reading of the Declaration of Rights of the
Women of the United States.

A printed copy had been given me the day before, when between the
sessions of the New England American Association in the Academy
of Music, where were Lucy Stone, Julia Ward Howe, Rev. Antoinette
Brown Blackwell, Elizabeth K. Churchill and other pleasant-faced,
sweet-voiced ladies, I had called at the rooms on Chestnut street
and folded declarations, for half an hour with Mrs. Stanton,
which they were distributing by post and in every way all over
the land. When I read it at home that night I realized its
importance, but as the next day (the Fourth) was excessively
warm, I very nearly gave up going, and then I should have missed
the impressiveness of her reading. When she first commenced, her
voice seemed choked with emotion. She must have realized what she
was doing, as we all knew it was the grandest thing that had been
done in a hundred years. Thrill after thrill went through my
veins, and the whole scene formed a picture that will yet be the
subject of artists' pencils and poets' pens. I should have been
contented to have had the meeting closed then with that best song
of the Hutchinsons upon the progress of reform, where the young
gentleman was so much applauded for his solo, "When Women Shall
be Free." Still we were all interested in Mrs. Spencer's account
of her interview with General Hawley, and his refusal to permit
the silent handing-in of the declaration, which, after her
persistence, assuring him "it would not take three minutes," he
was obliged to confess was because he was "very well aware it
would be the event of the occasion." "Immediately," said Mrs.
Spencer, "you cannot imagine what an inspiration we all had to do
it; for," added the slight, fair-haired, fluent lady, in a
humorous manner that called forth laughter and applause, "I never
yet was forbidden by a man to do a thing, but that I resolved to
do it."

We were also pleased to hear from that earnest woman, Susan B.
Anthony, inspired by the immutable abstract truths of justice and
equity. Reports say that she has the air of a Catholic devotee.
She said that in defiance of "the powers that be" she took a
place on that platform in Independence square, and at the proper
time delivered the engro