A heated debate followed.  Mr. Havens, of New York, offered an amendment recognizing “the right of women to work in their proper sphere—­the domestic circle.”  Rev. May, of the Unitarian church, Rev. Luther Lee, of the Wesleyan Methodist, Hon. A.N.  Cole, a leading Whig politician, and several others, defended the rights of the women in the most eloquent manner, but were howled down.  Miss Anthony made only one attempt to speak and that was to remind them that over 100,000 of the signers to a petition for a Maine Law, the previous winter, were women, but her voice was drowned by Rev. Fowler, of Utica, shouting, “Order!  Order!” Herman Camp, of Trumansburg, the president, ruled that she was not a delegate and had no right to speak.  Amid great confusion the question was put to vote and the decision of the chair sustained.  As no delegates had yet been accredited, everybody in the house was allowed to vote, but the secretary, J.T.  Hazen, announced that he did not count the votes of the women!

Rev. Luther Lee at once offered his church to the ladies for an evening meeting.  They had a crowded house, fine speeches and good music, while the convention was practically deserted, not over fifty being present.  After a masterly speech by Mr. May and stirring remarks from Mr. Lee, Mrs. Bloomer and others, Miss Anthony made the address of the evening, which she had prepared for the men’s convention, a strong plea for the right of women to work and speak for temperance.  Soon afterwards she wrote her father:  “I feel there is a great work to be done which none but women can do.  How I wish I could be daily associated with those whose ideas are in advance of my own, it would enable me to develop so much faster;” and then, notwithstanding all her rebuffs, she signed herself, “Yours cheerily.”

The anti-slavery convention this year was held in Rochester, and Miss Anthony had as a guest her dear friend, Lydia Mott, and again met Garrison, Phillips, May, the Fosters, Pillsbury, Henry C. Wright and others of that glorious band who together had received the baptism of fire.  Although intensely interested in the anti-slavery question she did not dare think she had the ability to take up that work, but she did resolve to give all her time and energy to the temperance cause.  The summer of 1852 was spent in traveling throughout the State with Mrs. Vaughn, Mrs. Attilia Albro and Miss Emily Clark.  They canvassed thirty counties, organizing societies and securing 28,000 signatures to a petition for the Maine Law.  Miss Anthony sent out a strong appeal, saying: 

Women, and mothers in particular, should feel it their right and duty to extend their influence beyond the circumference of the home circle, and to say what circumstances shall surround children when they go forth from under the watchful guardianship of the mother’s love; for certain it is that, if the customs and laws of society remain corrupt as they now are, the best and wisest of the