for more than twoscore years--pointing out that this action of
the convention was a striking illustration of the necessity for her
remaining at the helm. Mrs. Stanton urged that they both resign, but
Miss Anthony replied:

During three weeks of agony of soul, with scarcely a night of
sleep, I have felt I must resign my presidency, but then the rights
of the minority are to be respected and protected by me quite as
much as the action of the majority is to be resented; and it is
even more my duty to stand firmly with the minority because
principle is with them. I feel very sure that after a year's
reflection upon the matter, the same women, and perhaps the one
man, who voted for this interference with personal rights, will be
ready to declare that their duty as individuals does not require
them to disclaim freedom of speech in their co-workers. Sister Mary
says the action of the convention convinces her that the time has
not yet come for me to resign; whereas she had felt most strongly
that I ought to do it for my own sake. No, my dear, instead of my
resigning and leaving those half-fledged chickens without any
mother, I think it my duty and the duty of yourself and all the
liberals to be at the next convention and try to reverse this
miserable, narrow action.

In letters to the different members of her "cabinet," who had voted in
favor of the resolution, she thus expressed herself:

In this action I see nothing but the beginning of a petty
espionage, a revival of the Spanish inquisition, subjecting to
spiritual torture every one who speaks or writes what the other
members consider not good for the association. Such disclaimers
bring quite as much of martyrdom for our civilization as did the
rack and fire in the barbarous ages of the past.

That a majority of the delegates could see no wrong personally to
Mrs. Stanton and no violation of the right of individual judgment,
makes me sick at heart; and still, I don't know what better one
could expect when our ranks are now so filled with young women not
yet out of bondage to the idea of the infallibility of that book.
To every person who really believes in religious freedom, it is no
worse to criticise those pages in the Bible which degrade woman
than it is to criticise the laws on our statute books which degrade
h