General Correspondence Blackwell Family Blackwell, Lucy Stone Anthony, Susan B. (1850-1853)Susan B. Anthony 1857 Rochester July 21, 1857 Dear Lucy I have just received a copy of the Call, soon to be issued, for a "National Convention, to discuss Disunion--It is (probably) to be held at Cleveland, & in October--To me, it now seems, that the great objection to holding our W. R. Convention at Chicago is removed--viz. that of the great expense of importing speakers from the east-- Phillips, Garrison, Higginson & all the W.R. men will be at the Cleveland Con. And you & Lucretia will want to bethere and I am sure I shall--And if our Convention could follow the Disunion, the distance from Cleveland to Chicago is not great, and I see no reason why we could not get a good force of speakers to stop, & go on to Chicago. I make the suggestion merely--You can see Nette & Mrs. Rose, and must be the one to decide the question. Personally I should love dearly to have the Convention in the West--having never travelled there-- Should you decide upon Chicago is it should be necessary,--I would go on a few weeks previous to attend to preliminaries-- I know Samuel Clarke, brother of James Freeman Clarke, he & his wife are both interested--& people of great judgement-- If we go into the West, will it not be best to have another edition of the tracts printed--remember I have the plates here-- I see Aunt Fanny Gage is Lecturing in Illinois-- She would doubtless go to Chicago--also C.J. Jones--& we shall be more likely to have Mrs. Davis, (Mary F.) I wish I could slip into your nice Orange home to night & talk all these matters over with you-- We could so much more easily & satisfactorily decide on the best plans-- I have expected a letter from you all last week-- telling me what portion of the correspondence, & other work, if any, you assign to me--I have been writing Nette to day, you will see from that how busy Mrs. Stanton is, but she will have a letter for the National Convention--that is if I am not mistaken And Nette must have a letter--I hope to hear she is better--There is to be "times" in Kansas yet--My brother D.B. is here, also my younger brother Merritt--Love [?] S.B. Anthony (2) I think we may reckon on a long letter from Mrs. Stanton I have never known her soul more on fire, then this spring "Oh said she, if I ever get out of this bondage to babies & children and house cares, I will [make] make up for these long years of silence"--I would ask you to urge her Atendance at the Con. but I do mot think it would avail anything now-- It would also do no harm, though & have the effect to put her in train for a good letter Then I have written Mary F Davis, telling her I hoped she would give us her presence, but if that is impossible, which I fear it [is] may be as they are to spend the Autumn in the West & I impressed upon her my urgent wish, that she give us her freshest & strongest thoughtby Way of a letter--I am more & more impressed with the power of intellect & Soul of Mrs. Davis--and when the Worlds deep deep prejudice will allow--she will be ranked among the first & best of our Noble Women, I see Mrs. Nichols is editing a paper in Kansas--We ought to have a letter from her,and Mrs. Gage--Shall I write them & if I do, I shall ask them to give their strongest, best thought in as concise a form as possible & Lucy isn't there time to get a letter from Harriet Martineau and [other] some other English Women. We could put Parker Pillsbury on the Committee on Foreign Correspondence --shall I ask him to solicit letters from some of those Women-- Those who get up a Convention, ought to be in speaking distance of each other and know what each does-- but, Lucy, I will suggest what occurs to me, & then if you can't do the whole, say to me what part you wish me to do-- Can't we get letters from Theodore Parker, Emerson James Freeman Clarke & others--You know all those men, & a letter of invitation from you would have more weight No, you must not leave Phillips to me--I have had to annoy him so much the past winter, that I shrink from writing him again--Mr. Wassan I will cheerfully try & secure, if he returns from Europe in time-- poor man, he was dreadfully prostrated when I saw him in MayI hope Mr. Channing will be home in time for our Con. & see he has accepted a Call at Washington Poor Banks & Wilson--the latter sat under that terrible scathing of Phillips at Framingham --Phillips is getting to be the sharpest shooter in the camp--he surely wields a fine edged blade now a days-- I have thought with you, until of late, that the Social question must be kept separated from W.R.--but we have always claimed that our movement was Human Rights-- not woman's only--therefore we need not confine ourselves to the evils that woman suffers alone--but enlarge our borders as the truth shall be revealed--I sent you Mrs. Stantons letter to the Waterloo Meeting--how do you like it?-- --Can't you get Mr. Garrison to write the resolutions--I do wish he would--Love to you and Nette & regards to your husbands--Truly Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony Rochester July 18, 1957 1857 Dear Lucy I have just received a letter from Judge Hay of Saratoga Springs-- He says he has read a news paper paragraph to the effect that there is to be a Worlds Convention held at Chicago this season, days not specified--and suggests that it would be a good plan to follow it with our Woman's Rights Convention --He does not say what is the purpose of the World's Con.--but I infer from his allusion to that of 1852,--and the burthen of his letter being on the subject of Temperance--that it is a World's Temperance Con. --I have seen no such notice,--but if there were to be some great occasion at Chicago, and our Convention could follow--it might do to talk of Chicago-- Have you consulted Mr. Higginson--it seems to me his opinion, would be worth almost more than any other Man's--he seems specially interested in all that pertains to the W.R. Movement --As regards the place of Con. being at Providence-- if you know reliable friends there who will thoroughly arrange preliminaries,--I am agreed--The fact that the Con. would be a novelty there might secure fuller reports in the Papers, than either Boston or Worcester would give.--But, Lucy, the Call ought to be issued soon, and you please decide upon the place & days--that is you have my permit to do so--and I shall be satisfied--there is one thing as to days--if the Con. is in Mass.