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an area of 114 square miles, contained 19,534 inhabitants. The number of marriages in 1892 was 885; of births, 7,251; of deaths, 5,365. The revenue for 1892 was £520,000; expenditure, £497,000. The imports were valued at £609,000, and exports at £2,089,000. The American company that leases the pitch lake in the center of the island took out 112,224 tons of asphalt in 1892, yielding the Government a revenue of £37,346. Other exports are sugar, cacao, coffee, and cocoanuts. There are 54 miles of railroad. The Governor of the Leeward Islands is Sir William Frederick Haynes Smith. The area of the group is 706 square miles. The population is 129.470. The finances and trade of the islands for 1892 were returned as follow:

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Dominica differs from the other islands in having a Catholic French-speaking population, and in being mountainous, though not less fertile. Large sums have been raised for roads and similar improvements, without tangible results, and the people have complained bitterly of the burden of taxation. Sir Robert Hamilton, who was sent to study the situation, recommends a larger degree of autonomy.

The Bahama Islands have Sir Ambrose Shea for their Governor. Their area is 5.390 square miles; the population in 1892 was 48,155. The revenue was £60,000, and expenditure £63,000. The debt amounts to £111,000. The imports in 1892 were £197,000 in value, and the exports £145,000.

The Windward Islands have an area of 550 square miles, and had a population of 141.243 in 1892. The Governor is Sir Charles Bruce. Grenada had an income in 1892 of £55,820, and £59,260 of expenditures; St. Lucia, an income of £48,297, and £54,934 of expenditures; and St. Vincent £29,125 of income, and £28,906 of expenditures. The imports of Grenada were valued at 79,015, and the exports at £264,681; the imports of St. Lucia at £103,859, and the exports at £179,056: the imports of St. Vincent at £49,313, and the exports at £117.572.

Danish Colonies.-The islands of St. Croix, otherwise called Santa Cruz, St. Thomas, and St. John, constitute the Danish Antilles. The Governor is Col. C. E. de Hedemann. Their combined area is 118 square miles. The population at the census of Feb. 1, 1890, was 32.786. The imports in 1892 were valued at 522,820 kroner, and the exports at 181,464 kroner.

Dutch Colony.-The Dutch Antilies are united in the Government of Curaçoa, comprising the islands of Curaçoa, Bonaire, Aruba, St. Eustache, Saba, and a part of St. Martin. The area is 425 square miles, and the population in 1892 was 47.274, of whom 20,838 were males and 26.188 females. The garrison numbered 248 men. The Governor is Dr. C. A. H. Barge. The revenue was estimated in the budget for

1894 at 687,473 guilders, and expenditure the same. Most of the population are free negroes, professing the Roman Catholic religion. The chief products are corn, beans, cattle, salt, and lime. The imports of Curaçoa, which is a free port and distributing point, were valued in 1891 at 4.059,400 guilders, and in 1892 at 3,435,000 guilders.

French Colonies.-Guadeloupe has an area of 618 square miles, or, with its dependencies, 720 square miles. The Governor is L. H. Nouët. The population in 1889 was 142,294; that of the dependencies, 23,605. The revenue in the budget for 1893 was estimated at 5,629,069 francs, and the expenditure at the same figure. The value of imports in 1891 was 20.456,000 francs; exports, 15,164,000 francs, of which 13,987,000 francs were native products. The chief products are sugar, coffee, cacao, vanilla, spices, manioc, bananas, yams, corn, vegetables, cotton, ramie fiber, tobacco, and woods.

The area of Martinique is 381 square miles. The population in 1888 was 175,863, of whom 84,694 were males and 91,169 females. The revenue for 1894 was estimated in the budget at 4,942,019 francs; with expenditure, to be made good from the French budget, 2,512.748 francs more. The imports in 1891 were valued at 33,660,000 francs, and exports at 22,939,000 francs, of which 19.661,000 francs represent native products. Sugar, manioc, yams, and bananas are the chief products.

