Many other letters were read from friends, among them Abby Kelly Foster, who said to Miss Anthony:  “So far as separate organizations for women’s action in the temperance cause are concerned, I consider you the center and soul, without whom nothing could have been done heretofore and I doubt whether anything would be done now.”  Strong addresses were made by Rev. Channing, Frederick Douglass, Lucy Stone, Mrs. Nichols, Antoinette Brown, Mrs. Bloomer and others.

When this association was formed a clause was placed in the constitution allowing men to become members and to speak in all meetings but making them ineligible to office.  There were two reasons for this:  it was desired to throw the full responsibility on woman, compelling her to learn to preside and to think, speak and act for herself, which she never would do if men were present to perform these duties for her; and it was feared that, on account of long habit, men would soon take matters into their own hands and gain control of the society, possibly to the extent of forbidding women to speak at the meetings.  Many of the ladies, however, objected to this clause, among them Antoinette Brown, who refused to join the society on account of it.  So, yielding to the pressure, Mrs. Stanton, on this first anniversary, said “as this seemed to many a violation of men’s rights, and as the women had now learned to stand alone, it might perhaps be safe to admit men to all the privileges of the society, hoping, however, that they would modestly permit woman to continue the work she had so successfully begun.”

[Autograph: 

  Very respectfully yours
  Neal Dow]

Miss Anthony, chairman of the committee on revising the constitution, brought in a report in favor of admitting the men, which was vigorously discussed.  Before the close of this meeting the serious mistake of such action was apparent.  The men present monopolized the floor, tried to have the name changed to the People’s League, insisted that the society should have nothing to do with any phase of woman’s rights, and showed their hand so plainly that Miss Anthony at once took the alarm and in an indignant speech declared the men were trying to drive the women from their own society.

There was a strong undercurrent of opposition to Mrs. Stanton on account of her radical views in regard to equal rights, divorce for drunkenness and the subjection of woman to Bible authority, but those opposing her being wholly inexperienced did not know how to prevent her re-election.  As the majority of the men, for obvious reasons, agreed with them in wishing to get rid of Mrs. Stanton, they proceeded to teach them political tactics, got out a printed opposition ticket and defeated her for president by three votes.  She was chosen vice-president but emphatically declined.  Miss Anthony was almost unanimously re-elected secretary but refused to serve, stating that “the vote showed they would not accept the principle of woman’s