y proffered by the
chairmen of both, Hon. Mr. Morrell and Gen. Smith, and is still
retained.

Books are now opened for signatures to the new Declaration and
Pledge,[143] and the autographs of all women ready to exercise
the elective franchise. Thousands of tracts, constitutional
arguments of Mr. Riddle and Mrs. Woodhull, report of the minority
Judiciary Committee, and an address to the women of the United
States, are being sent to the whole country, carrying conviction
to the weak, force to the active, and hastening the consummation
of a triumph worthy of the struggle and undying faith of all who
have nobly borne their part in this history. The names of the
earnest women who took part in this Convention, and who
participated in the inauguration of the new issue, are recorded
in the books of the Committee; and now, only the funds--generous
and prompt contributions--are needed to respond to the call from
all the States and Territories for knowledge--either by voice or
pen--to complete a reconstruction of the government "of the
people, for the people and by the people," without arms,
court-martial, or bloodshed.

In this connection Mrs. Belva A. Lockwood's very able memorial to
Congress asking suffrage for the women of the District should be
mentioned. It was a well-sustained argument, showing the writer
to be mistress of her subject. Mrs. Lockwood is an efficient,
earnest, honest worker. She presented to Congress a large
petition, fully equal in numbers to the one presented by Mrs.
Dahlgren and Sherman, whose anti-suffrage petition and memorial
against it formed one of the peculiar features of the work of
last winter. Mrs. H. C. Spencer, of Washington, answered Mrs.
Dahlgren's pamphlet with a most admirable one entitled
"Problems," which has already had an extensive circulation, and
is more earnestly called for than any other, with the exception
of Mrs. Woodhull's constitutional argument, and Mr. Riddle's on
the same question. The meetings were held daily in the
committee-room during the entire session, and the interchange of
thought was often very interesting and encouraging.

[Illustration: Isabella Beecher Hooker.]

On the day of the adjournment of Congress Mrs. Hooker presented
thanks, in the name of the Committee, to such members