t in regard to the organizations and
instruments by which to attain the end, I have always let others
work their way and I mine. I think there is a touch of wildness in
my blood (some of my ancestors must have nursed an Indian breast)
which is impatient of the harness and so I have always worked on my
own hook. I am surprised to see how rapidly the thoughts of
intelligent men and women are ameliorating on this question. It
needs only that women should have a conscience educated to this
duty of suffrage, and it will be yielded.

Early in March the Legislature of Kansas submitted two amendments, one
enfranchising the negroes and one the women. State Senator Samuel N.
Wood wrote Miss Anthony that an equal rights convention had been called
to meet in Topeka, April 2, and urged her to send out the strongest
speakers to canvass the State in behalf of the woman suffrage
amendment. This was the first time the enfranchisement of women ever
had been presented for a popular vote and its advocates were most
anxious that it should be carried. Neither Miss Anthony nor Mrs.
Stanton could go to Kansas at this time, so they appealed to Lucy
Stone, begging her to make the campaign. Since her marriage, twelve
years before, she had been practically out of public work, insisting
that she had lost her power for speaking. Miss Anthony assured her that
if she would take the platform it would come back to her, and Mr.
Blackwell joined in the entreaty. He gave up his business position to
accompany his wife and they made a thorough canvass of that State
during April and May. Mr. Phillips was unwilling that any money from
the Jackson fund should be used for this purpose, as he did not want
the question agitated at this time, but as Miss Anthony and Lucy Stone
constituted a majority of the committee, they appropriated $1,500 for
it. Even thus early in the contest the Republican managers began to
show their hand. Lucy Stone wrote from Atchison May 9:

I should be glad to be with you tomorrow at the equal rights
convention in New York and to know this minute whether Phillips has
consented to take the high ground which sound policy, as well as
justice and statesmanship require. Just now there is a plot here to
get the Republican party to drop the word "male," and canvass only
for the word "white." A call has been signed by the chairman of the
Republican State Central Committee, for a meeting