suffrage tried to make capital out
of it against him, but without avail, for that able and
distinguished statesman was elected to both offices, his term as
representative expiring before he would be called upon to take
his seat in the United States Senate. His noble wife, Ellen Clark
Sargent, took an active interest in all the woman suffrage
meetings, and in November, 1871, was appointed, as was also Mrs.
Gordon, to represent California in the National convention to be
held in Washington in January, 1872.

During the session of the California legislature in 1871-2 a
delegation from the State Society visited Sacramento and was
accorded a hearing in the Assembly-chamber before the Judiciary
Committee of that body. Addresses were made by Mrs. Pitts
Stevens, Mrs. A. A. Haskell, Mrs. E. A. H. DeWolf and Hon. John
A. Collins.

During the session of 1873-4 a bill was passed by the legislature
making women eligible to school offices, and also one which
provided that all women employed in the public schools should
receive the same compensation as men holding the same grade
certificates.

Mrs. Laura Morton has filled and ably discharged the office of
assistant State librarian for the past ten years. Mrs. Mandeville
was deputy-controller during the Democratic administration of
Governor Irwin, and proved herself fully capable of discharging
the duties of that responsible office; while for several years
women have been elected to various positions in the legislature
and employed as clerks.

July 10, 1873, the Woman Suffrage Society was incorporated under
the laws of the State, with Mrs. Sarah Wallis, president. Mrs.
Clara S. Foltz, a brilliant young woman who had begun the study
of law in San Jose, knew the statutes permitted no woman to be
admitted to the bar, and early in the session of 1877 drafted a
bill amending the code in favor of women, and sent it to Senator
Murphy of Santa Clara to be presented. Five years before this,
however, Mrs. Nettie Tator had applied for admission to the bar
at Santa Cruz. A committee of prominent attorneys appointed by
the court examined her qualifications as a lawyer. She passed
creditably and was unanimously recommended by the committee, when
it was discovered that the law would not admit women to that