The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-05-27
MEETING Of PIONEERS
Celebration to Commemorate
First Woman's Convention.
EARLY N P TO ATTEND.

0Vsoen0 ~ Wnson moving was
Held 70 a. IN View.
Elizabeth Smith Miller Of Geneva,
N. T., who helped to organize the first
woman's convention In the history Of
the world, viii be the unique figure In
the celebration Of the sixtieth anniver.
sary OF the first gathering. which viii
be held in Seneca Falls, N. 7, on
Wednesday, May "a.
Mrs. Miller. one Of the Quaintest Of
Quaker characters, is a daughter Of
0errit Smith, the antislavery cham
pion, and, though more than eighty
years old, Is stu as active in her cham.
pionship Of woman's cause AZ she was
sixty years ago
At that time she was one Of Eliza
beth Cady Stanton's stanchest support
ers In those historic days for any one
to advocate the political freedom Of
women meant ridicule, yet Mrs. Miller,
once she had become convinced that
the suffrage should belong to her sex,
never faltered.
An interesting little story Is related
by Mrs. Harriet Stanton Batch which
she heard her mother tell Of Mrs MIL
ler's horror at the suggestion Of having
q woman's convention, says the New
York Sun. She sympathized with the
cause, yet at that time hadn't become
fully used to the idea Of woman tax.
ing an active part In the affairs Of the
world. When Mrs. Stanton came to her
one day with the scheme Of holding q
convention she exclaimed In amaze
ment:
"Why. Lizzie. thee will make US r.
diculous."
However, this shrinking on the part
Of the gentle little Quaker was Of only
temporary duration, for Mrs. Stanton
won her over as she did Susan B. An.
thony a little later on, for Miss An
thony was an unconverted doubter at
first. It was not until 1851 in Geneva
that she finally became an enthusiastic
convert
While Mrs. Miller is the only sur
vivor Of those who helped organize the
1S4S convention, there will be present
a number Of women who were present,
though they did not participate active
~ in the arrangements for the affair.
Mrs. Batch will represent her noted
mother, and Mrs. Henry Willard will
represent Lucretia Mott, who, it will
be remembered, was a prominent figure
In those early days Of woman's fight
for freedom. Mrs. Perrell Of Washing
ton, the colored woman, will represent
Frederick Douglass the colored anti
slavery leader, and Mrs Osborn of Au-
burn will represent her mother. Mar
tina Wright
One Of the points Of interest will be
the original Wesleyan chapel. In which
q part of the exercises will be held.
Another relic is the report of the first
convention, now torn and yellow with
age. which Mrs. Batch has in her pos
session. It is written in q fine old
fashioned chirography with the utmost
precision and reatness. The opening
paragraph reads:
"A convention to discuss the social.
civic and religious position Of women
was called by the women Of Seneca
county and was held in the village Of
Seneca Falls in the Wesleyan chapel
on the 10th and Goth Of July. 1S48."
1t Is not expected, however, that
many Of the sessions viii be held In
Wesleyan chapel, for the upper portion,
which has been finished off into an
assembly hall, is difficult Of access.
The climb is so long and steep that 1t
is feared the pioneers might find It too
arduous a trip.
The commodious but less historic
Masonic temple may be used instead.
For the big meeting on the opening day
the Presbyterian church will be used
as being the largest auditorium and
the most accessible place in town.
On this occasion the president Of the
Seneca Falls Historical society, J. ].
Chambers. will preside. His father,
Jacob P. Chambers, was one Of the
signers Of the declaration Of indie.
pendence" at the 1848 convention. An.
sci Bascom will also take part. Mr.,
Bascom's right to a prominent place Is
explained when it Is known that while
q member Of the state legislature In
1S45 he secured the enactment Of q
law giving women the right to hold
property.
Mrs. Batch viii herself take an &C
tive part In the anniversary celebra
ton and will urge the women to use
the advantages which they posses:
near at hand in working for civic bet
terment.
"Just as the 1s4s convention" sale
Mrs. Batch, twas an appeal for
deeper and wider citizenship, so thu
keynote Of the 1908 convention wfll b.
a call to both men and women for {
more unselfsh devotion to the inter
ests Of the community in which the!
i've"
For the school children a specia
meeting will be held on the afternoon
IF May p. A big reception will talk
place in Masonic temple after the higl
school meeting and will be given b.
the women Of the village in homo
Of the visitors who will take part IL
the festivities. A memorial tablet vii
be erected to mark the spot where tn