oubtless knew of his impending
disease of the heart. On whose shoulders will fall the mantle of
Wendell Phillips? When will the children of men ever listen to
such a matchless voice? How poor the world seems! In sorrow I am
with you.

She could not stay away and, inclement as was the weather, went to
Boston three days later to look for the last time upon the loved face.

At the request of many ladies in Washington the National Convention was
held in March, instead of earlier in the winter, to avoid the social
distractions which always precede the Lenten season. The ladies were
pleasantly received by President Arthur.[19] This was an exceptionally
brilliant convention, a noteworthy feature being the large number of
letters containing the greetings of the distinguished men and women of
Great Britain, whom Miss Anthony and Mrs. Stanton had met and interested
during their trip abroad. The following was read from Matthew Simpson,
senior bishop in the Methodist church, among his last public utterances,
as he died a few months later:

For more than thirty years I have been in favor of suffrage for
woman. I was led to this position, not by the consideration of the
question of natural rights or of alleged injustice or of inequality
before the law, but by what I believed would be her influence on
the great moral questions of the day. Were the ballot in the hands
of women, I am satisfied that the evils of intemperance would be
greatly lessened; and I fear, without that ballot, we shall not
succeed against the saloons and kindred evils in large cities. You
will doubtless have many obstacles placed in your way; there will
be many conflicts to sustain; but I have no doubt that the coming
years will see the triumph of your cause, and that our higher
civilization and morality will rejoice in the work which
enlightened women will accomplish.[20]

[Illustration: Autograph: "M. Simpson"]

Both Senate and House committees granted hearings, and eloquent
addresses were made by delegates from many States. Miss Anthony said in
part:

This is the fifteenth year we have appeared before Congress in
person, and the nineteenth by petitions, asking national protection
for women in the exercise of their right to vote. In the winter of
1865 and 1866 we sent your honorable body a ten-thousand prayer,
asking you not to put "male" in the s