--they should be either before or after the furor of their Governor Election--The Yellow Fever never scourges New England hence, fear of that, need not prevent fixing the days--It seems to me it would be decidedly better to fix the time definitely in the Call--My judgement would say not less than five days & two evenings--We always tremble lest we shall not have speakers enough to fill up the time & always have too little time, for even the effective speakers to give their whole thought--I like the idea of opening with a popular evening meeting--but not to cut the Co. short of five days--If the Con. could open at evening with Phillips Higginson Lucretia & Lucy announced as speakers, & the Convention thoroughly advertised at the beginning-- All right about Mrs. Stantons letter--I will endeavor to be in season this year, in urging her up to the Work--she says I was all to blame last year that I did not make any accustomed visitCOPY. (Susan B. Anthony to Lucy Stone,Albany, March 12,1854.) Lucy dearest, Your letter dated Hallowell, March 3rd, was received yesterday. I have been resting, as the saying is, "over the left". Nettie spoke here the 9th inst. The audience was very small owing to an exhibition of the Idiots from the N.Y. State Idiot Asylum, before the Legislature. Nettie is very worn and tired, says positively [that] she is going to rest six months now--but think of her resting with two sermons and a lecture or two every week. The dress question I pass over, fully agreeing with you that woman can never compete successfully with man in the various industrial avocations, in long skirts. No one knows their bondage save the few of us who have known the freedom of shor t skirts. You are going to Cincinnati in April. Will not you write me when you will pass through Albany, that I may if possible meet you there. Lydia Mott desires me to say toyou, she wishes to see you at her house very much, and hopes you will pass through Albany and stop with her over one day. I hope you will too. I shall stay east until after the anniversaries, I now think. I am going to leave for Washington on Tuesday, in company with Mrs. Rose, who is going to speak there on the Nebraska question, as deduced from Human Rights and then follow on Women's Rights. I go to do the business for her as she has not strength to attend to it. I feel that woman should, in the very Capital of the page 2. S.B.A. to Lucy Stone, March 12, 1854 nation, lift her voice against that abominable measure. It is not enough that H.B. Stowe should write. I shall be in Washington until the last of next week. Should you be able to write me in time, I should like to hear while there when you will be in Albany, if at all. How glad I am that you are having so good meetings in Maine. I hope this will find you at home and resting. You ought to take a long rest, as well as Nettie and myself. My work has been different from yours, and yet very wearing upon flesh and bones. I enclose Mrs. Rose's answer to the Register. By the way, report says Dr. Mandeville wrote that vile slang instead of the editor. I also enclose an article from the pen of Channing. Do manage to stop in Albany if you can. If you go by New York, when will you be there? Maybe we can meet in New York. Goodbye Lucy. You have not more confidence in my fidelity than I have in yours. No, nor more love for me than I for you. S.B.A.Rochester July 12, 1853 Dear Lucy I have just this moment seen Mr. Channing and shown him the enclosed notice. I have written a plain letter to Oliver Johnson. I feel that Mr. Burleigh would not consent to withhold the Call. J.A. Dugdale, when here in the middle of June, said he saw Burleigh in New York and that the Call would be issued in a few days. You feel with me and all the friends here, that the Committee are not at liberty to withhold that Call. Douglass says decidedly if he were in your position he would issue it on his individual responsibility. Mr. C. more careful says it seems to him he should do so. I hope you will send it to the Tribune forthwith, but if you do not, please let me know forthwith, so that I may go to work to secure the appointment of Delegates from our State and have their credentials sent for the acceptance or rejection at the half World's Temperance Convention. Have you any Women's Temperance Society that will appoint you and Abbey and others as delegates. What Society can appoint Mrs. Nichols, Aunt Fanny, your humble servant, Lucretia Mott, William L. Garrison, Phillips and all that school? Douglas, Redmond, &c. If there is no Call issued and women delegates are rejected by the Committee, Marsh & Co all we have to do is to keep quiet. It would be ridiculous in the extreme to call a Whole World's Convention after that. Would Higginson refuse to act with us if the Call is not issued? Do you see Garrison and the Anti Slavery Bugle both approve of holding a Whole World's Temperance Convention? Will you please let me know by return mail your final decision for the matter rests with you. Do you feel that there is any danger but we may have a spirited Convention? How I wish I could see you for a few minutes. The thing surely should be settled and the world notified of the exact state of things. Mr. Cs last words were "I am decidedly in favor of issuing the Call forthwith," and so am I. Yours in haste, with love S.B. AnthonyBloomer dress Rochester, N.Y. May 25, 1852 Dear Lucy: Your note of the 23d inst. is rec`d. Don`t, I beg of you, say one word about not being at our meeting next Wednesday & Thursday. You "hope that a grand expose will be made of the action of the Brick Church." Who but Lucy Stone can do the subject justice? Frederick & Mrs. Stanton are both going to write a resolution on thatSuffrage Referendum State Committee. Headquarters, 3 Park Street, Boston September 23, 1895. To The Editor: Dear Sir, We enclose herewith a copy of the Suffrage Referendum Act passed by the late Legislature, and respectfully request that you will do what you can to promote a full vote of men and women on this question by printing the Act and the appended Rules for the Registration of Women Voters in your paper, and by calling frequent and conspicuous attention to the fact that the registration of voters will close October 16 (the date in Boston), or on such date as the Registrar of Voters in your city or town my have fixed. In behalf of the Committee, Mrs. OLE BULL, Chairman MARY C. SMITH, State Organizer 2 matter. If you think of a good