On the Campus 



fact, the presence of an all-overpowering social question 

 which then engaged the attention of all sorts of men. 

 Men of distinction and men of no distinction, all were 

 alike concerned about the extension of slavery; and the 

 question whether one man should earn bread which 

 another should be allowed to eat, was a query having 

 easy, straight appeal to every human soul. The simple 

 greatness of many men, whose vision is now recognized, 

 we overlooked, by virtue of the very hugeness of the 

 problems with which they had to do. 



If in those days we failed to recognize men, much less 

 is it a matter of surprise, perhaps, that we failed alto- 

 gether, or almost entirely, to note the moral and intel- 

 lectual greatness of certain women. Their presence in 

 public discussion was novel, even unwelcome; and when 

 a woman did appear, her argument, her cause, her 

 ability in presentation, all counted for naught in pres- 

 ence of a prevailing prejudice which made everywhere 

 to her discomfiture. Women were as much interested in 

 the suppression of slavery as anybody; and, as I could 

 show you, if time allowed, they also, some of them, at 

 this very time awoke to the realization of their own op- 

 pression; but only here and there was their voice effec- 

 tive in the universal hubbub of acrimonious political de- 

 bate. 



Yet there were some women who did make themselves 

 heard, some who became famous. I may be pardoned, 

 if in this presence, I mention one or two. Miss Susan B. 

 Anthony, for instance, ridiculed as she has often been, 

 was one of the ablest platform speakers I have ever 

 heard. She had a fine presence ; she had a clear, beauti- 



