The History of Woman Suffrage Volume III Part 92

Although ignorant and prejudiced, he created a fanatical stampede, and in the goodness of their hearts and the weakness of their heads, our church women in the Woman's Union proposed to give to the three temperance clubs, numbering perhaps 150, the free use of our rooms and property, and suspend our own club, claiming that our mission was ended, and that a field of greater usefulness was opened in the W. C. T. U. line of work. The liberal element refused to abandon the old organization, although many joined in the W. C. T. U. work and attended both clubs.

However, in a small community, where the consciences of many good women are not free, we have met with serious drawbacks. We have had to submit to a sort of boycotting process, for some time, the orthodox, goody-goody people evidently trying to freeze us out; although I must claim that nearly every member of the Woman's Union is strongly interested in the temperance cause, and as the different departments in the W. C. T. U. fail to cover the ground we occupy, quite a respectable number seem determined to hold on in their own way, trying little by little to better the condition of all, and particularly to increase and strengthen the feeble germ of independent thought in women, so often smothered and destroyed by too much theology. What we need for women is not more spirituality but more hard common-sense, applied to reform as well as religion. One thing connected with our organization is a matter of pride to all women, namely, that no pecuniary obligation has ever been repudiated by the Woman's Union. Besides paying our debts we have given hundreds of dollars to works of charity and education, and keep a standing fund of $100, to be used in case of emergency, when, as often happens, we fail to make expenses on lectures, entertainments, etc. It would not be claiming too much if the Woman's Union of Oregon was to go upon the historic page as the only free, independent woman's club ever successfully carried on for any length of time, in the great State of Missouri.[393]

Missouri has always felt a becoming pride in the gifted daughter, Miss Phoebe Couzins, who was the first woman to enter the law school, go through the entire course, and graduate with honor to herself and her native State. Hence, a reception to her, to mark such an event, was preeminently fitting. This compliment was paid to her by Dr. and Mrs. G. A. Walker, and a large gathering of the elite of St. Louis honored her with their presence.[394] The drawing-rooms were festooned with garlands of evergreens and brilliant forest leaves and hanging-baskets of roses; the bountiful tables were elaborately decorated with fruits and flowers and statuettes, while pictures of distinguished women looked down from the wall on every side. After the feast came letters, toasts and speeches, a brilliant address of welcome was given by Dr. Walker, and an equally brilliant reply by Miss Couzins. Witty and complimentary speeches were made by Judge Krum, Hon. Albert Todd, Mrs. Francis Minor, ex-Governor Stanard, Judge Reber, Professor Riley, I. E. Meeker, Mrs. Henrietta Noa. Congratulatory letters were received from several ladies and gentlemen of national reputation, and the following regrets:

Rev. W. G. Eliot, chancellor of the University, with "compliments and thanks to Dr. and Mrs. Walker. I regret that engagements this evening prevent me from enjoying the pleasure of meeting Miss Couzins and welcoming her to her new and well-deserved honors, as I had expected to do until an hour ago."

James E. Yeatman sent regrets accompanied with "his warmest congratulations to Miss Couzins, with best wishes for her success in the n.o.ble profession of the law."

George Partridge regrets, "hoping every encouragement will be given to those who aspire to high honors by their intellectual and moral attainments."

General J. H. Hammond, Kansas City, Mo.: "I would feel honored in being allowed the privilege of congratulating this lady who so practically honors her s.e.x."

In addition to the many congratulations showered upon Miss Couzins, she was the recipient of testimonials of a more enduring and equally flattering character. Among many valuable presents were twelve volumes of Edmund Burke from Miss A. L. Forbes, who wished to testify her appreciation of the event by deeds rather than words. Mrs. E. O. Stanard presented a handsomely-bound set of "Erskine's Speeches," in five volumes.

There were other gifts of great intrinsic worth. These tokens of regard were sent from admiring friends scattered all over the country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Although Miss Couzins has never practiced in her chosen profession, yet the knowledge and discipline acquired in the study of our American system of jurisprudence and const.i.tutional law have been of essential service to her in the prolonged arguments on the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of woman, in which she has so ably and eloquently advocated the case of the great plaintiff of the nineteenth century, in that famous law-suit begun by Margaret Fuller in 1840, "Woman versus Man." Our junior advocate has taken the case into the highest courts and made her appeals to a jury of the sovereign people and "the judgment of a candid world." On all principles of precedent and importance our case now stands first on the calendar.

When will the verdict be rendered and what will it be?

FOOTNOTES:

[377] Among them were Isaac H. Sturgeon, Francis Minor, James E.

Yeatman, Judge John M. Krum, Judge Arnold Krekel, Hon. Thomas Noel, Ernest Decker, Dr. G. A. Walker, John E. Orrick, J. B. Roberts, Rev. G. W. Eliot, Bishop Bowman, Albert Todd, Rev. John Snyder, John Datro, J. B. Case, H. E. Merille, Mrs. Virginia L. Minor, Mrs.

Rebecca N. Hazard, Mrs. Adeline Couzins, Miss Phoebe Couzins, Mrs.

