eneral
awakening of the true men and women of that State to new ideas of
individual liberty. But while some gladly accepted his words as
harbingers of a new and better civilization, others resisted all
innovations of their time-honored customs and opinions. And when
the clarion voices of Foster and Pillsbury arraigned that State for
its compromises with slavery, howling mobs answered their arguments
with brickbats and curses; mobs that nothing could quell but the
sweet voices of the Hutchinson family. Their peans of liberty, so
readily accepted when set to music, were obstinately resisted when
uttered by others, though in most eloquent speech. Thus with music,
meetings and mobs, New Hampshire was at least awake and watching,
and when the distant echoes of woman's uprising reverberated
through her mountains she gave a ready response.

In 1868, simultaneously with other New England States, she felt the
time had come to organize for action on the question of suffrage
for women. A call for a convention was issued to be held in
Concord, December 22, 23, and signed by one hundred and twenty men
and women,[188] some of the most honored and influential classes of
all callings and professions. Nathaniel P. White, always ready to
aid genuine reformatory movements, was the first to sign the call.
As a member of the legislature he had helped to coin into law many
of the liberal ideas sown broadcast in the early days[189] by the
anti-slavery apostles. Galen Foster, a brother of Stephen, used his
influence also as a member of the legislature, to vindicate the
rights of women to civil and political equality. This first
convention was held in Eagle Hall, Concord, with large and
enthusiastic audiences. A long and interesting letter was read from
William Lloyd Garrison:

BOSTON, December 21, 1868.

DEAR MRS. WHITE: I must lose the gratification of being present
at the Woman Suffrage Convention at Concord and substitute an
epistolary testimony for a speech from the platform.

The two conventions recently held in furtherance of the movement
for universal and impartial suffrage--one in Boston, the other in
Providence--were eminently successful in respect to numbers,
intellectual ability, moral strength and unity of action; and
their proceedings such as to challenge attention and elicit
wide-spread commendation. I have no doubt that the convention in
C