IN ROCHESTER AGAIN—A CHANGE.
In May, 1853, the annual meeting of the Woman’s State-Temperance Society convened in the city of Rochester. It was very largely attended by many of the prominent Temperance workers in the state. Mrs. Bloomer was present and took an active part in the proceedings. At the convention, the question of admitting men as members came up and excited a great deal of interest. It was agreed that, as both sexes were equally interested in the work, they should all bear an equal responsibility in guiding the doings and sharing in the labor of the society. Those who took this view insisted that it should be placed on the broad grounds of equal rights and equal duties for all. Others thought the time had not yet come for so radical a change in the constitution, but preferred that it should continue to be an exclusively feminine organization. Mrs. Bloomer took this view and so the majority decided, with the result that Mrs. Stanton declined a reëlection as president and Miss Anthony also declined a reëlection as secretary.
In their places, Mrs. Mary C. Vaughan was elected president; Mrs. Angelina Fish, secretary; Mrs. Albro, chairman of the executive committee, and Mrs. Bloomer corresponding secretary. These ladies continued the work of the society with great zeal and fidelity. It kept its lecturers in the field and continued to labor earnestly in promoting its temperance work. Mrs. Bloomer’s connection with it ended with her removal from the state at the end of the year. She always exceedingly regretted that this divergence of views occurred between her and Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony, but their old-time friendship continued on as of old and Mrs. Stanton continued her interesting contributions to the columns of the Lily.
The proceedings of this convention, as also of the Good-Templars meeting at Ithaca, were printed as a double number of the Lily soon after the adjournment of these bodies. Many extra copies were also printed, for which there was a very active demand. Mrs. Bloomer insisted that the work of the Woman’s Temperance Society should go on vigorously, as in the preceding years, and she exerted all her influence to that end as one of its officers. She however did not long remain a resident of New York, and after leaving the state she was no longer responsible for the work. The zeal of some of the workers may have become cold, or rather (which seems to have been the fact) was turned into other channels. Mrs. Bloomer always looked upon her connection with the society as one of the most useful and interesting events of her life.
After the close of the convention Mrs. Bloomer visited Niagara Falls for the first time, accompanied by her husband, spending a couple of days of much needed rest and recreation. While there they looked over nearly all the most noted points, including a visit to Termination Rock under the mighty cataract itself, passing on their way under Table Rock, which has since disappeared.