Tuesday Morning
April 28*1} 1868.
My dear Miss Powell
A
I received last evening by the hands of a col.   Boy
your note of yesterday8 date, and were glad to hear that you and all the
other Young ladies of the College were pleased with Miss Dickinson Lec-
ture last evening# and before I had passed the Gate-Lodge after leaving
the Observatory I was sorry we had not remained to hear the Lecture,
en      notwithstanding my deafness, as her addres & manners I could have dis-
rf-                                        -.-"'
0
*      cerned and after all that goes far with our sex.
P .
q                The subject of "Womans Suffrage" or "Idiot    and Women", was
<
g.      correctly quoted from the Laws granting the right of them to the ballot
Box, and when I first read the Law some years ago I was equaly supprised
to find our Fair Sex placed in so shamefull category as  "criminals, paupers,
Idiots &c," which if the Law was right by this classification I think it is full
time that my 300 Daughters at MVassal"1 Knew it, and applied the remidy.
The truth is it is all nonsense and irreconcilible with Divine truth
in regard to the Mental Capacity of Woman, nothing but long prejudices with
the dominering spirit of Man has Kept woman from occupying a higher eleva-
tion in literature & art, "but mens tyrany & jelousy, and wilfull usurpation of
her normal arights &c.
354
5.
April 28,  1868         - 2
Excuse these hasty writtin remarks with many interruptions while
waiting for my Carrage to go to the College                   Yours very truly &c
ML. Vassar
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5'