WEST VIRGINIA, a Southern State, admitted to the Union June 19, 1863; area, 24,780 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census since admission, was 442,014 in 1870; 618,457 in 1880; and 762,749 in 1890. Capital, Charleston.

Government. The following were the State officers during the year: Governor, William A. MacCorkle, Democrat; Secretary of State, William E. Chilton; Treasurer, John M. Rowan; Auditor, Isaac V. Johnson; Attorney-General, Thomas S. Riley; Adjutant-General, J. A. Holley; Commissioner of Labor, J. M. Sydenstricker; Superintendent of Public Schools, Virgil A. Lewis; Bank Examiner, C. A. Wever; State Librarian, E. L. Wood; Secretary of the Agricultural Board, C. C. Brown; Meteorologist, W. W. Dent; Secretary of the Board of Health, N. D. Baker. M. D. The State was Republican during the first three years of its existence, and Democratic for the interval until Nov. 6, 1894, when the Republicans elected their candidates for Congressmen and a majority of the Legislature -29 in the House and 2 in the Senate.

Finances.-The State is out of debt. The treasury balance for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1894, was $723,567.67, giving the fund for general purposes $127,138.36; general school fund, $313,683.40; irreducible school fund, $282,745.91. The latter amount represents only a small part of that fund, as $30,000 is loaned out or invested in bonds, and is made up from sales of delinquent lands and their redemption, property not willed and without heirs, forfeiture and fines, State capitation, etc.

Improvements.-The new work on Elk river was begun in October. The total expenditure since the beginning of the work, in 1878, has been $26,500. The United States Government

has also appropriated for the creation of slackwater navigation on Great Kanawha river from the Ohio river at Point Pleasant to a point near Kanawha Falls, in Fayette County, 90 miles, $3.885,200 for locks and dams. The work on the locks and dams has progressed well during the year. The entire slack-water navigation will be completed for the 90 miles when 3 locks are finished. There will be 6 feet of water continuously furnished for 90 miles during every day in the year. The engineers expect to complete the work in 1896. There will then be a permanent guarantee to the collieries of the Great Kanawha district of free and unrestricted transportation, as tolls on the Great Kanawha were abolished by act of Congress in 1892. The improvement in navigation for the past year served to increase shipments, estimated at a total for 1894 of 25,821,000 bushels. The increase observed applies to cannel, splint, and bituminous coal. The removal of obstruction will also be of benefit to the timber regions.

Railroads.-The Charleston, Clendennin and Sutton Railway began the extension from Clendennin to Sutton in October. Various important surveys have been made through the State during the year, and the Chesapeake and Ohio contemplates building a parallel to the Norfolk and Western through southwestern Virginia.

Despite costs for repairs, bridge building, and dull trade in coal and lumber early in the year, caused by strikes and difficulties in navigation, the earnings of all roads show a marked surplus.

Oil.-Oil was discovered in this State in 1860, on Little Kanawha river. The total production to 1893 has been tabulated this year for the Labor Commission as 20,000,000 barrels. The average daily yield for four months early in 1894 was 27,000 barrels; total during the year 10,000,000 barrels, worth $8,000,000. The oil belt extends from Wetzel and Marion Counties, on the northern border, to Wayne and Logan on the southern.

Coal. From the coal area of 16,000 square miles in the State 2 counties-Fayette and Kanawha-produced one twenty-seventh of all the coal mines in the United States in 1894. West Virginia is now the fourth State in coal production. The total number of tons mined in 1894 was 9,428,065; shipped on the Kanawha, 1,032,840 tons, valued at $1,035,000.

Agriculture.-The National Congress of Farmers met in Parkersburg, in October (see FARMERS' CONGRESS). The tabulated statement for 1894 shows less than one half of the State cleared and in use for farming and grazing. Of 50 counties, 42 report agriculture and stock. 5 lumber, and 3 mining as their first industry. Agriculture is reported from 23 counties as the second industry, lumber in 19, merchandising in 4, mining in 3, oil in 3, and railroading in Taylor County. Unimproved cotton lands have an average value of $18.32 an acre, improved land $37.82, and the highest price $70. The figures of the wheat crop showed highest yield 25 bushels to the acre, and 12 on an average. Oats were a full crop, but short of estimated yield of 20 bushels an acre. Corn was inferior on account of rainy weather, giving only 20 bushels an acre. Meadows and fruit suffered

from rain. Potatoes averaged 61 bushels an acre. Live stock was in good condition, only 10 counties reporting any disease. The number and value of farm animals were as follow: Horses, 163,312, $7.586,792: milch cows. 182.265, $3,490,375; sheep, 765,705, $1,619,772 ; mules, 7,601, $421,036; other cattle, 354,376, $5,387,721; hogs, 407,344, $1,975,698.

The meteorological State department never has had any State appropriations, but has 22 voluntary observation stations working in cooperation with the governmental service. The rainfall was reported at 13 inches, and the temperature at 2°.

State Institutions.-The report from the State institutions for 1894 show their general condition to be as follows:

The State University, at Morgantown, has 244 students.

The experiment station reports to the regents, showing none in the country doing finer work. and none better equipped. It has issued 37 regular and special reports and 3 annual reports for the benefit of State agriculturists.

The Deaf and Blind Schools, at Romney, have 113 deaf and 47 blind pupils.

The First Insane Asylum, at Weston, has 95 patients as an average, with recoveries 24-3 per cent. The Second Insane Asylum, at Spenser, has 123 patients.

The Reform School had an average of 63 pupils during the year. Lack of sufficient accommodation necessitated frequent changes.

The Penitentiary, at Moundsville, has a new hospital and 404 new cells. It has 463 convicts and 465 cells, and requires enlarged accommodations.

The Colored Institute, at Farms, is in excellent condition, with a total enrollment of 182 pupils. Expenses, $26,500.

The State normal schools of Marshall and Shepherd Colleges, and those at Concord, Glenville, and West Liberty, have a patronage distributed over the State in numerous branches. The entire enrollment numbers 1,004 pupils. They are benefited also by the Peabody Éducational fund.

The public schools create a levy, with their building fund, of 30 and 12 cents on $100. The total number of pupils was 282.770; total number of schoolhouses, 5,302; valuation, $2,376,386.

Banks.-Delegates from 35 banks of this State met in Charleston in May, and formed a permanent State organization for mutual benefit and protection. No failures were reported for the year. The State banking institutions number 53; savings banks, 2; and 1 trust and investment company. National banks number 30. Resources of State banks, $12,048.425.84: national banks, $13,497,195.27; total, $25,545,621.11.

State Museum.-This institution was formally opened to the public by the Governor, April 3, in the Hall of Delegates at the Capitol. It contains the former exhibit of the State at the World's Fair and the regular collections of the State Historical and Antiquarian Societies. It is permanently opened to visitors.

Insurance. For the year ending with December, 1894, 68 fire insurance companies ob

tained licenses to do business within the State. None have failed or withdrawn. Risks were written for $28,607,457.90. The losses were in excess on account of the great number of fires. There are 36 joint stock and mutual companies, 2 of West Virginia. Eighteen assessment companies were licensed, 3 of West Virginia. The total of risks written was $4,964,077.16. premiums were in excess of losses by $422,082.30. These companies include fire, marine, life, assessment, accident, fidelity, plate-glass, steamboiler, and some fraternal societies.

The

Timber. The annual product for the State is estimated to be more than 125,000,000 feet of poplar, 75,000,000 feet of hard wood, 50,800,000 feet of spruce, and several million feet of pine. Militia.-One brigade, consisting of 2 regiments, composes the military force of the State. The number of commissioned officers is 98; enlisted men, 789. Encampments were held twice during the year, at Martinsburg and Kanawha City. The militia was called upon for duty on account of strikes among miners and industrial disturbances at each of the following points: Kanawha, New Haven, Norfolk and Western Railway bridge, Parkersburg, Boggs' Run, and Kenova.

Charleston. The capital city celebrated the centennial of its legal existence as a city, Dec. 19, 1894.

WISCONSIN, a Western State, admitted to the Union May 29, 1848; area, 56,040 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census since admission, was 305,391 in 1850; 775,881 in 1860; 1,054,670 in 1870; 1,315.497 in 1880; and 1,688,880 in 1890. Capital, Madison.

Government.-The following were the State officers during the year: Governor, George W. Peck, Democrat; Lieutenant-Governor, Charles Jonas; Secretary of State, T. J. Cunningham; Treasurer, John Hunner; Attorney-General, J. L. O'Connor: Superintendent of Public Instruction, O. E. Wells; Insurance Commissioner, W. M. Root; Railroad Commissioner, Thomas Thompson; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Harlow S. Orton; Associate Justices, J. B. Winslow, J. B. Cassoday, S. U. Pinney, A. W. Newman. Finances. The following is taken from the report of the Secretary of State (who is the Auditor also) for the biennial fiscal term closed Sept. 30, 1894, the aggregate result of the financial transactions showing: Balance in general fund, Sept. 30, 1892, $640,228.12; receipts for 1893. $1,609,314.84; receipts for 1894, $2,226,164.24; total receipts, $4,475.707.20. Disbursements for 1893, $1,786,501.55; disbursements for 1994, $1,711,889.94; total disbursements, $3,498,391 49. Balance in general fund, Sept. 30, 1894, $977,315.71. The balance in the various trust funds, Sept. 30, 1892, was $163,341.37; receipts for 1893, $1.958.559.12; receipts for 1894, $2,165,843.88; total receipts. $4,287,744.37. Disbursements for 1893, $1,843.244.32; disbursements for 1894, $4,208,233.18. Balance in trust funds Sept. 30, 1894, $79.511.19. The University fund was overdrawn $217.35, and the Agricultural College fund $15.93.

The statement of the transactions of the general fund, which embraces all the revenues of the State applicable to the payment of the ordi

nary expenses of the State government for 1894, was as follows: Received from railroad companies, $1,438,758.66; telegraph companies, $9,935.71; telephone companies, $9,716.29; sleeping-car companies, $1,223.39; from counties, for maintaining insane, $153,257.47; from counties, for Industrial School for Boys, $8,078.53; for fifth normal school, $10,014.41; for aid to free high schools, $50,072.05; from suit tax, $7,903; peddler licenses, $12,841.95; insurance licenses, $129.931.05; from loan and trust companies, $1,902.84; from log-driving and boom companies, $1,579.11; from United States for maintaining inmates of Veterans' Home, $12,662.21: from office fees, $30,980.07; from interest on general fund balance in banks, $14,178.13; from ex-State-Treasurers' judgments, $327,902.55; from all other sources, $5,226.82; total, $2,226,164.24. The disbursements from the general fund for 1894 were: For salaries and expenses, $177.431.08: permanent appropriations, $41.349.69; Legislative expenses. $705.21; charitable and penal institutions, $402.378.48; clerk hire, $53,006.28; labor about Capitol, $48,872.10; for sundry purposes, $988,147.10; total, $1,905,231.99. The itemized transactions of the general fund for 1893 have been given in the Cyclopædia" for that year. The total receipts for 1893 and 1894 were $3,835,732.01; the total disbursements, $3,693,733.54.

The number of acres of unsold land, the proceeds of which are applicable to the school fund, is 47,881-47. The amount of productive school fund on Sept. 30, 1893, was $3.380,672.28; on Sept. 30, 1894, it was $3.418,760.25.

Tax Reduction.-When, in July, 1894, it was found that the balance in the general fund was $977,315.71, it was estimated that the amount required to meet the expenses of the year ending Sept. 30, 1895, would be $982,570. The estimate of expected revenues was found to cover that sum, and therefore the State Board of Apportionment ordered the transfer of $742,570 from the general fund to reduce the State tax levy, being $157,570 to pay the interest on the certificates of State indebtedness incurred between 1866 and 1886; $50,000 for the support and maintenance of free high schools; $30,000 for the mill tax for normal schools, and $2,430 for the support and maintenance of the State University, leaving to be levied $240,000.

Valuation. The valuation by the State Board of Assessment of all property for 1893 was $654,000,000, on which the State tax for the year, at 001557676 per cent., amounted to $1,370,592.15. The valuation for 1894 was $600,000,000, on which the State tax for the year, at 0004 per cent., amounted to $595,684,90. The total town, city, village, and county taxes for 1894 were $14,725,939.47.

The State Board of Deposit, finding it impossible to loan the State funds, as provided by law, at 3 per cent., fixed the rate of interest at 2 per cent. from and after March 1, 1894.

Insurance. The amount of license tax received from fire insurance companies during 1893 was $84,829.16; for 1894, $90,689.21; from life companies, for 1893, $31,996.20; for 1894, $33,744.04; from accident companies, for 1893, $5,825.91; for 1894, $5,497.80; total for 1893, $122,651.27; for 1894, $129,931.05.

Education. The Superintendent of Public Instruction reports that during the past four years the receipts for common schools have been $13,257,934.58; disbursements, $9,809,374.85; receipts for normal schools. $477,116.11; disbursements, $395,321.85; university receipts, $873,850.09; disbursements, $744,301.36. The appropriations for normal schools amounted to $207,500. Over $400,000 was expended for buildings, grounds, and equipments for the State University, and $200,000 for the same purpose for the normal schools. The direct war tax refunded by the General Government to the State was distributed to the various school funds. The amount of tax levied for school purposes in 1894 was $2,774,317.49.

Charitable and Penal Institutions. From the general fund there was paid during 1894 for the expenses of the State Hospital for Insane, $94,403.65; Northern Hospital for Insane, $121,686.52; Wisconsin School for Deaf, $39,938.43; Wisconsin School for Blind, $25,523.45; Industrial School for Boys, $54,458.97; State Prison, $28,829.34; State Public School, $37,538.12.

The following statement exhibits the balance due on the direct appropriations made to the above-named institutions for 1893 and 1894, the payments therefrom, including the amounts set apart for the salaries and expenses of the State Board of Control, and the balances remaining unexpended at the end of the fiscal year:

State Hospital-remaining due Sept. 30, 1892, $34,288.79; appropriations for 1893 and 1894, including amount paid by counties, $882,708.14; paid to Sept. 30. 1894, $812,453.63; unexpended, Sept. 30, 1894, $192,421.46.

Northern Hospital-due Sept. 30, 1892, $22,905.28; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $257,306.64; paid to Sept. 30, 1894, $233.188.56; balance, $47,623.36. School for the Blind-due Sept. 30, 1892, $3,934.58; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $63,520.14: paid to Sept. 30, 1894, $58,179.72; balance, $9,275.

School for the Deaf-due Sept. 30, 1892, $20,529.90; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $81,000; paid to Sept. 30, 1894, $80,391.28; balance, $21,138.62.

Industrial School-due Sept. 30, 1892, $32,457.21; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $108,590.34; paid to Sept. 30, 1894, $115,124.05; balance, $25,923.50.

State Prison-due Sept. 30, 1892, $648.44; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $50,000; paid to Sept. 30, 1894, $45,486.58; balance, $5,161.86.

Public School-due Sept. 30, 1892, $7.402.75; appropriated for 1893 and 1894, $109,000; paid to Sept. 20, 1894, $78,297.86; balance, $43,104.89.

At the State Prison a residence for the warden, a tailor and knitting shop, a kitchen, hospital, etc., have been erected, and at the Industrial School a schoolhouse.

The State Board of Control has under its supervision, in addition to these 7 State institutions, 4 semi-State institutions, 21 county asylums for the chronic insane, the Veterans' Home, 66 county jails, 43 county poorhouses, 6 city poorhouses, all private benevolent institutions, and al! the police stations and lockups in the State, at present numbering 171.

For maintenance at the Veterans' Home $39,107.99 was expended during 1894, $12.662.21 of this amount being paid by the United States.

Live Stock. The number of horses on the assessment rolls for 1894 was 459,414; neat cattle, 1,195,072: mules and asses, 4,428; sheep and lambs, 948,226; swine, 420,785 milch cows,

663,099. The total valuation of live stock was $52,954,241.

Agriculture.-The number of acres devoted to farm products in 1894 was as follows: To wheat, 464,512; corn, 1.076,426: oats, 1,744.200; barley, 443,049; rye, 259,043; potatoes, 223,973; root crops, 11,059; cranberries, 6,110; tobacco, 17,360; cultivated grasses, 1,696,740; growing timber, 2,509,747; apples, 84,266; grapes, 1,087; flax, 3,527; berries, 4,314.

The development of agriculture and of the dairy industry has been notable during the past ten years. Many thousands of acres have been cleared and developed into profitable farms, and it is estimated that more than $160,000,000 is now invested in the dairy industry, and that the milk products of the State in 1894 aggregated $30,000,000. The receipts of the State Agricultural Society during the year were $36,859.22. The receipts of the 56 other agricultural and industrial societies aggregated $158,267.21.

Fish Culture.-The sum appropriated to the Fish Commission for 1894 was $13,000, and distributions of the fry of brook and rainbow trout, pike, bass, white fish, and lake trout have been made to the streams and lakes.

Census Statistics.-The Census Bureau report, dated Feb. 20, 1894, gives these statistics of manufactures in Wisconsin: Number of estab lishments, 10,417; value of land, $57,766.281; buildings, $24,461,110; machinery, etc., $43,228,127; live assets, $121,059,886; average number of employees, 132,031; total wages. $51,843,708: cost of materials used, $145.437,016; value of products, including receipts from custom work and repairing, $248,546,164.

The valuation of real and personal property in the State, as given by the Census Bureau report dated March 13, 1894, is: Real estate, including improvements, $1,098,350,591; live stock on farms, etc., implements and machinery, $82,951.387; mines and quarries, and product on hand, $8,388,551; gold, silver, coin, and bullion, $27,934,449; machinery of mills and product on hand, $81,874,031; railroads (including street railways) and equipment, $294,269,054; telegraphs, telephones, shipping, and canals, $14.738,945; miscellaneous, $224,801,515; total, $1,833,308,523.

Political. At the November elections 4 tickets were presented, Republican, Democratic, Populist, and Prohibition. The Republican party was successful, with a plurality of 54,307 votes. Ten Republican Congressmen were elected.

WOMAN SUFFRAGE. The woman-suffrage movement is the organized demand for the removal of all obstacles, legal and other, to the possession by women of the power to vote and hold office, and, incidentally, for the removal of all social disqualifications on account of sex.

The abstract right of women to vote and hold office seems not to have been a point for consideration until nearly the middle of the present century. In England its practice was based wholly upon expediency. Such powers. though seldom used, were not denied. Ladies of rank and abbesses sat in the Weta, or Saxon House of Lords, either in person or by proxy, and the rolls of Mary Tudor's Parliament contain the names of women. Women sat upon the boards of great secular companies ruling over

extensive domains, such as the Virginia, the Hudson's Bay, and the East India Companies. In parishes and cities, freeholders and burgesses, being women, voted equally with men; ratepayers of either sex had the right to vote for local officers and on local questions, and up to 1640 the records show that they occasionally voted for members of Parliament. In 1701 it was provided that husbands should cast the vote of their wives, but spinsters and widows remained undisturbed in the possession of such franchise as they possessed. That women exercised these functions only occasionally is shown by the test cases which came up at long intervals; that they had the right to do so is shown by the decisions of the courts. The exercise of the franchise seems to have become less and less common, and finally to have lapsed through disuse, so that in 1832 we find Mary Smith, a lady of fortune in the county of York, petitioning the House of Commons that every unmarried woman possessing the necessary pecuniary qualifications should be entitled to vote for members of Parliament.

