contended for therein will, before many years, be accepted as the
law of the land.

I desire to say one word, suggested by the remark which I have
heard made frequently of late, that the only resort now for the
advocates of woman suffrage is to the courts of the country. I
think it is a mistake. In this country, on questions involving
political rights, the courts are generally in the rear rank; the
people are mostly in advance of the courts. In my opinion the
most speedy and certain victory will be acquired through the
political departments of the government, which are moulded and
controlled by the people, and which will always in the end
reflect the will of the people. You applied to Congress; although
not successful, yet the support you did receive was greater than
the most sanguine expected. Continue your efforts, persevere in
your determination, and in the end you will win, for you are
right, and the right always triumphs.

The ladies then shook hands with each of these gentlemen, and added a
few words of personal thanks, after which the committee adjourned.

That the position in regard to the rights of women under the XIV. and
XV. Amendments was still maintained is shown in the call[144] and
resolutions[145] as well as the speeches in the three days' convention
held in Lincoln Hall, Washington, in January, 1872.

One of the interesting episodes of this convention was the invitation
extended by the Association to certain non-believers to appear in open
session, and meet the champions of the cause in argument. Mrs. Gage
wrote an invitation[146] to Mrs. Dahlgren, which she most courteously
declined.[147] The idea was suggested to Mrs. Gage by the memorial
which Mrs. General Sherman and Mrs. Admiral Dahlgren had presented to
the Senate of the United States. Their petition was as follows:

TO THE U. S. SENATE AGAINST WOMAN SUFFRAGE.

We, the undersigned, do hereby appeal to your honorable body, and
desire respectfully to enter our protest against an extension of
suffrage to women; and in the firm belief that our petition
represents the sober convictions of the majority of the women of
the country. Although we shrink from the notoriety of the public
eye, yet we are too deeply and painfully impressed by the grave
perils which threaten our peace and happiness in these proposed
changes in our