Connecticut. Susan B. Anthony, Wendell Phillips, Antoinette Brown, T. W. Higginson and Lucy Stone were among the speakers. Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered the closing lecture and Elizabeth Oakes Smith read a poem.

In 1856 the Seventh National Woman's Rights Convention was held in Broadway Tabernacle, New York. Martha C. Wright called the meeting to order; Lucy Stone presided, and made an eloquent opening address. Massachusetts was represented in letters and speakers by Rev. Sam uel Johnson, Francis Jackson, T. W. Higginson, A. Bronson Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, N. H. Whiting and Wendell Phillips. Horace Greeley again gave his assurance of sympathy with the cause. He wrote: "If the women of this, or any other country believe their rights would be better secured, and their happiness promoted by the assumption on their part, of the political franchises and responsibilities of men, I, a republican in principle from conviction, shall certainly interpose no objection."* Frances D. Gage, Ernestine

*Mr. Greeley before his death, in 1872, changed his mind on this subject. (See Addenda.)

38

MASSACHUSETTS IN THE

L. Rose and Lucretia Mott also sp Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote an able woman's rights in the marriage relation.

The 1856 Convention was held just election of President Buchanan, a time issue of the Anti-Slavery question was absorbing thought in the public mind. had been the candidate of the Republic (or "the Party of Freedom,") and the Jessie Benton Fremont, had been made a cry of the campaign. The Convention advantage of this fact, made an appe resolutions to both the Democratic and can parties to do justice "to both halve human race." To the Republican party "Resolved: That the Republican party, ing constantly, through its orators, to sympathy, and using for its most popular cry a female name, is peculiarly pledged sistency, to do justice hereafter in those where it holds control." It need hardly be that no notice was taken of this appeal by to whom it was addressed. And yet the R can party was fast coming into power, ma

of men who were old Anti-Slavery and Free Soil political leaders, whose motto was Emancipation, Free Speech and a Free World!

After Fremont was defeated it seemed to those who had labored so long for the black man's freedom, and for the rights of woman, as if both causes were lost. The Woman Movement was silent for a period of three years, and there is no record of a National or other convention, in which Massachusetts had a part.

A Woman's Rights meeting, the third of the kind in Boston, was held at Mercantile Hall, May 27, 1859, the report of which was published by S. R. Urbino. It was called by Caroline M. Severance and Caroline H. Dall. Mrs. Severance presided and made the address of welcome. Harriot K. Hunt spoke on "Woman: 1st, Restricted in Education; 2d, Deprived of Suffrage; 3d, Taxed without Representation. Rev. James Freeman Clarke, Rev. John T. Sargent, Rev. Charles G. Ames and Wendell Phillips were the speakers. Mrs. Dall made an able report showing what had been the gain to the movement since 1855, in Europe as well as in America.

The Ninth National Convention was held in New York May 12, 1859. A number of the Massachusetts leaders whose names have been mentioned were present, and a committee was appointed to petition the Legislatures of the several states. Their names were, Wendell Phillips, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Caroline H. Dall, Caroline M. Severance, Ernestine L. Rose, Antoinette B. Blackwell, Thomas W. Higginson and Susan B. Anthony. The Tenth National Convention was held in New York city in 1860, and here nearly the same names are found as workers and speakers.

It will be seen that the National Conventions, up to this date, though not often held in the State, were partly organized by Massachusetts reformers who had learned so well how to manage them through their Anti-Slavery experience. Hence, some record of the proceedings of the Conventions mentioned, is necessary, in order to make complete the history of the inception of the Woman's Rights Movement in Massachusetts. The hands of her chieftains can plainly be traced holding the leading strings of

this great reform. A newspaper correspondent, in the Springfield Republican, writing of this matter, said: "If Boston reformers have not absolutely turned the crank of the Universe for the last thirty years, they have taken a spell at it, perhaps oftener than any other men and women in the country, and deserve to have credit given them accordingly."