rairies, climbing divides, and through deep ravines, speaking in
depots, unfinished barns, mills, churches, school-houses, and the open
air, on the very borders of civilization, where-ever two or three
dozen voters could be assembled.

Henry B. Blackwell and Lucy Stone opened the campaign in April. The
following letters show how hopeful they were of success, and how
enthusiastically they labored to that end. Even the New York _Tribune_
prophesied victory.[80]

AT GOV. ROBINSON'S HOUSE, FOUR MILES NORTH OF
LAWRENCE, KANSAS, _April, 5, 1867_.

DEAR MRS. STANTON:--We report good news! After half a day's
earnest debate, the Convention at Topeka, by an almost unanimous
vote, refused to separate "the two questions" male and white. A
delegation from Lawrence came up specially to get the woman
dropped. The good God upset a similar delegation from Leavenworth
bent on the same object, and prevented them from reaching Topeka
at all. Gov. Robinson, Gov. Root, Col. Wood, Gen. Larimer, Col.
Ritchie, and "the old guard" generally were on hand. Our coming
out did good. Lucy spoke with all her old force and fire. Mrs.
Nichols was there--a strong list of permanent officers was
nominated--and a State Impartial Suffrage Association was
organized. The right men were put upon the committees, and I do
not believe that the Negro Suffrage men can well bolt or back out
now.

The effect is wonderful. Papers which have been ridiculing woman
suffrage and sneering at "Sam Wood's Convention" are now on our
side. We have made the present Gov. Crawford President of the
Association, Lieut.-Gov. Green Vice-President. Have appointed a
leading man in every judicial district member of the Executive
Committee, and have some of the leading Congregational, Old
School, and New School Presbyterian ministers committed for both
questions; have already secured a majority of the newspapers of
the State, and if Lucy and I succeed in "getting up steam" as we
hope in Lawrence, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, and Atchison, the woman
and the negro will rise or fall together, and shrewd politicians
say that with proper effort we shall carry both next fall.

During the Convention Lucy got a dispatch from Lawrence as
follows: "Will you lecture for the Library Association? State