politics
would be useful and beneficent; but I do not assume to judge for
her. She must consider, determine, and act for herself. Whenever
she shall in earnest have resolved that her own welfare and that
of the race will be promoted by her claiming a voice in the
direction of civil government, as I think she ultimately will do,
then the day of her emancipation will be near. That day I will
hope yet to see.
Yours,
HORACE GREELEY.

Of the hearings before the Legislature which followed this Convention,
we give the report from

_The Albany Register, February 17, 1855._

JUST AND EQUAL RIGHTS--HEARING BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE.

The select Committee of the Assembly, to which was referred the
petition for Woman's Rights, granted a bearing to the petitioners
in the Assembly Chamber on Saturday evening, Ernestine L. Rose,
Antoinette Brown, and Susan B. Anthony represented the
petitioners. The arguments were able, and well received. Members
of the 'Committee and others sent up a number of questions which
the ladies promptly answered, with a due sprinkling of wit,
logic, and sarcasm, greatly to the entertainment of the audience,
which did not disperse until after eleven o'clock.

Mr. Rickerson, from the Select Committee, to whom was referred
"The Petition for the Right of Suffrage," stated that "after
mature consideration the Committee unanimously report adversely
to the prayer of the petitioners." Mr. Rickerson, from the same
Committee to whom was referred--the petition for the just and
equal civil rights of woman, said: "The Committee have given the
petition that examination which time and circumstances would
allow, and report favorably thereon, as embraced in the bill,"
which they introduced.[144]

The petitions of 1856 were referred to the Judiciary Committee, Samuel
A. Foote, Chairman. Mr. Foote was at one time a member of the bar of
New York, associating with some of the first families in the State--a
son, a husband, a father--and yet in his maturer years he had so
little respect for himself, his mother, wife, and daughters as to
present in a dignified legislative assembly the following report on a
grave question of human rights--a piece of buffoonery worthy only a
mountebank