The Tenth National Woman’s Rights Convention assembled in Cooper Institute, May 10, 1860.  Miss Anthony called it to order and read a full and interesting report of the work and progress of the past year.  The usual eloquent speeches were made by Phillips, Mrs. Rose, Rev. Beriah Green, Mary Grew, Rev. Samuel Longfellow, brother of the poet, and others.  The warmest gratitude was expressed “toward Susan B. Anthony, through whose untiring exertions and executive ability the recent laws for women were secured.”  A hearty laugh was enjoyed at the expense of the man who shouted from the audience, “She’d a great deal better have been at home taking care of her husband and children.”  The proceedings were pleasant and harmonious, but next morning the whole atmosphere was changed and Elizabeth Cady Stanton did it with a little set of resolutions declaring that, under certain conditions, divorce was justifiable.  She supported them by an address which for logic of argument, force of expression and beauty of diction never has been, never can be surpassed.  No such thoughts ever before had been put into words.  She spoke on that day for all the women of the world, for the wives of the present and future generations.  The audience sat breathless and, at the close of the following peroration, burst into long-continued applause: 

We can not take our gauge of womanhood from the past but from the solemn convictions of our own souls, in the higher development of the race.  No parchments, however venerable with the mold of ages, no human institutions, can bound the immortal wants of the royal sons and daughters of the great I Am—­rightful heirs of the joys of time and joint heirs of the glories of eternity.  If in marriage either party claim the right to stand supreme, to woman, the mother of the race, belongs the scepter and the crown.  Her life is one long sacrifice for man.  You tell us that among all womankind there is no Moses, Christ or Paul—­no Michael Angelo, Beethoven or Shakespeare—­no Columbus or Galileo—­no Locke or Bacon.  Behold those mighty minds so grand, so comprehensive—­they themselves are our great works!  Into you, O sons of earth, goes all of us that is immortal.  In you center our very life, our hopes, our intensest love.  For you we gladly pour out our heart’s blood and die, knowing that from our suffering comes forth a new and more glorious resurrection of thought and life.

This speech set the convention on fire.  Antoinette Blackwell spoke strongly in opposition, Mrs. Rose eloquently in favor.  Mr. Phillips was not satisfied even with the motion to lay the resolutions on the table but moved to expunge them from the journal of the convention, which, he said, had nothing to do with laws except those that rested unequally upon women and the laws of divorce did not.  It seems incredible that Mr. Phillips could have taken this position, when by the law the wife had no legal claim upon either property or children in case of divorce, and, even though the innocent party, must go forth into the world homeless and childless; in the majority of States she could not sue for divorce in her own name nor could she claim enough of the community property to pay the costs of the suit.  Miss Anthony said: