Then Miss Anthony, clasping the hand of Mrs. Chapman Catt, led her forward and introduced her to the audience as "president of the National-American Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation." The _Woman"s Journal_ thus described the occasion:
She was received with immense applause, the great audience rising and waving handkerchiefs. She spoke on The Three I"s, showing how every effort of women for improvement was called, first, indelicate, then immodest, and finally impracticable, but how all the old objections had been proved to be, in legal phrase, "incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial."
The woman"s rights agitation began in the early days of the republic, and a moral warfare along that line has been waged for more than a hundred years. Each step has been fiercely contested.
The advocates of every claim have been lovers of justice and the opponents have been adherents of conservatism. The warfare has been waged in three distinct battles, the weapon of the opponents always being ridicule, that of the defenders, appeals to reason.
In the early days, when colleges and public schools were closed to women and the education of girls was confined to the three R"s, an agitation was begun to permit them to take more advanced studies. Society received it with the cry "indelicate." At that time delicacy was the choicest charm of woman and indelicacy was a crushing criticism. But the battle was won.
The second great battle occurred between 1850 and 1860. Upon every hand incorrigible woman, with a big W, arose to irritate and torment the conservatives of the world. She appeared in the pulpit, on the platform, in conventions, in new occupations and in innumerable untried fields. Everywhere the finger of scorn was pointed at her, and the world with merciless derision p.r.o.nounced her immodest. But that battle was won.
We are now in the heat of the greatest of all battles. Woman asks for the suffrage. The world answers, "impractical." We are told that this movement is quite different from all others because there is an organized opposition of women themselves against it, but the "remonstrant" is not new. This century has witnessed ten generations of remonstrants. In 1800 the remonstrant was horrified at the study of geography. In 1810 she accepted geography but protested against physiology. In 1820 she accepted physiology but protested against geometry. In 1830 she accepted geometry but protested against the college education. In 1840 she accepted the college but remonstrated against the property laws for married women. In 1850 she accepted the property laws but remonstrated against public speaking. In 1860 she protested against the freedom of organization. In 1870 she remonstrated against the professions for women. In 1880 she protested against school suffrage. In 1890 she protested against women in office.
In 1900 she accepts everything that every former generation of remonstrants has protested against and, availing herself of the privilege of free public speech secured by this women"s rights movement, pleads publicly that she may be saved from the burden of voting.
The remonstrant of 1800 said "indelicate," of 1850 "immodest," of 1900 "impractical." That the forces of conservatism will surrender as unconditionally to the forces of justice in the great battle of the impractical as they did in the battle of the indelicate and of the immodest is as inevitable as that the sun will rise tomorrow.
At the close of her fine address, of which this is the barest synopsis, Miss Anthony came forward and asked triumphantly, "Do you think the three hundred delegates made a mistake in choosing that woman for president?"--a question which brought out renewed applause.
She then introduced to the audience the other officers, all of whom except Mrs. McCulloch had served in their present capacity from eight to ten years, Mrs. Avery having been corresponding secretary twenty years. They were enthusiastically greeted. Afterwards she presented Miss Clara Barton, the president of the Red Cross a.s.sociation, an earnest advocate of suffrage, and as the cheers for her rang out, Miss Anthony observed, "Politically her opinion is worth no more than an idiot"s."
Miss Anthony came forward at the close of the program and, the audience realizing that she was about to say good-bye, there was the most profound stillness, with every eye and ear strained to the utmost tension. A woman who loved the theatrical and posed for effect would have taken advantage of this opportunity to create a dramatic scene and make her exit in the midst of tears and lamentations, but nothing could be further from Miss Anthony"s nature. Her voice rang out as strong and true as if making an old-time speech on the rights of women, with only one little break in it, and she covered this up by saying quickly, "Not one of our national officers ever has had a dollar of salary. I retire on full pay!"
