regard Mrs. Stanton and Miss
Anthony as the cause of it, Mrs. Stone suggested that it would greatly
promote a harmonious union, for those three ladies to agree in advance
that none of them would take the presidency of the united association."
Early in January this formal announcement and letter were sent to Miss
Foster:

The committee of the National to sit in counsel with that of the
seven appointed by Lucy Stone, of the American, shall be: May
Wright Sewall, _Chairman_, Harriette R. Shattuck, Olympia Brown,
Helen M. Gougar, Laura M. Johns, Clara B. Colby, Rachel G. Foster,
_Secretary_.[36]

I hope all will sink personalities and exalt principles, seeking
only the best good for woman's enfranchisement, and that surely
will come through the union of all the friends of woman suffrage
into one great and grand national association which shall enable
them to present a solid front to the enemy. This must be based on
the principle of a genuine democracy, which shall give to each of
its members a voice in all its deliberations, either in person or
through representatives chosen by them, and to a constitution thus
based I am sure each of my seven chosen ones will contribute her
aid. Hoping that a consolidation of all our forces will be the
result of this overture from Lucy Stone and her society, I am, very
sincerely,

SUSAN B. ANTHONY.

On January 18, Miss Foster received from Miss Blackwell the list of the
conference committee appointed by Mrs. Stone: Julia Ward Howe,
_Chairman_, Wm. Dudley Foulke, Margaret W. Campbell, Anna H. Shaw, Mary
F. Thomas, H. M. Tracy Cutler, Henry B. Blackwell, _Secretary_.

Miss Anthony again wrote Miss Foster: "I can not think of any
stipulation I wish to make the basis of union save that we _unite_, and
after that discuss all measures and ways and means, officers and
newspapers, and cheerfully accept and abide by the rule of the majority.
I do not wish to exact any pledges from Lucy Stone and her adherents,
nor can I give any for Mrs. Stanton and her followers. When united we
must trust to the good sense of each, just as we have trusted during the
existence of the division. As Greeley said about resuming specie
payment, '_the way to unite is to unite_' and trust the consequences."

It is not essential for the completeness of this work to reproduce in
detail the