way to word one, please note it down. If you can't come, why then a letter will be acceptable. Suppose the Con. Comm. do not give you a hearing this week and you were to come on to Rochester, your friends can telegraph you and you can be back to Boston in less than 24 hours. I had a nice little chat with Mrs. Stanton on my way home. She is so afraid you will not come, - said I must write you not to fail.Suffrage Referendum State Committee. Headquarters, 3 PARK STREET, BOSTON. September 23, 1895. TO THE EDITOR: DEAR SIR - We enclose herewith a copy of the Suffrage Referendum Act passed by the late Legislature, and respectfully request that you will do what you can to promote a full vote of men and women on this question by printing the Act and the appended Rules for the Registration of Women Voters in your paper, and by calling frequent and conspicuous attention to the fact that the registration of voters will close October 16 (the date in Boston), or on such date as the Registrar of Voters in your city or town may have fixed. In behalf of the Committee, Mrs. OLE BULL, Chairman MARY C. SMITH, State Organizer 3 She has not written an address, other than a short one for an opening one. She is going to appear in her new style of dress, short & no pants. She even gave me a new dress if I would have it made & come out with her, but I cannot feel that it would be best for me to make any such change. She has an idea of getting rid of the name (to her & many of us odious) "Bloomer dress"Suffrage Referendum State Committee. Headquarters, 3 PARK STREET, BOSTON September 23, 1895. TO THE EDITOR: DEAR SIR, - We enclose herewith a copy of the Suffrage Referendum Act passed by the late Legislature, and respectfully request that you will do what you can to promote a full vote of men and women on this question by printing the Act and the appended Rules for the Registration of Women Voters in your paper, and by calling frequent and conspicuous attention to the fact that the registration of voters will close October 16 (the date in Boston), or on such date as the Registrar of Voters in your city or town may have fixed. In behalf of the Committee, Mrs. OLE BULL, Chairman MARY C. SMITH, State Organizer 4 She cannot do so. It will only be said the Bloomers have doffed their pants the better to display their legs. She had on a dress when I was there. It was shorter, somewhat, than young girls wear, looks very well, but is so long that she has stepped on it & torn it twice. It will not be as warm in winter as our present style: but enough of dress. - Harriet K. Hunt has been sick in Albany. I got a note from her this A.M. - saying she would leave there at 7 this AM & desiring me to meet bu5 her at the Rochester Depot. I accordingly went down this P.M., but no Harriet came, & I fear she is sick again. Oh, Lucy, I do so hope you will be here next week, it seems to me we shall have no meeting at all without you. I want to see you in my own home. I want you too to show up the inconsistency of our tem(perance) platform excluding men. As regards Dr. Lester being on that local committee, I know nothing - Did not notice his name in the6 reports I have read. It would be most glorious if the Old Fogy Priests would leave the field to the progressives. I cannot see with Phillips with regard to the time of our World's Temp. Con. I would like to have the report of our meeting appear first right well, but then there are a large number of people who would like to attend both meetings, who could illy afford to stop in N.Y. two weeks. Didn`t Greely use up "Rev. John" about right - Hewit Marsh convention, an "Orthodox White Male Adults' Saints' Temp. Convention." I saw Dr. Charles Jewett on the7 cars. He says he will speak at our convention, that the Brick Church Divines made "grannies" of themselves. After saying that, he begged pardon of the grandmothers. Let me know what train you will be on or what morning you will leave Albany, & I or some of our family will meet you at depot. The Ohio Convention commences to day. I hope Nette is well & will do the cause good service, as I know she will, & get back to Rochester in time for our meeting. Yours very affectionately, Susan B. Anthony (over) 8 Mr. Channing thinks that Brick Church action should be fully & fairly carried before the English people. Mr. Phillips I suppose has written English friends about the matter & invited them to take part in the Whole World's Temp. Con. I have just read the address of Victor [Henry`s] Hugo at the grave of one of his companions in exile. He should be invited to speak, should he not? Harriet Martineau too. Mr. Channing is going to bring a new idea before our Tem. women, that is that the women of the State shall annually vote9 on this temperance question at a separate time from the men until their right is granted. Would it not be grand to have all the women of the State cast their vote for or against the legalizing of the sale of rum! S B ASuffrage Referendum State Committee Headquarters, 3 PARK STREET, BOSTON. September 23, 1895. TO THE EDITOR: DEAR SIR, - We enclose herewith a copy of the Suffrage Referendum Act passed by the late Legislature, and respectfully request that you will do what you can to promote a full vote of men and women on this question by printing the Act and the appended Rules for the Registration of Women Voters in your paper, and by calling frequent and conspicuous attention to the fact that the registration of voters will close October 16 (the date in Boston), or on such date as the Registrar of Voters in your city or town may have fixed. In behalf of the Committee, Mrs. OLE BULL, Chairman MARY C. SMITH, State Organizer.COPY Excerpt from letter of S.B.A. to Lucy Stone, May 1, 1853 ...."I hope you will attend the Anniversary on the 11th Inst., and also the meeting of Temperance Delegates on the 12th, and help us Tem. women claim our right to be represented in the World's Temperance Convention. I expect the brothers will feel very much disturbed at our presence. Surely there is no peace for them until woman's equality is fully recognized. ....."We intend to place our society on higher ground, admit all on terms of perfect equality. I leave home tomorrow or next day, and shall stop a few days in Washington Co. previous to going to N.Y. I look to the Antislavery friends to sustain us in our claim that woman shall be represented at the World's Convention. Were it not for the hope of their presence, I should shrink