Beverly Allen, Miss Mary Beedy, Miss Arathusa Forbes, Mrs. Isaac Sturgeon, Mrs. Hall, and many others.

[378] _President_, Mrs. Virginia L. Minor; _Vice-President_, Mrs.

Beverly Allen; _Secretaries_, Mrs. Rebecca N. Hazard, and Mrs.

George D. Hall; _Treasurer_, Mrs. George W. Banker. There were present, besides the officers, Mrs. Anna L. Clapp, Miss Penelope Allen, Mrs. Frank Fletcher, Miss Arathusia L. Forbes, Mrs. Nannie C. Sturgeon, Mrs. Harriet B. Roberts, Mrs. N. Stevens, Mrs. Joseph Hodgman, Miss A. Greenman, etc. Among the men who aided the movement were Francis Minor, Isaac W. Sturgeon, James E. Yeatman, Judge John M. Krum, Judge Arnold Krekel, Hon. Thomas Noel, who gave the society its first twenty-five dollars, Ernest Decker, Dr. G.A.

Walker, John C. O'Neill, J.B. Roberts, Wayman Crow, Rev. Dr. Wm. G.

Eliot, Bishop Bowman, Albert Todd, Rev. John Snyder, John Datro, J.B. Case, H.C. Leville.

[379] The following we find in the St. Louis papers. It is significant of the sentiment of the Methodist women of the West: "We, the undersigned, join in a call for a ma.s.s-meeting of the M.E.

Church in St. Louis, to meet at Union Church on the 15th inst., at 3 o'clock P.M., to consider a plan for memorializing the General Conference to permit the ordination of women as ministers. All women of the M.E. Church are requested to attend. Mrs. Henry Kennedy, Mrs. T.C. Fletcher, Mrs. E.O. Stanard, Mrs. A.C. George, Mrs. Lucy Prescott, Mrs. U.B. Wilson, Mrs. L. Jones, Mrs. E.L.

Case, Mrs. W.F. Brink, Mrs. S.C. c.u.mmins, Mrs. R.N. Hazard, Mrs.

Dutro, Mrs. M.H. Himebaugh." The result of this meeting of the ladies of the Methodist churches to discuss a plan for admitting women into the pulpit as preachers was the appointment of a committee to draft a memorial to the General Conference to meet at Brooklyn, N.Y., asking that body to sanction and provide for the ordination of women as ministers of the Methodist Church.

[380] On the platform were Julia Ward Howe, Ma.s.sachusetts; Lillie Peckham, Wisconsin; Miriam M. Cole, Ohio; Mary A. Livermore, Hon.

Sharon Tyndale, Judge Waite and Rev. Mr. Harrison, Illinois; Susan B. Anthony, New York. The officers of the Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation of Missouri: _President_, Mrs. Francis Minor: _Vice-President_, Mrs. Beverly Allen: _Secretary_, Mrs. William T.

Hazard: _Treasurer_, Mrs. George B. Hall; Miss Mary Beady, Miss Phoebe Couzins, Mrs. E. t.i.ttman, Mrs. Alfred Clapp, Miss A. L.

Forbes, Isaac H. Sturgeon, Mrs. J. C. Orrick, Mrs. R. J. Lackland, Francis Minor, and many others.

[381] For speech and resolutions, see Vol. II., page 408.

[382] Dissension and division were the effect in every State, except where the a.s.sociations wisely remained independent and all continued to work together, and the forces otherwise expended in rivalry were directed against the common enemy.

[383] For this speech of B. Gratz Brown see Vol. II., page 136.

[384] For full account of Miss Barkaloo see New York chapter, page 404.

[385] Besides those already named, there are many other women worthy of mention--Mrs. Hannah Stagg, Mrs. George H. Rha, Mrs. S.

F. Gruff, Miss N. M. Lavelle, Mrs. Helen E. Starrett, Mrs. A. E.

d.i.c.kinson, Mrs. E. R. Case, Miss S. Sharman, Mrs. Mary S. Phelps, Miss Mary E. Beedy, Mrs. f.a.n.n.y O'Haly, Mrs. J. C. Orrick, Miss Henrietta Moore, Mrs. Stephen Ridgeley, Mrs. M. E. Bedford, Mrs. M.

Jackson; and among our German friends are Mrs. Rosa t.i.ttman, Mrs.

Dr. Fiala, Mrs. Lena Hildebrand, Mrs. G. G. Fenkelnberg, Mrs.

Rombauer, Miss Lidergerber.

[386] For a full report of Mrs. Minor's trial, see History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. II., page 715.

[387] The committee were: J. B. Merwin, Virginia L. Minor, John Snyder, Lydia F. d.i.c.kinson, Maria E. F. Jackson.

[388] The officers were: _President_, Mrs. Virginia L. Minor; _Vice-Presidents_, Mrs. Eliza J. Patrick, Mrs. Caroline J. Todd, Miss Phoebe W. Couzins; _Executive Committee_, Mrs. E. P. Johnson, Mrs. W. W. Polk; _Secretary_, Miss Eliza B. Buckley; _Treasurer_, Miss Maggie Baumgartner.

