meeting was held to raise funds for a
banner, they had promised the firemen, Co. No. 1, if they would vote
the Temperance ticket.

Of the temperance excitement in the State, Mrs. Gage says:

In the winter of 1852-53, there was great excitement on the
Temperance question in this country, originating in Maine and
spreading West. Some prominent women in Ohio, who were at
Columbus, the State capital, with their husbands--who were there
from all parts of the State, as Senators, Representatives,
jurists, and lobbyists--feeling a great interest, as many of them
had need to, in the question, were moved to call a public meeting
on the subject. This resulted in the formation of a "Woman's
State Temperance Society," which sent out papers giving their
by-laws and resolutions, and calling for auxiliary societies in
different parts of the State. This call in many places met with
hearty responses.

In the following autumn, 1853, officers of the State Society,
Mrs. Professor Coles, of Oberlin, President, called a convention
of their members and friends of the cause, at the city of Dayton,
Ohio.

The famous "Whole World's Convention" had just been held in New
York City, followed by the "World's Convention," at which the
Rev. Antoinette L. Brown was expelled from the platform, simply
because she was a woman. The Hon. Samuel Carey presented a
resolution, which I quote from memory, something as follows:

"_Resolved_, That we recognize women as efficient aids and
helpers in the home, but not on the platform."

This was not perhaps the exact wording, but it was the purport of
the resolution, and was presented while Neal Dow, the President
of the Convention, was absent from the chair, and after much
angry and abusive discussion, it was passed by that body of great
men.

The Committee of Arrangements, appointed at Dayton, could find no
church, school-house, or hall in which to hold their convention,
till the Sons of Temperance consented to yield their lodge-room,
provided there were no men admitted to their meetings. Alas! the
Committee consented. I traveled two hundred miles, and, on
reaching Dayton at a late hour, I repaired at once to the hall.
Our meeting was organized. But hardly were we ready to proceed
when an interruption occurred. I had been advert