from going into that meeting. Your Constitutional Convention comes off the 5th inst. I hope your winter's labors may not have been in vain, but that Mass. will take the lead in granting to woman her equality. Yours truly, Susan B. Anthony 1853 S B Anthony Home July 18/53 Dear Lucy Yours of the 14th did not arrive until this A.M. - My eyes have feasted on the Call for Whole World's Tem. Con. The remarks of Greely are first rate - Who but you Lucy could have braved & conquered the objection of such an array of men - I feel very, very happy that all promises so well now - Nette wrote me last week, spoke of your letter & said the arrangement suited her well, of course she has written you ere this, to place her name among those who call a W.B. Con at N.Y. - Indeed it will be capital to have our Women's Con. along side of the "Orthodox, White Male, adult Saints Tem. Con. - " Now I want to board with you & Nette, My Sister Mary will accompany me - suppose we engage rooms at Dr. Tralls[?] that is a convenient location. Mrs. Stanton I dare say cannot find time to answer your note. She says she will not attend a Con. nor write a line to one until this baby is on its feet & she freed from household cares - She is all taken up with association ideas - Sees no other way for Woman to be developed - Now I know she has part of an address prepared on divorce & I will try my luck in persuading her to complete it - She must certainly do something for at least one of the Conventions The new Ex. Com. of Women's State Tem. Society are making ready to go to New York, to hold their first Ex. Com. Meeting - Isn`t it nice for some 10 or 12 women to go from Buffalo, Rochester, Elmira, Seneca Falls & Utica to the Worlds Fair, Tem. Con. & Womens R. Con., all at the expense of the Society - I'm thinking where their funds will rise up from - I hear nothing of the Agents, Mrs. Albro is at home yet & of course is not making very heavy additions to the Treasury, the other two never have collected anything more than enough to pay expenses, You ought to speak in Utica, & Mrs. Wright wants you to speak on W.R. in Auburn again - about8 miles from Auburn [all?] Port Byron & Weedsport - On route west I would like to have you speak at Canajoharie, where I taught in Academy for three years, I will stop there with you, My Mothers brother lives there, the people are neither Conservatives nor liberals they do not think at all on the reform questions - I was at Mrs. Hallowells this A.M. they are all in earnest to have you come here & spend two or three weeks - & so am I - My two married sisters will be here then & I want to see them truly converted & you may be the instrument of converting them & hundreds more by giving a course of lectures on Woman Rights & Anti Slavery in Rochester, there are many large villages between this & Buffalo & this Auburn where you might have good meetings -- Lucy you must make Western N.Y your field of labor this winter Now Lucy do arrange to hold all the meetings you wish to in the neighborhood of Syracuse previous to the 1st of Oct. so that you may go directly on to Rochester after that - You must rest at least one week previous to the Cleveland Convention, & do take that rest with me, our Peach orchard will be in its 2d glory then - the earliest peaches gone, & the rich Mala cutoons[?] just ready to tempt the wayfarer - I feel so thanful to you for your perseverance in getting that call issued & again thank Greely for making our cause his - for identifying himself with us. If you can tell me about the number of meetings you think you can hold east of Syracuse, I will do what I can for you on my way down. Yours with Love, S.B. AnthonyS.P Townsend of N. York has a Sister in Utica who is both Anti Slavery & W. Rights & has influence in Utica-- her name I have forgotten, I presume the man who got up our Tem. meetings would interest himself in Anti Slavery & perhaps Woman's Rights. Lydia Mott is acquainted with S.P. Townsend sister & I will write her about the matter--Nette & I had large & good audiences in Utica & there has never been but little A.S. & no Woman's Rights there The man who got up our meetings is F.J. Corey, Utica J.W. Sawyer Port Byron Mrs. H.S. Zoller Little Falls Herkimer Co. would take interest in getting up meetings in that place. Then, there are Rome, Oneida & Chittenango I cannot give names at those places Dear Lucy: Your's of the 14th did not arrive until this A.M.-- My eyes have feasted on the Call for Whole World's Tem. Con. The remarks of Greely are first rate--Who but you Lucy could have braved and conquered the objections of such an array of men--I feel very, very happy that all promises so well now--Nette wrote me last weeke, spoke of your letter and said the arrangement suited her well, of course she has written you ere this, to place her name among those who call a W. R. Con. at N.Y. Indeed it will be capital to have our Women's Conv. along side of the "Orthodox, White Male, adult Saints Gen. Con." Now I want to board with you and Nette. My Sister Mary will accompany me--suppose we engage rooms at Dr. Trasks, that is a convenient location. Mrs. Stanton I dare say cannot find time to answer your note. She says she will not attend a Con. nor write a line to one until this baby is on its feet and she freed from household cares--she is all taken up with association ideas-- sees no other way for woman to be developed--Now I know she has part of an address prepared on divorce and I will try my luck in persuading her to complete it-- She must certainly do something for at least one of the Conventions. The new Ex. Com. of Women's State Tem. Society are making ready to go to New York, to hold their first Ex. Com. meeting--Isn't it nice for some 10 or 12 women to go from Buffalo, Rochester, Elmira, Seneca Falls and Utica to the World's Fair, Tem. Con. and Women's R. Con. all at the expense of the Society,--I'm thinking where their funds will rise up from--I hear nothing of the Agents, Mrs. Albro is at home yet and of course is not making very heavy additions to the Treasury, the other two never have collected anything more than enough to pay expenses, You ought to speak in Utica, and Mrs. Wright wants you to speak on W. R. in Auburn again--about 8 miles from Auburn are Port Byron and Weedsport-- On route West I would like to have you speak at Canajoharie, where I taught in Academy for three years. I will stop there with you, my mother's brother lives there. The people are neither Conservatives nor liberals. They do not think at all on the reform questions--I was at Mrs. Hallowells this A.M. they are all in earnest to have you come on here and spend two or three weeks-- and so am I--My two married sisters will be here then and I want to see them truly converted and you may be the instrument of converting them and hundreds more by giving a course of lectures om Woman Rights and Anti-Slavery in Rochester. there are many large villages between this and Buffalo and this Auburn where you might have good meetings. Lucy you must make Western N.Y. your field ofCopy. Susan B. Anthony to Lucy Stone, July 18, 1853. labor this winter. A omitted here Now Lucy do arrange to hold all the meetings you wish to in the Neighborhood of Syracuse previous to the 1st of Oct. So that you may go directly on to Rochester after that - You must rest at least one week previous to the Cleveland Convention, and do take that rest with me, our Peach orchard will be in its 2nd glory then - the earliest peaches gone, and the rich Malacutoons just ready to temp the wayfarer. I feel so thankful to you for your perseverance in getting that Gall issued, and again thank Greely for making our cause his - for identifying himself with us. If you can tell me about the number of meetings you think you can hold east of Syracuse, I will do what I can for you on my way down. Yours with Love, S.B.Anthony Editor's Note: "Nette" is Antoinette Brown Blackwell Greely is Horace Greely, Editor of the Tribune. This letter was read to Miss Blackwell just three days before her death in March 1950. Miss Blackwell clasped her hands at her chin and expressed great delight that the credit for the calling of the convention had been given to her mother. "That was the convention my mother told me about in later years. She worked hard to get the call ready and she was responsible for it entirely." Miss Blackwell smiled at the reference to the "White Male, adult Saints Convention". E L [?]Copy. Susan B. Anthony to Lucy Stone, July 18, 1853 labor this winter. Now Lucy do arrange to hold all the meetings you wish to in the Neighborhood of Syracuse previous to the 1st of Oct. So that you may go directly on to Rochester after that - You must rest at least one week previous to the Cleveland Convention, and do take that rest with me, our Peach orchard will be in its 2nd glory then - the earliest peaches gone, and the rich Malacutoons just ready to temp the wayfarer. I feel so thankful to you for your perseverance in getting that Call issued, and again thank Greely for making our cause his - for identifying himself with us. If you can tell me about the number of meetings you think you can hold east of Syracuse, I will do what I can for you on my way down. Yours with Love, S.B.Anthony Editor's Note: "Nette" is Antoniette Brown Blackwell Greely is Horace Greely, Editor of the Tribune. This letter was read to Miss Blackwell just three days before her death in March 1950. Miss Blackwell clasped her hands at her chin and expressed great delight that the credit for the calling of the convention had been given to her mother. "That was the convention my mother told me about in later years. She worked hard to get the call ready and she was responsible for it entirely." Miss Blackwell smiled at the reference to the "White Male, adult Saints Convention".SUSAN B. ANTHONY LETTERS In the late 1920s when Alice Stone Blackwell was preparing the biography of her mother, "LUCY STONE - PIONEER OF WOMAN'S RIGHTS" she went to Rochester, N. Y. and copied many of the letters in the Susan B. Anthony collection. The attached letter in Alice Blackwell's writing is one of those she copied. It contains information about Channing's plan for New York women to vote on Temperance Speakers for the Whole Worlds' Temperance Convention Brick Church expose Urging Lucy to attend Rochester meeting Bloomer Dress - Mrs. Stanton on Temperance Platform "excluding men"(copy) ASB 1852 C.H. Simmons & Co., Printers, 111 Arch Street, Boston Addressed to Lucy Stone Camillus, N.Y. Marcellus, Nov. 12, 1852 Dear Lucy I was so glad to learn from your note, handed me last evening at our meeting, that you would speak in this place. There is indeed a strong feeling, a great earnestness to 2 C.H. Simmons & Co., Printers, 111 Arch Street, Boston hear you. This evening had been set apart for the delivering of a eulogy [up]on Daniel Webster. I announced your intention to speak he (sic) here to night. There was a unanimous expression in favor of waving the eulogy. I remarked to several of the friends that I thought Lucy Stone would pronounce a far more truthful 3 C.H. Simmons & Co., Printers, 111 Arch Street, Boston eulogy than could a politician. I feel that your lecture will do away with the wish for a fulsome eulogy. I spoke last evening with brain bifogged with the dinner I ate, a pickled peach & chunk of cheese rendered me almost incapable of expressing an idea clearly. Do not you eat anything for your dinnerC.H. Simmons & Co., Printers, 111 Arch Street, Boston today that will in an way be a tax upon your brain. I very much regret we have an appointment to night. I would so love to listen to your truthful words. I do hope you will have power given you to show up the subject in a manner that will tell. The people were all taken aback last evening. Women's 5 C.H. Simmons & Co., Printers, 111 Arch Street, Boston noses were turned up to no small extent. I do feel it & must express the feeling that you are doing an amount of good rarely exceeded by any laborer in the reforms. May long life be your portion & good health added. With a great deal of love I am your friend Susan B. Anthony this Doct. is one of the friends of reformWest Brookfield, Jan 8, 1853 Dear Susan Your letter mailed from Johnstown, on the 3rd inst, has just come to my hand. I mailed a letter yesterday to you at Seneca Falls, saying that I thought it important that there should be women speakers, and if you could not get Miss Brown, I would endeavor to go. Now I see by your last, that you want a "lot" of us, and that some of us are to be taken by force. I think Antoinette will do well to speak before the Legislature. I have not one word to say in favor of the Maine Law, so I should make a sorry figure attempting to address their Committee, for unfortunately, I have to believe what I advocate, or I cannot make an impression. I can't have time to prepare more than one speech, so don`t depend upon me for that amount. If at your P.M. meeting anything is then given me to speak I will do so. God bless your earnest and faithful spirit, Susan. I am glad that the temperance cause has so devoted and judicious a friend. Yours sincerely and admiringly Lucy Stone Seneca Falls, Dec. 19, 1852 Dear Lucy I am now in Mrs. Stanton's nursery, have been enjoying a good chat, one that strengthens. .... In my last letter I urged you to attend our Temperance Meeting at Albany. I am not now less anxious that you should be there at that time, but wish to say in addition, that we all want you at the "People's College Meeting." The form of petition which they have got up is a miserable non-committal sort of a thing. .... Mrs. Stanton is writing the Appeal to the Legislature, and says I must read it, and Lucy Stone must follow it. She says, "Lucy may think that since she is not a resident of the State, it is not fitting for her to address the Honorable Body, but says Angelina Grimke went before the Massachusetts Legislature, when she was a resident of South Carolina. .... What think you Lucy, I am in short skirts and trousers, and have spoken in Auburn! Susan B. Anthony Boston, Apr. 12, 1853 Dear Susan I am to go to New York without Nettie, or anyone. I prefer in these short evenings to be alone. I have more than half regretted it, ever since I consented to go. They will make a great cry about me, such as I shall not be able to meet. I have written them to be modest in their claims for me, as I am incapable of making a demonstration. I am sorry that Mrs. Bloomer has treated you so, but it takes everybody 40 years to get out of the wilderness, and we must be patient with those who have much of this pilgrimage yet to make. You don't know how strong it has made me feel to read of your good meetings. When woman can serve her own Cause so well, there, is surely a "better day" coming for her. I have written Mrs. Bloomer that if I am not too tired, I will go to your meeting. In haste, lovingly Lucy StoneSBA West Brookfield, July 4, 1853 Susan dear, your patience is almost out with me, but I waited to learn definitely relative to our "whole world's convention." Oliver Johnson, of the local committee proposed what Mrs. Fowler wrote you. Dr. Wellington and Mr. Higginson immediately wrote me that they concurred with it. Mr. H. said he was willing to head a call, accepting of their call and pledging that no one should be excluded. At the same time he said he had no doubt that we should be rejected, but they would have a place prepared to which we could at once adjourn, and thus have a better schism than the first. No one could then accuse us of not having used all means of agreement. Mr. H. sent me such a Call. I immediately wrote Burleigh, Higginson, and Wellington, that after the meeting at Dr. Trall's had decided to hold our Convention, no committee had a right to change that decision, and give us into the camp of the enemy. That after our secession and public protest it was due, both to the principle involved, and to our own self-respect, not to back out; that it seemed to me like child's play, and that for one, I did not want to offer myself again to be insulted. To-day Oliver Johnson is at Washington to celebrate the 4th, and I have written Garrison to "take him over the coals" and convince him. They were to have had the meeting to decide matters, last Thursday, and L. Baron who has kept me well posted up, wrote me that their committee were in favor of going into the Fogy meeting, but that they waited to hear from the committee on the Call. Now they knowmy opinion thoroughly. Charles Burleigh is somewhere in Bucks County, and I have not heard from him. J.A. Dugdale agrees with the New York committee. I have been sick, head and heart, at the thought of the loss of the glorious vantage ground the Brick Church meeting gave us, but I have done what I could to prevent it. Reason and instinct both revolt at the course they are pursuing. I am sad, sad, sad. So much for that. Rochester has borne two terrible inflictions in its two Temperance meetings. I received the papers from your brother and William Hallowell. How mean!! Will the women learn anything by it? It is doubtful. You ask in your first letter, if it will not be well now to have a society where men and women can work side by side? I do not know enough of the circumstances to advise. If "the pear is not ripe," in other words, if there are not enough who agree with you, to form a society that can live, it will be best to wait. You, in the meantime might by meetings in the different best localities, create the material. What is the Carson League? Could you effect anything through that? We can't get the National Woman's Convention changed from Cleveland, so we are calling an independent meeting in New York City, to follow immediately after the Temperance meeting. The Call is in circulation. I spent all day yesterday in getting it ready to send. Will you sign it and get Channing to, (if he is in Rochester, if not, dont trouble yourself.) I would copy it, but I have not time, and you and Channing can trust me to give youthe substance of it, which is, that already much good feeling exists toward our movement, and that we should use every opportunity to embody that feeling into action; saying also that much is already gained, and that since the press of New York is listened to by the Nation, and the crowd will be there, we invite all the well-wishers to the cause to meet &c. Now let me know soon whether you can sign it, for we desire to publish as soon as possible.... Aff. Lucy StoneCOPY (Susan B.Anthony to Lucy Stone, Rochester, May 25,1852. ) Dear Lucy: Your note of the 23d inst. is rec'd. Don't, I beg of you, say one word about not being at our meeting next Wednesday and Thursday. You "hope that a grand expose will be made of the action of the Brick Church". Who but Lucy can do the subject justice? Frederick and Mrs. Stanton are both going to write a resolution on that matter. If you think of a good way to word one, please note it down. If you can't come, why then a letter will be acceptable. Suppose the Con.Com. do not give you a hearing this week and you were to come on to Rochester, your friends can telegraph you and you can be back to Boston in less than 24 hours. I had a nice little chat with Mrs. Stanton on my way home. She is so afraid you will not come, - said I must write you not to fail. She has not written an address, other than a short one for an opening one. She is going to appear in her new style of dress, short and no pants. She even gave me a new dress if I would have it made and come out with her, but I cannot feel that it would be best for me to make any such change. She has an idea of getting rid of the name (to her and many of us odious) "Bloomer dress". She cannot do so. It will only be said the Bloomers have doffed their pants the better to display their legs. She had on a dress when I was there. It was shorter, somewhat, than young girls wear, looks very well, but is so long that she had stepped on it and torn it twice. It will not be as warm in winter as our present style: but enough of dress. Harriot K. Hunt has been sick in Albany. I got a note from her this A.M. saying she would leave there at 7 this A.M. and S.B.A. to Lucy Stone, May 25, 1852 - page 2. desiring me to meet her at the Rochester Depot. I accordingly went down this P.M. but no Harriet came and I fear she is sick again. Oh, Lucy, I do so hope you will be here next week, it seems to me we shall have no meeting at all without you. I want to see you in my own home. I want you too to show up the inconsistency of our tem. platform excluding men. As regards Dr. Lester being on that local committee, I know nothing - Did not notice his name in the reports I have read. It would be most glorious if the Old Gofy Priests would leave the field to the progressives. I cannot see with Phillips with regard to the time of our World's Temp. Con. I would like to have the report of our meeting appear first right well, but then there are a number of people who would like to attend both meetings, who could illy afford to stop in N.Y. two weeks. Didn't Greely use up "Rev. John" about right - Hewit Marsh convention, an 'Orthodox White Male Adults' saints' Temp. Convention". I saw Dr. Charles Jewett on the cars. He says he will speak at our convention, that the Brick Church Divines made "grannies" of themselves. After saying that, he begged pardon of the grandmothers. Let me know what train you will be on or what morning you will leave Albany, and I or some of our family will meet you at depot. The Ohio Convention commences today. I hope Nette is well and will do the cause good service, as I know she will, and get back to Rochester in time for our meeting. Yours very affectionately, Susan B.Anthony (over) Mr. Channing thinks that Brick Church action should be fully and fairly carried before the English people. Mr. Phillips I supposeS.B/A. to Lucy Stone, May 25, 1852 - page 3 has written English friends about the matter and invited them to take part in the Whole World's Tmp. Con. I have just read the address of Victor Hugo at the grave of one of his companions in exile. He should be invited to speak, should he not? Harriet Martineau too. Mr. Channing is going to bring a new idea before our Tem. women, that is that the women of the State shall annually vote on this temperance question at a separate time from the men until their right is granted. Would it not be grand to have all the women of the State cast their vote for or against the legalizing of the sale of rum! S.B.A.Miss Anthony to L.S. Rochester, May 1, 1853 Dear Lucy: I rejoice with you that the New York meetings are over, & I rejoice too that they were so good. If the reports are to be relied on, you made two most convincing speeches. When it rained so, last Monday night, I was at Syracuse, & had all sorts of sorry feelings lest your meeting would be so small as to disinspirit you; & when Sarah Pellet brought me the For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond. Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond. 2 work in Metropolitan Hall, as though we ourselves had been the instruments. I am very, very glad you went to New York. Those speeches were not only spoken to the thousands in the Metropolis, but are [co] carried to the remotest parts of this nation, & will in a few days be wafted across the Atlantic & [rea] be read by vast numbers of inhabitants of the old world. Verily, [these] those lectures have been given to the whole civilized world. I know something of the exhaustion you are now suffering, after such intense excitement, & really hope you may be able to take some quiet rest. Nature demands it at your hands. Lucy, do live a long life there is a vast deal of work for you to do; therefore be prudent, that you may have strength to accomplish it. I have a letter from Mrs. Fowler 4 calls them, wish to stave off the divorce question, & we of course are the more anxious to have those present who can discuss it fully & ably. Mr. Channing is with us. I am going to the city to hear him, lecture on the Clergy & their influence, this eve. Tuesday A.M. I hope you will attend the Anniversary on the 11th inst., & also the meeting of temperance Delegates on the 12th, & help us Tem. women claim our right to be represented in the World's Temperance Convention. I expect the brothers will feel very much disturbed at our presence. Surely there is no peace for them until woman's equality is fully recognized. I shall be at the annual meeting in N. York. If you are there, you can learn my whereabouts at the office of Fowler & Wells, 131 Nassau St. I wish I could make you feel how Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond. Tribune on Tuesday P.M., I read the report most eagerly & joyously, I can assure you. Nettie & I had a meeting in Syracuse Tuesday night, the 26th, one in Utica Wednesday the 27th, both good. Mrs. Bloomer not in company. Nettie & I both said that we felt as happy that Lucy had done s[???] a glorious Ward 15. Republican Ticket WITH Women Voters' Candidates For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. 3 She says you express some doubts about being at our annual meeting. Mrs. Stanton desires me to say to you that she hopes you will not fail to be here. She wants to write you, but oh dear, Lucy, what can she do with five children & two raw Irish girls - Nettie & I staid all night with her last Thursday night. They got into a discussion on the divorce question. I think the right of divorce can be most clearly proved. Now, Lucy, do come, & if you can manage to stay after our meeting, I will get you [it] up some meetings here that shall be profitable both spiritually & pecuniarily. One thing I want to say is, don't let money hinder you from coming. Trust me that you shall be compensated for your time. Some of our "Little Fry," as Mrs. StantonWard 15. Republican Ticket WITH Women Voters' Candidates For School Committee. For Mayor, AUGUSTUS P. MARTIN. For Street Commissioner, SAMUEL HICHBORN. For Alderman, Seventh Aldermanic District, CHARLES M. BROMWICH. For School Committee, CHARLES C. PERKINS. LUCIA M. PEABODY. EMILY A. FIFIELD. WILLIAM GASTON. FRANCIS A. WALKER. SAMUEL ELIOT. WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON. THOMAS GAFFIELD. For Common Council, SAMUEL KELLEY. ROBERT PROVAN. AUGUSTUS C. RICHMOND. 