the decisive moment had come and, rising
in her seat, she said, "Mr. President." A bombshell would not have
created greater commotion. For the first time in all history a woman's
voice was heard in a teachers' convention. Every neck was craned and a
profound hush fell upon the assembly. Charles Davies, LL. D., author of
Davies' text books and professor of mathematics at West Point, was
president. In full-dress costume with buff vest, blue coat and brass
buttons, he was the Great Mogul. At length recovering from the shock of
being thus addressed by a woman, he leaned forward and asked with
satirical politeness, "What will the lady have?" "I wish to speak to
the question under discussion," said Miss Anthony calmly, although her
heart was beating a tattoo. Turning to the few rows of men in front of
him, for the women occupied the back seats, he inquired, "What is the
pleasure of the convention?" "I move she shall be heard," said one man;
this was seconded by another, and thus was precipitated a debate which
lasted half an hour, although she had precisely the same right to speak
as any man who was taking part in the discussion.

She stood during all this time, fearing to lose the floor if she sat
down. At last a vote was taken, men only voting, and it was carried in
the affirmative by a small majority. Miss Anthony then said: "It seems
to me you fail to comprehend the cause of the disrespect of which you
complain. Do you not see that so long as society says woman has not
brains enough to be a doctor, lawyer or minister, but has plenty to be
a teacher, every man of you who condescends to teach, tacitly admits
before all Israel and the sun that he has no more brains than a
woman?"--and sat down. She had intended to draw the conclusion that the
only way to place teaching upon a level with other professions was
either to admit woman to them or exclude her from teaching, but her
trembling limbs would sustain her no longer.

The convention soon adjourned for the day and, as Miss Anthony went out
of the hall, many of the women drew away from her and said audibly:
"Did you ever see such a disgraceful performance?" "I never was so
ashamed of my sex." But a few of them gathered about her and said: "You
have taught us our lesson and hereafter we propose to make ourselves
heard."

The next day, at the opening of the morning session, President Davies,
who had evidently spent the night in preparing the greatest effort of
his life, ar