extension of the franchise, voted against
allowing them to do so. I do not believe a more humiliating abnegation
of principle at the behest of a party leader ever was witnessed in our
Congress."

The national political conventions in the summer of 1884 received the
usual appeal to recognize the claims of women. The Republican,
Democratic, Anti-Monopoly and Greenback parties equivocated, although
the last two nominated Benjamin F. Butler, an avowed advocate of woman
suffrage; the Prohibition convention relegated the question to the
States[23]. The American party put in a plank and nominated S. C.
Pomeroy, a champion of woman suffrage, but it had too small a following
to offer any hope of success. Blaine was not a friend, Logan was an
earnest one; Cleveland was not acceptable to many women, Hendricks had
never shown himself favorable. In the midst of such a conglomeration the
wise thing for all women would have been to remain non-partisan and take
no share in the campaign. Miss Anthony and Mrs. Stanton, however,
watching events from their secluded nook, issued a manifesto urging
women to stand by the Republican party. They were led to take this
action by the tendency of large numbers to rush to the support of the
Prohibitionists, because of their suffrage plank; and they believed that
if women were determined to work for some political party, the
Republican at that time held out most hope. This aroused the antagonism
of the Prohibitionists and Democrats, both men and women, and afforded
the strongest possible object lesson to Miss Anthony of the wisdom of
henceforth adhering to her policy of non-partisanship until one of the
_dominant_ parties should declare unmistakably for woman suffrage and
advocate it by means of press and platform.

In August occurred the death of Sarah Pugh, the gentle Quaker and
staunch Abolitionist, her old and faithful friend. It was followed by
that of Frances D. Gage a few months later; and in December passed away
the true and helpful ally, William Henry Channing. Each left a void in
her heart, and yet the memory of these great souls impelled to renewed
effort. There was no cessation of the work on the History, which was
slowly evolved through the heat of summer and the beautiful days of
early autumn, but by the end of October the funds were exhausted, the
money left by Mrs. Eddy was still in litigation, and Miss Anthony again
went on the lecture platform, speaking almost every night through