The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-26
Dublin, Wayne County, Was Cradle Of
Movement Which Brought Suffrage

for publication in the city papers"
Later the petition was referred to the
committee on rights and privileges,
which reported that Legislation on
this subject is inexpedient at this
time"
This petition was presented January
19.1859. The legislature never did
take the necessary steps to amend the
constitution to extend the right Of suf-
frage to the women of Indiana, but
81 years later, almost to the very day,
it took the necessary steps to en-
franchise not only them, but so far as
1t had the power, all the women OF
the United States.
The Woman's Rights convention Of
the next autumn proved to be the last
for ten long years. as by 1860 the shad-
ow of war hung heavy over the land
The story of those early days, with
sketches of that remarkable group
of women, including Jane Morrow,
the Rev. Mary T. Clark. Helen V. Aus
tin and Louise V. Boyd, the writers;
Mary Robinson Owen, wife Of Robert
Dale Owens, and others, may be found
in the treasure house Of information,
the History or Woman Suffrage and
w OIudu IlSAIS lIoIAl IllS DSSAhhAAA5
of the Last Century The first three
volumes were prepared by Elizabeth
Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony,
assisted by Matilda Johnson, one OF
the pioneer writer's and speakers of
New. York.
This meeting was so satisfactory
that one as arranged for the next
October, 1852, in Richmond, and here
a permanent woman's rights society
was formed. The resolutions demand
ed that all laws and customs which
infringe on woma'ns equal rights.
| cripple her efforts or place her in an
inferior position before the eyes OF
her family or the world, be Immediate
ly abolished; that all avenues Of EN-.
| ployment be opened to women; that
there should be complete coeducation;
that women should receive for equal
labor equal pay with men; that wo-
men should enjoy the same rights OF
citizenship as men. No convention at
the present day could show clearer
| conception of the 'inalienable rights
| of women.
Convention at indianapolis.
The next year, again in Richmond,
, the well-known abolitionists, Frances
Dana Gage and Joseph S. Griffing
| were among the speakers. In 1854 the
convention went to Indianapolis and
the suffrage leader, Caroline NJ. Sever
ance, came from Cleveland to address
it. The brilliant young lawyer. iona
than w. Gordon, declared in favor of
woman suffrage and added to the sue
| cess of the convention.
The newspapers ridiculed and criti
! ciZed, but the audiences were large
and appreciative, and the convention
returned to Indianapolis in 1855. This
year James and Lucretia Mitt came
| on from Philadelphia, and Ernestine
l.. Rose from New York. In 1856 and
1857 the conventions met in the Meth
| odist Episcopal church in Winchester
Amanda Way, who had. indeed, led
| the way in every reform movement,
gave over the presidency to DR.. Mary
F. Thomas, and it was decided that
| the time had arrived to appeal to the
legislature.
Here again, Indiana was a pioneer
state, as only in New York and per.
haps in one or two other states had
petition for woman suffrage been
sent to a legislature. It was ready in
1858, when the convention met again
in Richmond for a three-day session
| and its president, Sarah E., Underhill
DR.. Thomas, Amanda Way. Emma B
Swank, Agnes Cook and Mary B. Bird.
| sail were appointed to present the
| petition.
i 1t read: "The undersigned, resi-
| dents Of the State Of Indiana, respect
| fully ask you to grant in women the
| same rights in property that are en-
joyed by men. We also ask you to
take the necessary steps to amend the