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philanthropy of the few may have entered into those reforms, but political expediency carried both measures. Women, on the contrary, have fought their own battles; and in their rebellion against existing conditions have inaugurated the most fundamental revolution the world has ever witnessed. The magnitude and multiplicity of the changes involved make the obstacles in the way of success seem almost insurmountable.

The narrow self-interest of all classes is opposed to the sovereignty of woman. The rulers in the State are not willing to share their power with a class equal if not superior to themselves, over which they could never hope for absolute control, and whose methods of government might in many respects differ from their own. The annointed leaders in the Church are equally hostile to freedom for a sex supposed for wise purposes to have been subordinated by divine decree. The capitalist in the world of work holds the key to the trades and professions, and undermines the power of labor unions in their struggles for shorter hours and fairer wages, by substituting the cheap labor of a disfranchised class, that cannot organize its forces, thus making wife and sister rivals of husband and brother in the industries, to the detriment of both classes. Of the autocrat in the home, John Stuart Mill has well said: "No ordinary man is willing to find at his own fireside an equal in the person he calls wife." Thus society is based on this fourfold bondage of woman, making liberty and equality for her antagonistic to every organized institution. Where, then, can we rest the lever with which to lift onehalf of humanity from these depths of degradation but on "that columbiad of our political life-the ballot-which makes every citizen who holds it a full-armed monitor"?

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CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE CENTENNIAL YEAR-1876.

The Dawn of the New Century-Washington Convention-Congressional Hear-
ing-Woman's Protest-May Anniversary-Centennial Parlors in Philadelphia
-Letters and Delegates to Presidential Conventions-50,000 Documents sent
out-The Centennial Autograph Book-The Fourth of July-Independence
Square-Susan B. Anthony reads the Declaration of Rights-Convention in
Dr. Furness' Church, Lucretia Mott, Presiding-The Hutchinson Family,
John and Asa-The Twenty-eighth Anniversary, July 19, Edward M. Davis,
Presiding-Letters, Ernestine L. Rose, Clarina I. H. Nichols―The Ballot-
Box-Retrospect-The Woman's Pavilion

CHAPTER XXVIII.

NATIONAL CONVENTIONS, HEARINGS AND REPORTS.

1877-1878-1879.

Renewed Appeal for a Sixteenth Amendment-Mrs. Gage Petitions for a Re-
moval of Political Disabilities-Ninth Washington Convention, 1877-Jane
Grey Swisshelm-Letters, Robert Purvis, Wendell Phillips, Francis E. Abbott
-10,000 Petitions Referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections by
Special Request of the Chairman, Hon. O P. Morton, of Indiana-May An-
niversary in New York-Tenth Washington Convention, 1878-Frances E.
Willard and 30,000 Temperance Women Petition Congress-40,000 Petition
for a Sixteenth Amendment-Hearing before the Committee on Privileges and
Elections-Madam Dahlgren's Protest-Mrs. Hooker's Hearing on Washing-
ton's Birthday-Mary Clemmer's Letter to Senator Wadleigh-His Adverse
Report-Thirtieth Anniversary, Unitarian Church, Rochester, N. Y., July 19,
1878-The Last Convention Attended by Lucretia Mott-Letters, William
Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips-Church Resolution Criticised by Rev. Dr.
Strong-International Women's Congress in Paris-Washington Convention,
1879-Favorable Minority Report by Senator Hoar-U. S. Supreme Court
Opened to Women--May Anniversary at St. Louis-Address of Welcome by
Phoebe Couzins-Women in Council Alone-Letter from Josephine Butler, of
England-Mrs. Stanton's Letter to The National Citizen and Ballot-Box

CHAPTER XXIX.

CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS AND CONVENTIONS.
1880-1881.

Why we Hold Conventions in Washington-Lincoln Hall Demonstration-Sixty-
six Thousand Appeals-Petitions Presented in Congress-Hon. T. W. Ferry of

57

Michigan in the Senate-Hon. Geo. B. Loring of Massachusetts in the House
-Hon. J. J. Davis of North Carolina Objected-Twelfth Washington Con-
vention-Hearings before the Judiciary Committee of both Houses, 1880-
May Anniversary at Indianapolis-Series of Western Conventions-Presidential
Nominating Conventions-Delegates and Addresses to each-Mass-Meeting
at Chicago-Washington Convention, 1881-Memorial Service to Lucretia
Mott-Mrs. Stanton's Eulogy-Discussion in the Senate on a Standing Com-
mittee-Senator McDonald of Indiana Champions the Measure-May Anni-
versary in Boston--Conventions in the chief cities of New England .

CHAPTER XXX.

CONGRESSIONAL DEBATES AND CONVENTIONS.

1882-1883.

Prolonged Discussions in the Senate on a Special Committee to Look After the
Rights of Women, Messrs. Bayard, Morgan and Vest in Opposition-Mr.
Hoar Champions the Measure in the Senate, Mr. Reed in the House-Wash-
ington Convention-Representative Orth and Senator Saunders on the Woman
Suffrage Platform-Hearings Before Select Committees of Senate and House
- Reception Given by Mrs. Spofford at the Riggs House-Philadelphia Con-
vention-Mrs. Hannah Whitehall Smith's Dinner-Congratulations from the
Central Committee of Great Britain-Majority and Minority Reports in the
Senate-E. G. Lapham, J. Z. George-Nebraska Campaign-Conventions
in Omaha-Joint Resolution Introduced by Hon. John D. White of Ken-
tucky, Referred to the Select Committee-Washington Convention, January
24, 25, 26, 1883-Majority Report in the House.

CHAPTER XXXI.

MASSACHUSETTS.

The Woman's Hour-Lydia Maria Child Petitions Congress-First New England
Convention-The New England, American and Massachusetts Associations-
Woman's Journal-Bishop Gilbert Haven-The Centennial Tea-Party-
County Societies-Concord Convention-Thirtieth Anniversary of the Wor-
cester Convention-School Suffrage Association-Legislative Hearing-First
Petitions-The Remonstrants Appear-Women in Politics-Campaign of 1872
-Great Meeting in Tremont Temple-Women at the Polls-Provisions of
Former State Constitutions-Petitions, 1853-School-Committee Suffrage,
1879-Women Threatened with Arrest-Changes in the Laws-Woman Now
Owns her own Clothing-Harvard Annex-Woman in the Professions-Sam-
uel E. Sewall and William I. Bowditch-Supreme-Court Decisions-Sarah E.
Wall-Francis Jackson-Julia Ward Howe-Mary E. Stevens-Lucia M.
Peabody-Lelia Josephine Robinson-Eliza (Jackson) Eddy's Will

CHAPTER XXXII.

CONNECTICUT.

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Prudence Crandall-Eloquent Reformers-Petitions for Suffrage-The Com-
mittee's Report-Frances Ellen Burr-Isabella Beecher Hooker's Reminis-
cences-Anna Dickinson in the Republican Campaign-State Society Formed
October 28, 29, 1869-Enthusiastic Convention in Hartford-Governor Mar-
shall Jewell-He recommends More Liberal Laws for Women-Society
Formed in New Haven, 1871-Governor Hubbard's Inaugural, 1877-Samuel

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