National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). Reflecting on the Indiana disappointment and her experience in front of the U.S. Senate committee, Wallace expressed the conviction that a national constitutional amendment was the “quickest, surest and least laborious way” to get the vote. Work in the states she regarded as necessary for education. Wallace’s remarks went to the heart of the issues that then divided the woman suffrage movement. Since the founding of two rival organizations in 1869, the NWSA led by Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Amer­ ican Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) led by Lucy Stone and Julia Ward Howe, the divisive issue was whether or not the movement should concentrate on a single issue. While the NWSA sought national amend­ ment to the constitution, it also worked to promote other feminist causes as well. The AWSA, on the other hand, focused its efforts entirely upon suffrage and was waging a state by state battle for the vote. The two would not join their efforts until 1890, with the formation of the National American Woman Suffrage Associa­ In 1888 a distinguished group of women convergence of the suffrage and tem­ tion. The Indianapolis Equal Suffrage gathered in Washington, D.C., for the first perance causes and declined to pass Society had worked with these and International Council of Women. Among the resolution even after the House other suffrage groups, but it did not this group are such famous feminists as Elizabeth Cady Stanton (fourth from right, did so. It was not until the 1920 ratifi­ affiliate itself with them. In 1887, how­ front row), Susan B. Anthony (third from cation of the Nineteenth Amendment ever, the perceived need for a national left, front row), Frances E. Willard (fourth that the Indiana legislature again amendment on suffrage led the from left, second row), Zerelda G. Wallace voted in favor of women’s suffrage. Society to join Anthony’s NWSA. Wal­ (second from left, front row), and Along with her unrelenting efforts lace became vice president of the na­ May Wright Sewall (second from right, second row). in Indiana, Wallace remained active tional organization. on the national front. She appeared Wallace believed that women repre­ were cast aside in favor of working with­ before the United States Senate Ju­ sented the moral force in the world in the system. Lobbying, letter-writing diciary Committee at its hearings on and that for humankind to progress campaigns, reasoned speeches, and the female suffrage in January 1880. She further, women must be given their projection of a calmer (and more femi­ told them that “it is not the woman rightful place in government. In her nine!) image became the new means of question, ... it is the human ques­ address “Woman’s Ballot a Necessity political persuasion. tion,” and that “you have attempted to for the Permanence of Free Insti­ In 1881 these efforts paid off. The do an impossible thing to represent tutions” at the National Suffrage General Assembly voted in favor of the whole by one-half.” Convention of 1887, Wallace declared women’s suffrage. The law required, In 1883 while the suffrage resolu­ her “faith that humanity is to be per­ however, that the resolution pass the tion was going down to defeat in the fected.” She believed that men had General Assembly a second time and Indiana Senate after initial passage, mastered the physical world and sup­ then go to the people before becom­ Wallace wrote a letter to Susan B. ported women in the economic sense, ing law. By the time of the next session Anthony, which Anthony read to the but she also saw that women’s moral in 1883, the Senate was alarmed by a fifteenth annual convention of the force and role as teacher made them

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