The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony (Volume 1 of 2): Including Public Addresses, Her Own Letters and Many From Her Contemporaries During Fifty YearsHarper, Ida Husted
History
The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony (Volume 1 of 2): Including Public Addresses, Her Own Letters and Many From Her Contemporaries During Fifty Years
Harper, Ida Husted
Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906
At Olean, not a church or schoolhouse could be obtained for the
lecture and it would have had to be abandoned had not the landlord,
Mr. Comstock, given the use of his dining-room....
At Angelica, nine towns represented; crowded house, courtroom
carpeted with sawdust. A young Methodist minister gave his name for
the petition, but one of his wealthy parishioners told him he
should leave the church unless it was withdrawn....
At Corning, none of the ministers would give the notice of our
meeting, which so incensed some of the men that they went to the
printing office, struck off handbills and had boys standing at the
door of the churches as the people passed out. Who was responsible
for the Sabbath breaking?...
At Elmira, took tea at Mrs. Holbrook's with Rev. Thomas K. Beecher.
His theology, as set forth that evening, is a dark and hopeless
one. He sees no hope for the progress of the race, does not believe
that education even will improve the species. I find great apathy
wherever the clergy are opposed to the advancement of women.
In February Miss Anthony suspended her canvass long enough to go to
Albany to the State convention and present the petitions. In response
to her request to be present Horace Greeley wrote: "You know already
that I am thoroughly committed to the principle that woman shall decide
for herself whether she shall have a voice and vote in legislation or
shall continue to be represented and legislated for exclusively by man.
My own judgment is that woman's presence in the arena of politics would
be useful and beneficent but I do not assume to judge for her. She must
consider, determine and act for herself. Moreover, when she shall in
earnest have resolved that her own welfare and that of the race will be
promoted by her claiming a voice in the direction of civil government,
as I think she ultimately will do, then the day of her emancipation
will be very near. That day, I will hope yet to see."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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