▁was ▁organized ▁partly ▁to ▁counter ▁the ▁activities ▁of ▁Susan ▁B . ▁Anthony ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁C ady ▁St anton , ▁who ▁opposed ▁it , ▁ins isting ▁that ▁women ▁and ▁black ▁men ▁should ▁be ▁enf ranch ised ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time . ▁The ▁NE WS A ▁also ▁maintained ▁close ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁abol ition ist ▁movement ▁and ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁whereas ▁St anton ▁and ▁Anthony ▁were ▁working ▁toward ▁an ▁independent ▁women ' s ▁movement . ▁ ▁The ▁NE WS A ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁political ▁organization ▁with ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁as ▁its ▁goal . ▁It ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁a ▁regional ▁basis ▁several ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁two ▁national ▁women ' s ▁suff rage ▁organizations , ▁the ▁National ▁Woman ▁Su ff rage ▁Association ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁Woman ▁Su ff rage ▁Association . ▁ ▁The ▁NE WS A ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁latter ▁and ▁had ▁over la pping ▁leadership ▁with ▁it . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁England ▁Woman ▁Su ff rage ▁Association ▁( NE WS A ) ▁was ▁formed ▁during ▁a ▁period ▁when ▁a ▁split ▁was ▁developing ▁within ▁the ▁women ' s ▁rights ▁movement ▁and ▁also ▁between ▁one ▁wing ▁of ▁that ▁movement ▁and ▁the ▁abol ition ist ▁ ▁movement . ▁ ▁Dis ag re ements ▁had ▁already ▁weak ened ▁the ▁American ▁Equ al ▁Rights ▁Association , ▁which ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁by ▁women ' s ▁rights ▁advoc ates ▁and ▁abol ition ists ▁to ▁campaign ▁for ▁equal ▁rights , ▁including ▁suff rage , ▁for