Press enter after choosing selection

Washington Letter

Washington Letter image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
February
Year
1883
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Washington, D.C., Jan. 27, 1883. Lincoln Hall has been rcsounding this week to the ringing eloquenco of numeróos noted advocates of female suffrage. The 15th annual Washington Convention of the National Woman"sSuffrageassociv tion has just closed its interesting sessions, and atnoDg the dclegates were many long and widely known workers in the canse. The irrepressible Susan B. Anthony still comes to the front and presides with her usual ability, decisión and pluck. Time treats her kindij', for, after close scrutiny I discover no new traces of hls ravages, since two winters ago wheii she stood on the same platform. She delivered the opening address: "Why we coine to Congrest," in a black satin dress, siaiply, bnt fashionably made with plallings, ruffles, and lace; thig pretty dress on a woman whose attire has been distingnislied for its seveiity, seeuied almost like an unspartan concession to f:ivolous fashion. These who have been considered totally devoid of capacity for tasteful drelug. It cannot be charged that they give tiielr whole mlnda to thelr drapery, but their costumes were alinost without exceptiou tasteful and, iu some instances, elegant and handaome. Encouraging proof that in woman the coquetry of dress cannot be wholly cousumed by the firea of her higher enthusiasms. Mrs. Amy T. Dunn, of Indianapolis, gave a very eutertaining diameter lecture (Zekle's wife). She appeared n costume aud siuiulated an old woniau of seventy, a genuine type of the feminine New Englander of fifty years ago, who married and moved to the western states and territories. lt was a sutire on in a u's laws for woman, and man's treatmcnt of woman. It was a very creditable performance, and presented the suilrage idea fully and forcibly. May Wiïght Sewall of Indianapolts gave "the lesson of the Nebraska cainpaign,'1 which, by her interpretation is, tliat woman ia capable of dcvising and executing grand scbemes in spite of overwhelming disadvantages; that woman can act in unanimity and from purely impersonal motives. All of which is calculated to abate "vair. manV' native arrogance of superiority. She is a strong woman and speaks with force and even eloquence. Phoebo Couzins told "what a woman without a country" is. Ten years ago Mis Phoebe waa the professional beauty of the sisterhood, but that was ten years ago. Lillie Deyereux Blake apoke from the text: "Is it a crime to be a woman?" There were addresses also by Ilarriet Spattuck, of Boston, Virginia Minor, of St. Louis, Dr. Caroline Winslow, of Washington, D. C, Henrietta Westbrook of Philadelphia, and others equally well Known. During one of the morning sessicus which were of rather a private character, belng devoted to exccutive business, a reporter succeeded in entering tlio hall and ensconced hiniself in a quiet corner. But he could not escape the eye of ever vigilant woman. He was approachcd, and kindly told that tliey wanted to have 'a little family talk," wanted to have i chance to say something tlmt would not gct into the papers. So he was compelled tofold uphisnote-bookand "quietly steal away." Tbe public meetings of the conrention were well attended, the large audience being mostly composed of women who seemed to be in sympathy with tbe cause, but there was also a sprinkling of congrcssmen and of some men, prominent in official life here. The Committee on ïTsolutions presented a series which were read, discussed, and adopted. The gist of it was that women are citizens of the United States, that by voting they could directly inlluence Icgislation for the promotion of morality andgood government, that they want Congress to pass without delay a sixteenth amendment to the federal constitution now pending in the Senate, which prohibils the several states from disfranchising United States citizens on account of box. In short, they want to vote, and they say they surely will vote in the course of time.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News