Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 3.djvu/585

534 For this interesting chapter we are indebted to Mrs. May Wright Sewall, who has patiently gathered and arranged this material, and laid it, as a free gift, at our feet. Those who have ever attempted to unearth the most trivial incidents of history, will appreciate the difficulties she must have encountered in this work, as well as in condensing all she desired to say within the very limited space allowed to this chapter. Mrs. Sewall writes:

The first convention after the war, June 8, 9, 1869, was held in Masonic Hall, and continued two days. The Indianapolis Journal devoted several columns daily to the proceedings, closing with the following complimentary editorial:

As a deliberative assembly it compared favorably with the best that have ever been conducted by our own sex. To say that there was as much order, propriety and dignity as usually characterizes male conventions of a political character is but to put the matter in a very mild shape. Whatever was said, was said with earnestness and for a purpose, and while several times the debate was considerably spiced, the ladies never fell below their brothers in sound sense. We have yet to see any sensible man who attended the convention whose esteem for woman has been lowered, while very many have been converted by the captivating speeches of Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Swank and Mrs. Livermore.

In the Sentinel of June 11, 1869, an editorial appeared whose evident object was to reassure the public mind and to restore to peace and confidence any souls that might have been agitated during the convention by so unusual and novel an exercise as thought. The nature of the sedative potion thus editorially administered to an alarmed public may be inferred from this sample:

No amount of human ingenuity can change the arrangement of nature. The history of the race furnishes the evidence that the species of man and woman are opposite. The distinctions that now exist have existed from the time that the "Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam," and said: "Thy desire shall be to thy husband; he shall rule over thee." This brief story comprises the history of man and woman, and defines the relations which shall ever exist between them. When woman ceases to be womanly, woman's rights associations become her fitting province.

The editor of the Journal at that time was Colonel W. R. Holloway, the present very liberal manager of the Times. The editor of the Sentinel was Joseph J. Bingham. The State was then Republican, and as the organ of that party the Journal probably had the larger number of readers.

The State Woman Suffrage Association convened in Indianapolis, June 8, 1870, and held a two days' meeting. The Journal contains, as usual, a full report. The Sentinel's tone is quite different from that which distinguished its utterances the preceding year. Its reports are full and perfectly respectful. This convention is memorable as that at which the Indiana Society became auxiliary to the American Association. The records show that this union was accomplished by a majority of one, the ballot on the proposition standing 15 for and 14 against. As soon as the union was thus effected the following was adopted:

Resolved, That this association is in favor of the union of the National and American Associations as soon as practicable.