6 meeting. Your Constitutional Convention comes off the 5th inst. I hope your winter's labors may not have been in vain, but that Mass. will take the lead in granting to woman her equality. Yours truly, Susan B. Anthony.Ward 15. Republican Ticket WITH Women Voters' Candidates For School Committee. For Mayor, AUGUSTUS P. MARTIN. For Street Commissioner, SAMUEL HICHBORN. For Alderman, Seventh Aldermanic District, CHARLES M. BROMWICH. For School Committee, CHARLES C. PERKINS. LUCIA M. PEABODY. EMILY A. FIFIELD. WILLIAM GASTON. FRANCIS A. WALKER. SAMUEL ELIOT. WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON. THOMAS GAFFIELD. For Common Council, SAMUEL KELLEY. ROBERT PROVAN. AUGUSTUS C. RICHMOND. 5 important it is that you be at our Temperance Convention June 1. I saw your friend Mr. Dewey a few days since. He wished me to say to you that they should be happy to have you come on in time to make them a visit before the meeting--but do come, Lucy. I hope to see you "face to face" in New York, then I can explain matters to you. We intend to place our society on higher ground, admit all on terms of perfect equality. I leave home tomorrow or next day, & shall stop a few days in Washington Co. previous to going to N.Y. I look to the Antislavery friends to sustain us in our claim[s] that women shall be represented at the World's Convention. Were it not for the hope of their presence, I should shrink from going into thatWard 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond.Ward 15 Republican Ticket WITH Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, AUGUSTUS P. MARTIN. For Street Commissioner, SAMUEL HICHBORN. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, CHARLES M. BROMWICH. For School Committee, CHARLES C. PERKINS. LUCIA M. PEABODY. EMILY A. FIFIELD. WILLIAM GASTON. FRANCIS A. WALKER. SAMUEL ELIOT. WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON. THOMAS GAFFIELD. For Common Council, SAMUEL KELLEY. ROBERT PROVAN. AUGUSTUS C. RICHMOND.5 are very imperfect. I have paid Wells for the N.Y. Reports, & have some $2 of that convention money yet in my possession. Mr. Higginson ordered the whole W. Tem. Con. money to be sent to Le Baron to be expended for reports to be sent, as I understood, to the members of the Con. - have heard nothing from Le Baron since. Do let me hear from you often, don't fail to stop in R. S.B.A. 1943-7SBA to LS Rochester, Dec. 13, 1853. Dear Lucy Your note from Indianapolis, dated Nov. 28, was duly received, & should have been answered long ere this. We are all greatly rejoiced at your success in Ky., & also that you are laboring in Indiana. Much as we wished your presence at our recent convention in this city, we could but feel that it was better for you to be in the South & West. I send you by same mail with this our Democrat's report of the convention, & enclose a copy of the Call for the meeting, & the Appeal to the friends of Woman's Rights, relative to circulating the Petitions. The Call Resolutions, Petitions & Appeal are all of 1943-3 2 Channing's writing. I think our convention passed off most gloriously for the cause. How could it be otherwise, with such spirits present as S.J. May, W.H. Channing, E. L. Rose, & A.L. Brown? Mrs. Coe & Mrs. Jenkins did not arrive until the P.M. of the last day. Mrs. Stanton was just weaning her baby, & it was hardly recovered from fever & ague. She longs to be free from household cares, that she may go into the reform work. Nettie has been in Mass. the last two weeks, was to speak in Worcester & Providence. She had a severe attack of rush of [blu] blood to the head after her return from Cleveland, & has not yet fully recovered from it. Mrs. Jenkins & myself are going to do what we can to canvass the State & circulate petitions. I have written Mrs. Nichols to come into the [State] eastern part of the State & 1943-4Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond. Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond.3 help us with our work. Mr. Channing has gone to Washington to preach the coming five Sundays in the Unitarian Church of that city by invitation from its members. Is not that ominous of the times! His course here has been one of unexampled nobility. I think him the most Christ like man I ever knew. Mrs. Rose did herself & the cause great honor here. She was the favorite of the audiences. Several asked the privilege of entertaining Lucy Stone, & expressed great surprise that she was not to be here. I very much wish you could come into the State & hold meetings in the larger cities, & stir up the people to roll up a long list of signatures to Petitions. We shall hold a convention in Albany in Feb., when the petitions will be presented. I wish [*1943-5*] 4 we had 40 of the right sort of women, who would volunteer in the work before us. We sent our box of goods to the Boston Bazar last night. It inventoried $50., & then a beautiful herbarium of 710 varieties of flowers. - Douglas is uncovering what has long been lurking beneath a smooth exterior. I hope you see the Liberator & the Douglas paper now & then. Can't you come into this State & lecture? It seems to me the object of our State Convention is [dev] defeated unless we can carry up to Albany a host of petitions. We don't want our legislators to say only 2000 women desire their rights, & they shall be denied because the majority do not ask them. The Cleveland reports are tardy in their appearance, & Mrs. Severance says the reports [*1943-6*]Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond. Ward 15 Republican Ticket with Women Voters' Candidate For School Committee. For Mayor, Augustus P. Martin. For Street Commissioner, Samuel Hichborn. For Aldeman, Seventh Aldermanic District, Charles M. Bromwich. For School Committee, Charles C. Perkins. Lucia M. Peabody. Emily A. Fifield. William Gaston. Francis A. Walker. Samuel Eliot. William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Gaffield. For Common Council, Samuel Kelley. Robert Provan. Augsutus C. Richmond.