The Washington _Post_ said of this occasion:
The convention closed its labors with the farewell address of Miss Anthony. The retiring president paid a magnificent tribute to the faithful women whose aid and loyal companionship she had enjoyed for so many years. Emphatically she declared that she was not going to give up her efforts in behalf of that for which she had struggled so long, and concluded: "I am grateful to this a.s.sociation; I am grateful to you all, and to the world, for the great kindness which has been mine. To-morrow I will have finished fourscore years. I have lived to rise from the most despised and hated woman in all the world of fifty years ago, until now it seems as if I am loved by you all. If this is true, then I am indeed satisfied."
Miss Anthony lost control of her voice for a moment. She soon regained her composure, however, and, calling the officers of the a.s.sociation to her side, she told of what each individual had done for the organization. It was a pretty picture. The audience caught the spirit of determination from Miss Anthony and a thunderous applause and waving of handkerchiefs followed.
The great crowd sang the doxology and even then seemed unwilling to disperse, hundreds of people staying for a hand-shake and a few personal words with the officers and delegates.
The day following the close of the convention was the eightieth anniversary of Miss Anthony"s birth, and many suffrage advocates from different parts of the country had come to the national capital to a.s.sist in celebrating it. The following program was handsomely prepared for distribution and was carried out, except that Mrs. Birney and Dr. Smith were unavoidably absent.
CELEBRATION OF THE EIGHTIETH BIRTHDAY OF SUSAN B. ANTHONY, AT THE LAFAYETTE OPERA HOUSE, WASHINGTON, D. C., FEB"Y 15, 1900.
_Song_ John W. Hutchinson
Greetings from National Congress of Mothers, Mrs. Theodore Weld Birney, President National Council of Women, Fannie Humphreys Gaffney, President International Council of Women, May Wright Sewall, President
Greetings from the Professions: Ministry Rev. Ida C. Hultin Law Diana Hirschler Medicine Dr. Julia Holmes Smith
_Violin Solo--Hungarian Rhapsodie (Hansen)_, Joseph H. Dougla.s.s Greetings from Business Women Lillian M. Hollister Colored Women Coralie Franklin Cook District Equal Suffrage a.s.sociation Ellen Powell Thompson
Greetings from the Enfranchised States: Wyoming Helen M. Warren Colorado Virginia Morrison Shafroth Utah Emily S. Richards Idaho Mell C. Woods
"_Love"s Rosary_" (poem) Lydia Avery c.o.o.nley-Ward
Greeting from Elizabeth Cady Stanton Harriot Stanton Blatch
Greeting from the National American Suffrage a.s.sociation Rev. Anna Howard Shaw
Response Susan B. Anthony
TO SUSAN B. ANTHONY.
The gibe and ridicule and social frown, That through long years her faithful life a.s.sailed, Are dead and vanished; as a queen now hailed, Upon her reverend brow rests Honor"s crown, A faith that faced all adverse fortune down, A courage that in trial never failed, A scorn of self that grievous weight entailed, Have blossomed into laurels of renown.
As, after days of bitter storm and blast, The chilling wind becomes a breeze of balm, Billows subside, and sea-tossed vessels cast Their anchors in the restful harbor calm, So this brave life has gained its haven blest, Bathed in the sunset glories of the west.
WM. LLOYD GARRISON.
Birthday Celebration Committee:
CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, Chairman, New York.
REV. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, Pennsylvania.
HARRIET TAYLOR UPTON, Ohio.
EMILY M. GROSS, Illinois.
FRANCES P. BURROWS, Michigan.
HELEN M. WARREN, Wyoming.
LUCY E. ANTHONY, Pennsylvania.
HARRIOT STANTON BLATCH, England.
MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, Indiana.
MARY B. CLAY, Kentucky.
RACHEL FOSTER AVERY, Pennsylvania.
Every large newspaper in the country had a description of what might be properly considered an event of national interest. The Washington _Post_ said: "The program, though a long one, was replete throughout with stirring tributes to Miss Anthony"s great career. Eloquent women who ascribed the opportunities which they had been allowed to enjoy to the tremendous effort to which their beloved leader had devoted her whole life, stood before the audience and voiced their sentiments.
Tears and applause mingled swiftly as the voices of the speakers rang through the theater, recounting the hardships, the struggles, and at last the crowning achievements of the woman whose eightieth birthday was being celebrated."
