On March 19, 1860, Mrs. Stanton presented her address to a joint session of the Legislature at Albany, occupying the speaker’s desk and facing as magnificent an audience as ever assembled in the old Capitol.  It was a grand plea for a repeal of the unjust and oppressive laws relating to women, and it was universally said that its eloquence could not have been surpassed by any man in the United States.  A bill was then in the hands of the judiciary committee, simply an amendment of the Property Law of 1848, to which Andrew J. Colvin objected as not liberal enough.  Miss Anthony gave him a very radical bill just introduced into the Massachusetts Legislature, which he examined carefully, adding several clauses to make it still broader.  It was accepted by the committee, composed of Messrs. Hammond, Ramsey and Colvin, reported to the Senate and passed by that body in February.  It was concurred in by the Assembly the day following Mrs. Stanton’s speech, and signed by Governor Edwin D. Morgan.[30] This new law declared in brief: 

Any property, real and personal, which any married woman now owns, or which may come to her by descent, etc., shall be her sole and separate property, not subject to control or interference by her husband.

Any married woman may bargain, sell, etc., carry on any trade or perform any services on her own account, and her earnings shall be her sole and separate property and may be used or invested by her in her own name.

    A married woman may buy, sell, make contracts, etc., and if the
    husband has willfully abandoned her, or is an habitual drunkard, or
    insane, or a convict, his consent shall not be necessary.

    A married woman may sue and be sued, bringing action in her own
    name for damages and the money recovered shall be her sole
    property.

    Every married woman shall be joint guardian of her children with
    her husband, with equal powers, etc., regarding them.

    At the decease of the husband the wife shall have the same property
    rights as the husband would have at her death.

This remarkable action, which might be termed almost a legal revolution, was the result of nearly ten years of laborious and persistent effort on the part of a little handful of women who, by constant agitation through conventions, meetings and petitions, had created a public sentiment which stood back of the Legislature and gave it sanction to do this act of justice.  While all these women worked earnestly and conscientiously to bring about this great reform, there was but one, during the entire period, who gave practically every month of every year to this purpose, and that one was Susan B. Anthony.  In storm and sunshine, in heat and cold, in seasons of encouragement and in times of doubt, criticism and contumely, she never faltered, never stopped.  Going with her petition