se enough to be grappled with.

Mr. OLIVER JOHNSON was then introduced. He said that the true
germ of the present woman suffrage agitation was to be found in
the foundation of the Anti-slavery Society. At the time that
Society was founded, the question arose as to whether women were
persons, in the sense in which that word was used in the
constitution of that Society. The question gave rise to much
discussion, and it was finally decided by a majority of the
members that the word "person" did include women; and it was
therefore determined that, in the Society, women should have all
the rights that men had. And when thirty years ago the
anniversary of the Society was held, it became the duty of the
presiding officer on that occasion to appoint a business
committee, and, in announcing the names of that committee, he
included that of Abby Kelly--more lately known as that of Abby
Kelly Foster--a Quaker woman of excellent character, and a
devoted friend of the anti-slavery cause. The announcement of her
name was the signal for much tumult, and the withdrawal for the
time being of not less than one hundred and fifty clergymen, who,
led by an eminent citizen, left that meeting and went down into
the basement of the church and formed a new anti-slavery
society, solely because a woman was permitted to serve on a
committee. Mr. Johnson said that he had always had a profound
belief in the triumph of the anti-slavery cause. So also did he
believe in the success of the woman suffrage movement.

Mrs. Hazlett, of Michigan, was the next speaker. God, she said,
says to America to-day, take now the next step in the path of
national progress; then come and take thy place as the highest
nation of the earth. Will America obey heaven's voice, or does
republicanism exist only in name? Men of America! let the stars
and stripes wave over a land true to its principles. It is not
because we want to usurp power that we want the ballot. We want
justice, for the sake of liberty. But, above all, gentlemen, we
hold the welfare of this country our birthright as well as yours.
We wish the vote because it is our right and our duty to have it.
We have duties in life, in society, in the church--duties to
ourselves and to our families which can not be discharged without
the