ncing suffrage but abusing its
advocates. The result was to make the other ministers in the city offer
their pulpits to the convention speakers, and on Sunday lectures were
given in various churches by Emily Howland, Elizabeth Upham Yates, Mrs.
Colby and Mrs. Meriwether. Rev. Anna Shaw preached in the opera house
and the Constitution prefaced its report as follows: "When the opening
hour arrived there was not an empty chair in the house. So dense became
the crowd that the doors were ordered closed before the services began.
The vast congregation was made up of all classes of citizens. Every
chair that could be found had been utilized and then boxes and benches
were pressed into service. Many prominent professional and business men
were standing on the stage and in different parts of the house."

Miss Anthony, besides her president's address, made many brief speeches
and also read Mrs. Stanton's fine paper on "Educated Suffrage," which
was especially acceptable to a southern audience.[110] One of the most
eloquent speakers was General Robert R. Hemphill, member of the South
Carolina legislature. Among the able and interesting southern delegates
Laura Clay and Josephine K. Henry, of Kentucky, and A. Viola Neblett and
Helen Lewis Morris, of North Carolina, were especial favorites. After
the convention a mass meeting was held in the courthouse, which was
crowded with an enthusiastic audience. Mrs. M. L. McLendon, president of
the Atlanta Club, requested Miss Anthony to take charge. The
Constitution said:

Miss Anthony was received with such a warmth of demonstration on
the part of the large audience as to thoroughly convince her that
she was addressing those who were in sympathy with the suffrage
movement. As she stood up in the presence of the vast congregation
of faces a profound silence filled the hall and every one seemed to
be intently waiting for her opening words. Within the railing a
large number of men, who preferred to stand near the speaker rather
than secure seats in the rear of the hall, were grouped in a solid
mass, and appeared to be equally as much concerned as the ladies.

There were many distinguished women present at the convention, from the
South and the North, and all separated with the feeling that fraternal
bonds had been strengthened and many converts made to the belief in
equal suffrage.

Miss Anthony was much revered by the colored race and while here