rever
green, some compensation for the many cloudy days. An evening
reception in Mrs. Bright's spacious parlors, with friends from
Manchester and other adjoining towns, with speeches of welcome and
farewell, finished our visit at Alderly Edge.

As our good friends Mrs. McLaren and Mrs. Lucas had determined to
see us safely on board the Servia, they escorted us to Liverpool,
where we met Mrs. Margaret Parker, Mrs. Scatcherd and Dr. Fanny
Dickinson of Chicago. Another reception was given us at the
residence of Dr. Ewing Whittle. Several short speeches were
made, all cheering the parting guests with words of hope and
encouragement for the good cause.

Here the wisdom of forming an international association was
considered. The proposition met with such favor from those present
that a committee was appointed to correspond with the friends in
different nations. As Miss Anthony and myself are members of that
committee,[585] now that these volumes are finished and we are at
liberty once more, we shall ascertain as soon as possible the
feasibility of a grand international conference in New York in
1888, to celebrate the fourth decade of our movement for woman's
enfranchisement. Such conventions have been held by the friends of
anti-slavery, peace, temperance, social purity and evangelical
christianity, and why may not the suffrage cause, too, receive a
new impetus from the united efforts of its friends in all
countries.

On the broad Atlantic for ten days we had many opportunities to
review all we had seen and heard. There we met our noble friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Hussey of New Jersey; also Mrs. Margaret Buchanan
Sullivan of Chicago, just returning from an extended tour in
Ireland, who gave us many of her rich experiences. Sitting on deck
hour after hour, how often I queried with myself as to the
significance of the boon for which women were so earnestly
struggling. In asking for a voice in the government under which we
live, have we been pursuing a shadow for forty years? In seeking
political power, are we abdicating that social throne where they
tell us our influence is unbounded? No! no! the right of suffrage
is no shadow, but a substantial entity that the citizen can seize
and hold for his own protection and his country's welfare. A direct
power over one's own person and property, an individual opinion to
be counted on all questions of public interest, is better than
indirect influence, be it ever so far-reaching.

Thou