[Illustration:  Isabella Beecher Hooker]

On December 21, 1870, Mrs. Woodhull had gone to Washington with a memorial praying Congress to enact such laws as were necessary for enabling women to exercise the right to vote vested in them by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.  This was presented in the Senate by Harris, of Louisiana, and in the House by Julian, of Indiana, referred to the judiciary committees and ordered printed.  She had taken this action without consulting any of the suffrage leaders and they were as much astonished to hear of it as were the rest of the world.  When they arrived at the capital another surprise awaited them.  On taking up the papers they learned that Mrs. Woodhull was to address the judiciary committee of the House of Representatives the very morning their convention was to open.  Miss Anthony hastened to confer with Mrs. Hooker, who was a guest at the home of Senator Pomeroy, and to urge that they should be present at this hearing and learn what Mrs. Woodhull proposed to do.  Mrs. Hooker emphatically declined, but the senator said:  “This is not politics.  Men never could work in a political party if they stopped to investigate each member’s antecedents and associates.  If you are going into a fight, you must accept every help that offers.”

Finally they postponed the opening of their convention till afternoon and, on the morning of January 11, Miss Anthony, Mrs. Hooker, Paulina Wright Davis and Hon. A. G. Riddle appeared in the judiciary committee room.  None of them had met Mrs. Woodhull, whom they found to be a beautiful woman, refined in appearance and plainly dressed.  She read her argument in a clear, musical voice with a modest and engaging manner, captivating not only the men but the ladies, who invited her to come to their convention and repeat it.  Mrs. Hooker and Judge Riddle also addressed the committee and Miss Anthony closed the proceedings with a short speech, thus reported by the Philadelphia Press: 

She said few women had persecuted Congress as she had done, and she was glad that new, fresh voices were heard today.  “But, gentlemen,” she continued, “I entreat you to bring this matter before the House.  You let our petition, presented by Mr. Julian last winter, come to its death.  I ask you to grant our appeal so that I can lay off my armor, for I am tired of fighting.  The old Constitution did not disfranchise women, and we begged you not to put the word ‘male’ into the Fourteenth Amendment.  I wish, General Butler, you would say contraband for us.  But, gentlemen, bring in a report of some kind, either for or against; don’t let the matter die in committee.  Make it imperative that every man in the House shall show whether he is for or against it.”  Mrs. Hooker caught the refrain as Miss Anthony sat down, and said:  “Pledge yourselves that we shall have a hearing before Congress.”

The Daily Patriot, of Washington, gave this account of the opening of the convention: