Media Center Home

Carroll, Andrew, ed. Letters of a Nation. New York: Broadway Books, 1999.

Ultimately they did not change the name of The Revolution, and Stanton did go to the convention. Despite decades of tireless work, however, she and Anthony did not see their ultimate dream-the right of women to vote-realized in their lifetime. (The Nineteenth Amendment to the US. Constitution was not ratified until August 1920 fourteen years after Anthony died, and almost eighteen years after Stanton) In the last letter she wrote to Stanton, in October 1902, Anthony looked back on all they had done together and on all that was yet to be.

My Dear Mrs. Stanton: -

I shall indeed by happy to spend with you November 12, the day on which you round out your four-score and seven, over four years ahead of me, but in age as in all else I follow you closely. It is fifty-one years since first we met and we have been busy through every one of them, stirring up the world to recognize the rights of women. The older we grow the more keenly we feel the humiliation of disenfranchisement and the more vividly we realize its disadvantages in every department of life and most of all in the labor market.

We little dreamed when we began this contest, optimistic with the hope and buoyancy of youth, that half a century later we would be compelled to leave the finish of the battle to another generation of women. But our hearts are filled with joy to know that they enter upon this task equipped with a college education, with business experience, with the fully admitted right to speak in public-all of which were denied to women fifty years ago. They have practically but one point to gain-the suffrage; we had all. These strong, courageous, capable young women will take our place and complete our work. There is an army of them where we were but a handful. Ancient prejudice has become so softened, public sentiment so liberalized and women have so thoroughly demonstrated their ability as to leave no doubt that they will carry our cause to victory.

And we, dear, old friend, shall move on to the next sphere of existence-higher and larger, we cannot fail to believe, and one where women will not be placed in an inferior position but will be welcomed on a plane of perfect intellectual and spiritual equality. 
Ever lovingly yours,

Susan B. Anthony

Several days after this letter was written Elizabeth Cady Stanton passed away. Anthony was devastated and wrote to a friend soon after: "Well, it is an awful hush-it seems impossible-that the voice is hushed-that I have loved to hear for fifty years-longed to get her opinion of things-before I knew exactly where I stood-It is all at sea-but the Laws of Nature are still going on-with no shadow or turning-What a world it is-it goes right on on & -- no matter who lives or who dies."