Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/434

 who was one of the trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. The movement attracted the widest attention and met with universal commendation. The convention met in Washington, February 19th, and every state in the Union was fully represented except South Carolina, whose laws permit no divorce. She, too, was heard upon the floor in the proceedings. The sessions were opened with prayers by Edward Everett Hale of Massachusetts and Bishop William C. Doane of New York. The convention elected me its president. Among the delegates were some of the most distinguished men in professional life in the United States. Among the clergy were Archbishop John J. Glennon of St. Louis, Bishop T. F. Gailor of Tennessee, Bishop Doane of New York, Dr. Charles A. Dickey of the Presbyterian Church, Bishop John Shanley and Dr. Washington Gladden. Among the statesmen were United States Senators Smoot and Sutherland of Utah and Clark of Arkansas and Oscar E. Underwood of Alabama, later a national figure and Democratic leader of the house. Among the lawyers were Charles W. Miller, attorney general of Indiana; I. F. Ailshie of the Superior Court of Idaho; Judge Charles Monroe of Los Angeles, California; Robert H. Richards, attorney general of Delaware, and the vice-chancellor, John K. Emory, of New Jersey, an exceedingly clear-headed, able man. Governor Lea of Delaware took part and there were three or four women delegates. It was in every sense a truly representative American assemblage. The questions arising were discussed with learning and gravity and the result of the deliberations was the agreement upon a carefully drawn statute to be presented to all of the legislatures of the states with a recommendation that it be adopted in lieu of existing legislation. It was enacted by New Jersey, Delaware and some of the other states, but unfortunately it could not be presented to the legislature of Pennsylvania until after the force which had been behind the measure had disappeared from Harrisburg. M. Hampton Todd, the 416