no more brains than a woman? And this, too, is the reason
that teaching is a less lucrative profession, as here men must compete
with the cheap labor of woman. Would you exalt your profession, exalt
those who labor with you. Would you make it more lucrative, increase
the salaries of the women engaged in the noble work of educating our
future Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen."

This said, Miss Anthony took her seat, amid the profoundest silence,
broken at last by three gentlemen, Messrs. Cruttenden, Coburn, and
Fanning, walking down the broad aisle to congratulate the speaker on
her pluck and perseverance, and the pertinency of her remarks. The
editor of _The Rochester Democrat_ said the next morning, that
"whatever the schoolmasters might think of Miss Anthony, it was
evident that she hit the nail on the head."

To give the women of to-day some idea of what it cost those who first
thrust themselves into these conventions, at the close of the session
Miss A. heard women remarking: "Did you ever see anything like this
performance?" "I was actually ashamed of my sex." "I felt so mortified
I really wished the floor would open and swallow me up." "Who can that
creature be?" "She must be a dreadful woman to get up that way and
speak in public." "I was so mad at those three men making such a
parade to shake hands with her; that will just encourage her to speak
again." These ladies had probably all been to theatres, concerts,
operas, and gone into ecstasies over Fanny Kemble, Rachel, and Jenny
Lind; and Fanny Elsler, balanced on one toe, the other foot in the
air, without having their delicacy shocked in the least. But a simple
Quaker girl rising in a teachers' convention to make a common-sense
remark modestly, dressed, making no display of her neck, or arms, or
legs, so tried their delicate sensibilities that they were almost
afraid to attend the next session.

At the opening of the next morning's session, after Miss Anthony's
debut, Professor Davies, in all his majesty and pomposity, with his
thumbs in the arm-holes of his regulation buff vest, called the
Convention to order, and said: "I have been asked by several persons,
why no provisions have been made for women to speak, and vote, and act
on committees, in these assemblies?" My answer is, "Be hold yonder
beautiful pilaster of this superb hall! contemplate its pedestal, its
shaft, its rich entablature, the crowning glory of the whole. Each and
all the parts in the