
facilities for obtaining thorough cdu-
cation are denied to her and all colleges
are closed against her; that she has no
right in Property, even TO tho wages
she earns"
The change that Mrs. STANTON saw
cake place as respects the rights of women
during her life OF eighty-seven years
has been revolutionary, and coincidently,