Thirty-Second Annual Report of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. February, 1866 / Thirty-Fifth Annual Report of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. February, 1869 / Suffrage for Women. Speech by John Stuart Mill, in the British Parliament, May 20th, 1867

Philadelphia: Merrihew & Son, Printers, 1866. Paperback. 12mo. Stiff glossy marbled wrappers with modern black cloth tape spine. 27pp; 27pp; 16pp. Near fine. Tight, bright, attractive. This unusual society was founded in 1833, same year as the American Anti-Slavery Society, and did not disband until 1870 when both the 14th Amendment (citizenship and equal protection under the law) and 15th Amendment (right to vote regardless of race) were officially ratified. The best known member of this influential group was certainly reformer Lucretia Mott, who appears as president at the head of the "Officers for the Ensuing Year" page (on title page verso) of both Annual Reports. Each is a surprisingly enjoyable concise summation of PFASS's activities for the year, each concluding with a brief account of their funds -- with budget jumping from $266.19 in 1865 to $556.06 in 1868. The pamphlet by English philosopher, civil servant and economist John Stuart Mill (1806-73) at the close is quite a bonus -- he was one of the earliest male advocates of women's rights and the first to present these notions before the British Parliament. This American edition was published by the American Equal Rights Association of New York and is quite scarce, as too are any of PFASS's annual reports. A provocative trio in superlative condition. (Inventory #: 49613)