The _Woman"s Tribune_ thus began its report:
There never has been before and, in the nature of things, there can never be again, a personal celebration having the significant relation to the woman suffrage movement which marked that of Miss Anthony"s eightieth birthday. When Mrs. Stanton"s eightieth birthday was celebrated five years ago she had already retired from the active leadership of the organization; the program was in charge of the National Council of Women and was largely in the nature of a jubilee for the whole woman movement, although rallying around Mrs. Stanton as a center. Lucretia Mott"s eightieth birthday came before the movement had gained the impetus necessary for such a celebration. Lucy Stone pa.s.sed on in 1893 before reaching this ripe age, and now there is no one left in the lead who represents the earliest stage of the work but Miss Anthony.
It was the fairest and sunniest day of all the good convention weather, and Lafayette Opera House was full to the remotest part of its fourth gallery with invited guests when Mrs. Chapman Catt opened the program at 3 o"clock. On the stage were the Birthday Committee, a large number of persons who had been thirty years or more in the work, relatives of Miss Anthony and the national officers. Miss Anthony"s entrance while the Ladies" Mandolin Club were playing was greeted with long-continued applause.
John W. Hutchinson was first introduced. After stating that he had known Miss Anthony for fifty-five years, had attended in Ohio in 1850 the second suffrage convention ever held, and had always sympathized with the cause, he sang with a clear, far-reaching voice a song composed by himself.
The presiding officer stated that the gains of the last half-century in all lines relating to women were largely due to the guest of the occasion and her fellow-workers, and said: "When Miss Anthony began her labors there were practically no organizations of women; now they are numbered by thousands. The crown of the whole is the union of all organizations, the National Council of Women. Its president will now address us."
Mrs. Gaffney said in her tribute:
....The Christian world reckoned by centuries is just coming of age. Therefore women are beginning to put away childish things and to realize the greatness of womanhood. They have had to let ideals wait. They submitted to conditions because they were afraid that if they did not man would take to the woods and become again a wild barbarian. They were flattered by the fact that men liked them as they were, and they failed to realize that their power to civilize was G.o.d-given.
They needed a leader to rally them, to give them the courage of their convictions; and such a leader Miss Anthony has been. She spoke to the world in tones which rang out so clear and true that they will echo down the centuries. Some who had been protected and petted were slow to rally; others who had broader views accepted sooner the doctrine of rights--not privileges--of rights for all women. Miss Anthony taught us the sisterhood of woman, and that the privileges of one cla.s.s could not offset the wrongs of another....
Mrs. Sewall, president of the International Council of Women, composed of the Councils of thirteen nations, and the largest organization of women in the world, said in part:
It is proper that the International Council should remember today "to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar"s," and to pay tribute to the organization which it may not regard as other than its direct progenitor. There are certain incidents, simple in themselves, in which probably the actors are always at the time quite unconscious of their perennial significance, and yet which become landmarks in the evolution of the human spirit. Such are Thermopylae and Marathon and Bunker Hill. Such was that first convention at Seneca Falls.... The light from that meeting, springing from a vital source, has vitalized every point it has touched. Other torches lit by that have become beacon lights, and every one has stood for the illumination of women....
In the name and in the blended tongues of the women of the different nationalities who belong to the International Council, I salute and congratulate you.... I beg the proud honor of placing your name, Miss Anthony, among the list of Patrons of the Council as a birthday gift, where it shall one day be p.r.o.nounced in every language....
The Rev. Ida C. Hultin brought the grat.i.tude of the ministers, saying:
....Women have failed to see that the work of every woman has touched that of every other. The woman who works with the hand helps her who works with the brain. To-day we know there could be no choice of work until there was freedom of choice to work. O, beloved leader, we of the ministry, as they of all ministries of service, bring our greetings and benediction. I hear the voices which shall tell of the new gospel and among them are the glad tones of women and the intonations of this one who spake in tears, who dared to speak before other tongues were loosed. Years will never silence that voice. Woman in her highest moods will catch the cadence of its melody and in the future there shall be that which will work back and forth to the enlightenment of the world because you have lived and ever shall live....