“In the fears of various parties that it might he disastrous to their interests.  The Protestants fear it lest there should be a majority of Catholic women to increase the power of that church; the free-thinkers are afraid that, as the majority of church-members are women, they would put God in the Constitution; the free-whiskey men are opposed because they think women would vote down their interests; the Republicans would put a suffrage plank in their platform if they knew they could secure the majority vote of the women, and so would the Democrats, but each party fears the result might help the other.  Thus, you see, we can not appeal to the self-interest of anybody and this is our great source of weakness.”

It was decided to bold this year’s May Anniversary in St. Louis instead of New York, and all arrangements having been made by Virginia L. Minor and Phoebe Couzins, the convention opened formally on the evening of May 7, to quote the newspapers, “in the presence of a magnificent audience which packed every part of St. George’s Hall, crowding gallery and stairs and leaving hardly standing room in the aisles.”  They also paid many compliments to the intellectual character of the audience, its evident sympathy with the cause for which the convention was assembled, and the elegant costumes worn by the ladies both in the body of the house and on the platform.  Mrs. Minor presided and a beautiful address of welcome was delivered by Miss Couzins.  The ladies were invited to the Merchants’ Exchange by its president, and also visited the Fair grounds by invitation of the board.  Miss Couzins gave a reception at her home, and the evening before the convention opened, Mrs. Minor entertained the delegates informally.  Of this latter occasion the Globe-Democrat said: 

Miss Susan B. Anthony, perhaps the only lady present of national reputation, commanded attention at a glance.  Her face is one which would attract notice anywhere; full of energy, character and intellect, the strong lines soften on a closer inspection.  There is a good deal that is “pure womanly” in the face which has been held up to the country so often as a gaunt and hungry specter’s crying for universal war upon mankind.  The spectacles sit upon a nose strong enough to be masculine, but hide eyes which can beam with kindliness as well as flash with wit, irony and satire.  Angular she may be—­“angular as a Lebanon Shakeress” she said the New York Herald once termed her—­but if so, the irregularities of outline were completely hidden under the folds of the modest and dignified black silk which covered her most becomingly.

At this convention occurred that touching scene which has been so often described, when May Wright Sewall presented Miss Anthony, to her complete surprise, with a beautiful floral offering from the delegates.  The Globe-Democrat thus reports: