discussing this movement, and trying to keep woman in her "proper place "—some for, and some against. I was asked a few days ago, What do you women want ?" I replied, “We ask equality with men, before the law. The rights of humanity. The rights guaranteed to all mankind." "But are you not afraid that woman will run into excesses, that homes will be deserted, that men will lack wives in this country?" I have but one reply to make to that question. Society grants to every man in the United States, every free "white male citizen," who has complied with a few restrictions of the law, the privilege of voting, and of being voted for; of being President of the United States; of sitting upon the bench; of filling the jury box, of going to Congress; to the Senate of the United States; to the Halls of the Legislature, and of filling every office in the gift of the people, if he can get himself appointed to that office; and we don't believe woman will get very far out of her place, if society should yield her the same rights. If her neighbors and friends seriously think she is fitted to fill an office, I see no reason why she should not. Give us the privileges we ask; give us equality, and then let this truer society regulate human affairs, as men have hitherto done alone. I think there is enough of the conservative principle in society, to prevent any dangers growing out of this matter, or any thing deleterious to society; and I think this covers the whole ground so far as the real right is concerned. The details I shall not here enlarge upon.

I hope our discussions will be a little more extensive than the call would seem to warrant, which indicates simply our right to the political franchise.

MRS. MOTT.-I would state that the limitation in the call, was not anticipated at all, at the last convention. The issuing of the call was left to the central committee; but it was not supposed that they would specify any particular part of the labor of the convention, but that the broad ground of the presentation of the wrongs of woman, the assertion of her rights, and the encouragement to perseverance in individual and combined action, and the restoration of those rights, should be taken.

MRS. GAGE. I would remark once for all, to the convention, that there is perfect liberty given here to every one to speak upon the subject under discussion, both for and against, and that we urge all to do so. If there are any who have objections, we wish to hear them. If arguments are presented, which convince us that we are doing wrong, we wish all to act upon them. I feel extremely to regret that while we have held convention after convention, where this same liberty has been given, no one has had a word to say against us at the time, but that some have reserved their hard words of opposition to the movement, only to go away and vent them through the newspapers, amounting frequently even to gross misrepresentation. I hope every one here, will remember, with deep seriousness, that the same Almighty finger which traced upon the tablets of stone the commands, "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal," traced also there these words, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."

A letter was next read by Miss ANTOINETTE L. BROWN, from ABRAM BAIRD, Jr.

Letters were then read by Mrs. C. M. SEVERANCE. One from SAMUEL J. MAY, of Syracuse, N. Y., not designed for publication, expressive of unabated interest in the great question the convention had met to consider, and regreting deeply his inability to be present; extracts of a private letter from Mrs. SARAH OTIS ERNST, of Cinc nati, touching strongly and ably, some points suggestive of the needful reform in reference to woman's position and education, political and property rights; and the following from Mrs. REBECCA M. SANFORD:

Not being present at the convention, I can but express my interest by a few lines, addressed to my sisters in the work of woman's social and civil elevation.

The mere question of woman's civil rights, is not a deep one, for it is a natural one, and closely follows her mission in this world. She was not created anything else than a helpmeet to man, and

where to limit that assistance, there is no rule in nature, except her physical functions; there is a limit in law, but whether the law has the right to place her where she is, is the question.

It must be conceded that the law has drawn too great an inference from her ancient social attitude, and from present custom and prejudice. But has the law the right to be prejudiced-ought it not to stand pure, and noble, and magnanimous, founded on the natural rights of the human soul?

The law grants woman protection; it also grants negroes, animals and property, protection in their certain spheres. It gives no more to woman.

Woman's sphere, is her capability of performing her duty to herself, her family and to society-taking self-preservation as the first law of her nature. At present, she does not fully act in her sphere. The lid of the ballot-box, shuts out more than one-half of her duty to herself, family and society. The eye of the law is diseased, and woman must be made assistant occulist, to render that eye pure and single-sighted. Let not this convention close until some way and means are decided upon to secure woman's vote at the polls. The propriety or impropriety of the same place and box, and other objections, can be disposed of in a short time, as occasion requires. This done, the monster evils of society, Intemperance, &c., can be handled with ungloved hands.

of the times, shows us that Improvement is the practical watchword of the age. It is inscribed in living characters upon every department of nature. There is a law indelibly impressed upon the mental and moral nature of man, which leads him to desire a higher and still higher degree of mental and moral attainment. The range of human improvement is illimitable. Every man rises the stronger, because of his desire to press forward and upward, to occupy a still more exalted station; and this desire has never, in any previous period of the world's history, equalled that of the present time, in point of intensity. So strong has it become in woman, that she now demands, at the hand of man, her full right to the expression of this progressive spirit; that every barrier should be thrown down, and that every pathway should be laid open to her, as freely as to himself. Then would the divine energy pervade the human nature, to a degree unknown in the past history of the world. But this will not be done, until inward and outward freedom, for woman as much as for man, shall be acknowledged as a right, not yielded as a concession.

Were thought and feeling so far elevated in man, that he would regard himself the brother, but in no wise the Lord, of woman; did he fully realize this equality, any arrangements with regard to offices and employments, would be unnecessary. What woman wants, is the growth of her soul, the freedom of her intellect, the right as a human being, to live unimpeded; to develop all the powers given her at her creation. To this end, the education of our daughters, should be vastly different from what it now is. Parents should be impressed with a firm belief in the equal humanity of the sexes. Daughters, as well as sons, should be addressed as beings possessing living minds. Instead of clothing the head with outward adornment, it should be regarded as the temple of the immortal intellect. Call on them for force of character-require of them honor and fidelity --require the highest virtues of which you have a knowledge. Allow them the key to the secret wonders of the universe, and, through the incentive given by a high expectation, prevent their privileges from lying idle. Give them a sense of self-dependence. Let the

world be free to them, that they may live freely in it. As their most valuable portion, give them a dignified sense of independence. Thus will that faith, that intelligence, that self-respect be established, which, notwithstanding the storms of adversity, will buoy their bark on life's tempestuous sea, and with these as a chart and a compass, will anchor them in a secure haven. Woman has never been trained to self-dependence. This has been a greater defect in her education than the neglect to impart knowledge in a more direct manner. Education consists not so much in learning facts as in being able to grasp principles with a comprehensive mind, and in learning to adapt ourselves to the universe of matter and mind which surrounds us. That education which has no practical utility, should not be dignified by the name. I do not propose to enlarge upon the blessings of education; but I will say, that in as far as these vast advantages of education are understood and appreciated, with reference to the more favored sex, in so far, at least, are they essential to the sex hitherto neglected.

But because of this neglect, woman has not risen; she has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. She has been denied systematic education, ample and adequate instruction, with the motive of self-benefit in view, and to fit her to fulfil the object of her earthly pilgrimage.

If woman is naturally less intellectual and more feeble minded than man, surely that is a very good reason why she should have all the advantages of education that man possesses. But has a strengthening and invigorating system of education been devised for her? The defects of her mental powers being so obvious, doubtless the philantrophy of the financiers and legislators, has endowed many schools and colleges for her benefit, that as far as possible these radical deficiencies may be remedied! No indeed! this is very far from being the case. Should poor simple minded woman-as it is said feel any yearnings to advance farther than the very alphabet of learning, difficulties present themselves on every hand. In our own country, she is better provided for than in any other, but what do we see here? Colleges and universities where she may retire from active life, where she may