ted their treatment by
the men.

The night was cold and snowy. The little room was dark, the stove
smoked and the pipe fell down during the exercises, but the women were
sustained by their indignation and sense of justice and would not allow
themselves to be discouraged. Rev. Samuel J. May, who was in the city
attending the "Jerry Rescue" trials, seeing the notice of their
meeting, came to offer his assistance, accompanied by David Wright,
husband of Martha C. Wright and brother-in-law of Lucretia Mott. These
two, with a reporter, were the only men present at this little
assemblage of women who had decided that they could do something better
for the cause of temperance than being seen and not heard.

Mr. May opened the meeting with prayer, and then showed them how to
organize. Mary C. Vaughn, of Oswego, was made president; Miss Anthony,
secretary; Lydia Mott, chairman of the business committee. Mrs. Vaughn
gave an address. A letter had been received from Mrs. Stanton so
radical that most of the ladies objected to having it read, but Miss
Anthony took the responsibility. She read, also, letters from Clarina
Howard Nichols and Amelia Bloomer, which had been intended for the
Sons' meeting. Mrs. Lydia F. Fowler, who happened to be lecturing in
Albany, spoke briefly, and Mr. May paid high tribute to the valuable
work of women in temperance and anti-slavery, declaring their influence
as indispensable to the state and the church as to the home. Miss
Anthony then said their treatment showed that the time had come for
women to have an organization of their own; and the final outcome was
the appointment of a committee, with herself as chairman, to call a
Woman's State Temperance Convention.

She at once wrote to all parts of the State urging the unions to send
delegates, and received many encouraging replies. Horace Greeley wrote
as follows:

I heartily approve the call of the Woman's Temperance Convention,
and hope it may result in good. To this end I would venture to
suggest:

1st. Hold an informal and private meeting before you attempt to
meet in public. There select your officers, your business
committees, etc., so that there shall be no jarring when you
assemble in public.

2d. Have your addresses and resolves carefully prepared beforehand.
Make them very short and pointed. Have them in type so that they
may appear promptly and simultaneously in the daily papers. If you
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