eded other civil rights to married women.
Pending the discussion of these various bills, Susan B. Anthony
circulated petitions both for the civil and political rights of woman
throughout the State, traveling in stage coaches and open wagons and
sleighs in all seasons, and on foot from door to door through towns
and cities, doing her uttermost to rouse women to some sense of their
natural rights as human beings, to their civil and political rights as
citizens of a republic; and while expending her time, strength, and
money to secure these blessings for the women of the State, they would
gruffly tell her they had all the rights they wanted, or rudely shut
the door in her face, leaving her to stand outside, petition in hand,
with as much contempt as if she were asking alms for herself. None but
those who did that petition work in the early days for the slaves and
the women, can ever know the hardships and humiliations that were
endured. But it was done because it was only through petitions, a
power seemingly so inefficient, that disfranchised classes could be
heard in the national councils, hence their importance.

The frivolous objections some women made to our appeals were as
exasperating as ridiculous. To reply to them politely at all times,
required a divine patience. On one occasion, after addressing the
Legislature, some of the ladies in congratulating me, inquired in a
deprecating tone, "What do you do with your children?" "Ladies," I
said, "it takes me no longer to speak than you to listen; what have
you done with your children the two hours you have been sitting here?
But to answer your questions. I never leave my children to go to
Saratoga, Washington, Newport, or Europe, nor even to come here. They
are at this moment with a faithful nurse at the Delavan House, and
having accomplished my mission, we shall all return home together."

Miss Anthony, who was a frequent guest at my home, sometimes stood
guard on such occasions.[83] The children of our household say that
among their earliest recollections is the tableau of "Mother and
Susan," seated by a large table covered with books and papers, always
writing and talking about the Constitution, interrupted with
occasional visits from others of the faithful. Hither came Elizabeth
Oakes Smith, Paulina Wright Davis, Frances Dana Gage, Dr. Harriot
Hunt, Antoinette Brown, Lucy Stone, Abby Kelly, by turn, until all
these names were as familiar as household words to the ch