who make this objection, he was a very
diminutive specimen, and Miss Anthony could not resist observing as she
commenced her speech: "The professor talks about the physical
disabilities of women; why, I could take him in my arms and lift him on
and off this platform as easily as a mother would her baby!" Of course
this put the audience in a fine humor.

In every place she was entertained by representative people and
received many social courtesies. She returned to Rochester July 27,
spent just twelve hours at home, then hastened eastward, travelling by
night in order to reach the Saratoga convention on the 28th. This was
held under the auspices of the New York State Association, and managed
by the secretary, Matilda Joslyn Gage. Miss Anthony was paid $100, for
the first time in the history of conventions. Mrs. Gage wrote: "She is
heavily burdened with debt, no one has made so great sacrifices all
these years, and she deserves the money." During the summer she sent to
a friend in England this summing up of the condition of the suffrage
movement in the United States:

The secret of the present inaction is that all our best suffrage
men are in the Republican party and must keep in line with its
interests, make no demands beyond its possibilities, its safety,
its sure success. Hence, just now, while that party is trembling
lest it should fall into the minority, and thus give place to the
Democracy in 1872, it dares not espouse woman suffrage. So our
friends quietly drop our demand on Congress for a Sixteenth
Amendment, since to press that body to a vote would compel the
Republican members to show their hands; and if those who have in
private spoken for woman suffrage should not make a false public
record, the number in favor would commit the majority of their
party to our question; and by so doing give its opponents fresh
opportunity to appeal to the ignorant masses, which must inevitably
throw it out of power. The extension of the ballot to woman is a
question of intelligence and culture, and is sure to have enrolled
against it every narrow, prejudiced, small-brained man in all
classes. This being the state of things, our movement is at a
dead-lock. Practical action, political action, therefore, is almost
hopeless until after the presidential election of 1872; and after
that for still another four years, unless the Republican party
should