In America in early colonial times women were among the charter proprietors of New Jersey, Virginia, and South Carolina. Women voted extensively in New Jersey up to 1807, when a law was passed forbidding any but white male citizens to vote.

The way for the woman-suffrage movement was prepared by the antislavery agitation early in the present century, particularly in the United States, in the prosecution of which women became trained to public speaking and to executive action. Popular sentiment was opposed to this public appearance of women, and continued so to be until after long familiarity with it. In 1840, when the World's Antislavery Convention was held in London, 7 women's antislavery societies in America sent woman delegates. They were excluded from the convention, and 2 of them-Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, whose names have ever since been identified with woman suffrage-then resolved to hold a woman's rights convention on their return to the United States; but no such convention was held until after eight years. Meanwhile, the passage of the Married Women's Property act of New York State, which had been in agitation since 1836, and of similar bills in Rhode Island, Vermont, and Pennsylvania, and the discussion aroused by these bills, brought home to the minds of thoughtful women a realization of the disabilities under which many women suffered as to the possession of their earnings, their right of inheritance, and their right in their children. For several years after the movement began, the custody of children, equal pay for equal work, and the right of married women to their earnings, were the great contention. The suffrage was to many women an after issue, believed to be necessary for the gaining of these ends.

Shortly after the passage of the Married Women's Property act of New York a call was issued by Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and others, to a woman's rights convention at Seneca Falls, July 19 and 20, 1848. At this meeting a declaration of sentiments was presented, modeled upon the Declaration of Independence, but substituting 18 grievances of VOL. XXXIV.-50 A

women-political, legal, social, and moral-for the 18 grievances set forth in that document. A series of resolutions was offered asserting the invalidity of such laws as prevented woman's occupying such a station in society as her conscience dictates and her abilities permit, and, in general, declaring the equality of men and women; the ninth resolution, urging women to secure for themselves the elective franchise, was the only one not unanimously adopted. The convention adjourned to meet in Rochester two weeks later. Much interest, a large proportion of which was hostile, was aroused by these meetings, but in spite of the hostility of the public and the ridicule of the press, the movement spread continuously, if not rapidly.

During this year (1848)—the revolution year of Europe-agitation for a better social and political status for women was begun in several countries, especially in France, Germany, and Denmark. Canada also felt the impulse, and in the following year passed a bill to naturalize women who married native-born or naturalized subjects.

In the United States legislative action on the subject of suffrage was begun in 1849, when a petition for suffrage was presented to the Michigan Legislature and reported favorably.

year.

In 1850 the first National Woman's Rights Convention assembled in Worcester, Mass., pursuant to a call of a committee formed at an antislavery meeting held in Boston earlier in the One of the signers of this call was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Various States were represented in the convention, but of 268 registered members 186 were from Massachusetts. The old antislavery leaders, Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, Stephen S. Foster, and W. H. Channing, with women who had become noted in that agitation, Abby Kelly Foster, Angelina Grimké, and others, were conspicuous among the speakers. A resolution was passed that "failure to demand suffrage is an omission of duty," and demanding "equality before the law, without distinction of sex or color." Through the years that followed, the woman's rights movement was faithful to the antislavery principles of its founders.

The Worcester convention attracted much attention in England. Its proceedings were discussed by the "Westminster Review," in an able article long supposed to be from the pen of John Stuart Mill, but which was in fact by Mrs. Taylor, who subsequently became his wife. İn America the convention aroused rather satire and ridicule than serious consideration. Women were greatly aroused, however, and in the next few years societies were formed and action of one kind or another inaugurated in several Northern States, notably in Ohio. The effort to obtain such rights as were deemed essential was pursued during this period, principally through legislative action, on the ground that nothing in the letter of the State or Federal Constitution forbade the rights of women. This contention was strongly supported by the passage in England, in 1850, of Lord Brougham's act (often called Lord Romilly's) providing that in all acts words implying the masculine gender shall be taken and deemed to include females, unless the contrary be expressly provided.

The province of Ontario this year passed a school suffrage act.

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