, a strong plea for the
right of women to work and speak for temperance. Soon afterwards she
wrote her father: "I feel there is a great work to be done which none
but women can do. How I wish I could be daily associated with those
whose ideas are in advance of my own, it would enable me to develop so
much faster;" and then, notwithstanding all her rebuffs, she signed
herself, "Yours cheerily."

The anti-slavery convention this year was held in Rochester, and Miss
Anthony had as a guest her dear friend, Lydia Mott, and again met
Garrison, Phillips, May, the Fosters, Pillsbury, Henry C. Wright and
others of that glorious band who together had received the baptism of
fire. Although intensely interested in the anti-slavery question she
did not dare think she had the ability to take up that work, but she
did resolve to give all her time and energy to the temperance cause.
The summer of 1852 was spent in traveling throughout the State with
Mrs. Vaughn, Mrs. Attilia Albro and Miss Emily Clark. They canvassed
thirty counties, organizing societies and securing 28,000 signatures to
a petition for the Maine Law. Miss Anthony sent out a strong appeal,
saying:

Women, and mothers in particular, should feel it their right and
duty to extend their influence beyond the circumference of the home
circle, and to say what circumstances shall surround children when
they go forth from under the watchful guardianship of the mother's
love; for certain it is that, if the customs and laws of society
remain corrupt as they now are, the best and wisest of the mother's
teachings will soon be counteracted....

Woman has so long been accustomed to non-intervention with
law-making, so long considered it man's business to regulate the
liquor traffic, that it is with much cautiousness she receives the
new doctrine which we preach; the doctrine that it is her right and
duty to speak out against the traffic and all men and institutions
that in any way sanction, sustain or countenance it; and, since she
can not vote, to duly instruct her husband, son, father or brother
how she would have him vote, and, if he longer continue to
mis-represent her, take the right to march to the ballot-box and
deposit a vote indicative of her highest ideas of practical
temperance.

It will be seen by this that already she had taken her stand on the
right of woman to the franchise.

While at Elmira