BLACKWELL FAMILY
LUCY STONE

ARTICLE: UNDATED[*Copy of article to the National Citizen, [18/81?)]
In Lucy Stone's handwriting*]
Matilda Joslyn Gage, Editor
The reply of Miss Anthony in your last issue 
to the inquiry in my private note [abrupt break] 
The reasons for the formation of the American 
Woman Suffrage Association was this: Miss Susan 
B. Anthony in 1867 associated Geo. Francis Train 
with herself, in the cause of lectures on Woman Suffrage which 
were delivered in all the principal cities of Kansas. 
Mr. Train was a lunatic and at every meeting brought 
only derision to the woman suffragists. Miss Anthony 
had a right to do this; but she had no right to 
involve others in it, who for the sake of the cause
 felt unmixed regret that so [uni??] a thing had 
been done. But Miss Anthony published in the New 
York Tribune a card complimentary to Mr. Train, 
to which she put the names of others, mine among 
the number. Of this I knew nothing until I saw
it in the Tribune. She also used the name of the 

Equal Rights Association in such way as to give the
 impression that her alliance with Mr. Train was 
either under the auspices of the Association, or had 
its approval. The Executive Committee of the American 
Equal Rights Association therefore called a meeting 
to consider the situation. Miss Anthony was asked why 
she had used the name of the Equal Rights Association
 in such a way. Miss Anthony in the presence of the 
large committee said, " I am the Equal Rights 
Association. Not a soul of you amounts to shucks, 
except myself." It became evident, after much discussion, that 
the Association might be, over and over, committed 
to methods and means which it could not approve. 
After due consideration a Call was issued [ for 
a new organization. This Call received abundant 
signatures from 24 States and Territories. 
The results have shown the wisdom of 
this action. For instance, when Miss Anthony's society 
at a meeting in Washington, cooperating with Mrs. 
Woodhull, passed this, "Resolved, that we will work 
with and for Mrs. Woodhull", through the Causewas thus made to suffer all the odium which her free-love theories [illegible] cast upon it, the fact that one large wing of suffragists had no sympathy or cooperation with Mrs. Woodhull or with her theories, was a wall of deference around the Principle [of woman suffrage] itself.

I am aware that Miss Anthony justifies her alliance with Mr. Traine as the ground that he gave her money to establish the "Revolution," and paid all the expenses of her lectures with him.  But where the condition of the giving was that Mr. Traine should speak at every meeting, and should use the columns of the "Revolution" for the spread of his crazy opinions, both which he did, not to the aid, but to the detriment of the Cause.  To this day Mr. Traine and Mrs. Woodhull are weights which the suffrage cause was made to carry, though the great body of suffragists wholly dis-approved of both.  I regret the charge in the letter of Miss Anthony whereby she has made this statement necessary, because, as a rule, it is better to "let bygones be bygones."

Lucy Stone.