[389] They were, Mrs. S. L. Goslin, Mis. A. E. Goslin, Mrs. M. M.

Soper, Annie E. Batch.e.l.ler, Mary Curry, Annie R. Irvine.

[390] _President_, Emma G. Dobyns; _Vice-President_, Kate Evans Thatcher; _Secretary_, Matilda C. Shutts; _Treasurer_, Lucy S.

Rancher; _Corresponding Secretary_, Annie R. Irvine.

[391] Believing that the best interests of society, as well as government, would be best served by admitting all citizens to the full rights of citizenship, we, the undersigned, hereby give notice that a meeting will be held at the court-house, Oregon, on Sat.u.r.day, March 1, 1879, at 2 p. m., for the purpose of organizing a Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation. Those interested are urged to attend.

Clarke Irvine, C. W. Lukens, James L. Allen, S. B. Lukens, Samuel Stuckey, Sudia Johnson, D. J. Lukens, Elvira Broedbeck, Mary Curry, Jas. B. Curry, Annie R. Irvine.

[392] In 1875 I made my first visit to Oregon, and remember my surprise at meeting so large a circle of bright, intelligent women.

After taking an old stage at Travesty city, and lumbering along two miles or more over bad roads on a dull day in March into a very unpropitious looking town, my heart sank at the prospect of the small audience I should inevitably have in such a spot. Wondering as to the character of the people I should find, we jolted round the town to the home of the editor and his charming wife, Mrs. Lucy S. Rancher. Their cordial welcome and generous hospitalities soon made the old stage, the rough roads, and the dull town but dim memories of the past. One after another the members of the Union club came to greet me, and I saw in that organization of strong, n.o.ble women, wisdom enough to redeem the whole State of Missouri from its apathy on the question of woman's rights. One of the promising features of the efforts of the immortal six women who took the initiative, was the full sympathy shown by their husbands in their attempts to improve themselves and the community. Miss Couzins and Miss Anthony soon followed me, and were alike surprised and delighted with the Literary Club of Oregon. I was there again in '77, and was entertained by Mrs. R. A. Norman, now living in St.

Joseph, and in '79, I stayed in a large, old-fashioned brick house near the public square with Mrs. Montgomery, then "fat, fair and forty," and all three visits, with the teas and dinners at the homes of different members of the club, I thoroughly enjoyed.--[E.

C. S.

[393] Among progressive women in this part of Missouri, Mrs. Adela M. Kelly, of Savannah, wife of Circuit Judge Henry S. Kelly, is prominent; in Mound City, Mrs. Emma K. Hershberger, Mrs. Mary L.

Mamcher, Mrs. Mary C. Tracy, Mrs. f.a.n.n.y Smith, and others, are leading women, and were once residents here, and members of the Woman's Union. Among those actively interested here now, I shall only mention a few, Mrs. Nancy Hershberger, Mary Curry, Elvira Broedbeck, Lucy A. Christian, Ella O. Fallon, Mary Stirrell, and many others.

[394] Among those present were the following ladies and gentlemen: Dr. and Mrs. Walker, Phoebe Couzins, esq., Hon. and Mrs. John B.

Henderson, Gov. and Mrs. E. O. Stanard, Mr. and Mrs. Chester H.

Krum, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Minor, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Patrick, Major and Mrs. J. E. D. Couzins, Major and Mrs. J. R. Meeker, Major and Mrs. W. S. Pope, Mr. and Mrs. Lippmann, Mr. and Mrs. Leopold Noa, Miss Noa, Miss A. L. Forbes, Judge Krum, Judge Reber, Judge Todd, Geo. M. Stuart (dean), Prof. Riley, State Entomologist; Prof.

Hager, State Geologist; J. R. Stuart, artist, and others.

CHAPTER XLV.

IOWA.

Beautiful Scenery--Liberal in Politics and Reforms--Legislation for Women--No Right yet to Joint Earnings--Early Agitation--Frances Dana Gage, 1854--Mrs. Bloomer Before the Territorial Legislature, 1856--Mrs. Martha H. Brinkerhoff--Mrs.

Annie Savery, 1868--County a.s.sociations Formed in 1869--State Society Organized at Mt. Pleasant, 1870, Henry O'Connor, President--Mrs. Cutler Answers Judge Palmer--First Annual Meeting, Des Moines--Letter from Bishop Simpson--The State Register Complimentary--Ma.s.s-Meeting at the Capitol--Mrs. Savery and Mrs. Harbert--Legislative Action--Methodist and Universalist Churches Indorse Woman Suffrage--Republican Plank, 1874--Governor Carpenter's Message, 1876--Annual Meeting, 1882, Many Clergymen Present--Five Hundred Editors Interviewed--Miss Hindman and Mrs.

Campbell--Mrs. Callanan Interviews Governor Sherman, 1884--Lawyers--Governor Kirkwood Appoints Women to Office--County Superintendents--Elizabeth S. Cook--Journalism--Literature-- Medicine--Ministry--Inventions--President of a National Bank-- The Heroic Kate Sh.e.l.ly--Temperance--Improvement in the Laws.