n B. Anthony,
Matilda Joslyn Gage, Sara Andrews Spencer, Lillie Devereux Blake
and Phoebe Couzins made their way through the crowds under the
broiling sun to Independence Square, carrying the Woman's
Declaration of Rights. This declaration had been handsomely
engrossed by Mrs. Spencer and signed by the oldest and most
prominent advocates of woman's enfranchisement. Their tickets of
admission proved an open sesame through the military and all other
barriers, and a few moments before the opening of the ceremonies,
these women found themselves within the precincts from which most
of their sex were excluded.

The declaration of 1776 was read by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia,
about whose family clusters so much of historic fame. The close of
his reading was deemed the appropriate moment for the presentation
of the Woman's Declaration. Not quite sure how their approach might
be met--not quite certain if at this final moment they would be
permitted to reach the presiding officer--these ladies arose from
their seats at the back of the stage and walked down the aisle. The
bustle of preparation for the Brazilian hymn covered their advance.
The foreign guests, the military and civil officers who filled the
space directly around the speaker's stand, courteously made way,
while Miss Anthony in fitting words presented the Declaration. Mr.
Ferry's face paled, as bowing low, with no word, he received it,
and it thus became a part of the day's proceedings; the ladies
turned, scattering printed copies as they deliberately passed up
the aisle and off the platform. On every side eager hands were
stretched; men stood on seats and asked for them, while General
Hawley, thus defied and beaten in his audacious denial to women of
the right to present their Declaration, shouted, "Order, order!"

Going out through the crowd, they made their way to a platform
erected for the musicians in front of Independence Hall. Here on
this historic ground, under the shadow of of Washington's statue,
back of them the old bell which proclaimed "liberty to all the land
and all the inhabitants thereof," they took their places, and to a
listening, applauding crowd, Miss Anthony read a copy of the
Declaration just presented to Mr. Ferry. It was warmly applauded at
many points, and after again scattering a number of printed