The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-20 00:00:00

OFFICERS.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMlTTEL—President, Mrs General
,Tames Taylor. Vice-President, Mrs Stephen A. Douglas.
Reci;rding Secretaries : Miss Rebecca Gillis, Miss Virginia
Smith. Corresponding Secretaries : Mrs M. Morris, Mrs
B. B, French, Mrs S. Bowen, Mr H. C. Ingersoll, Mrs Z.
Robbins, Mrs Prof. Henty, Mrs. Chittenden, Mrs Captain
Kidden, Miss Williams, Miss Matilda Bates.
ADDRESS TO THE WOMEN OF AMERICA.

In the capital of our country we have this day organised
a certain society for the suppression of extravagance, the
diminution of foreign imports, and the practice of economy
in all our social relations. To this society we have given
the name of " The Ladies' National Covenant." Its object
is a good and generous one, which should inspire a spirit of
patriotism worthy of women Soho are the glory of a great
nation. For this society we have an example and prece-
dent at once august and encouraging.
In 1770 the women of Massachusetts, actuated by the
same impulse that inspires us, assembled in the city of
Boston, as we have met here, and resolved to serve the
country by an effort of self-sacrifice far greater than we are
called upon to make.

On Feb. 9 300 matrons, each the mistress of a household,
met as we do new, and signed a pledge to abstain from the
use of tea, the greatest luxury of the time, and the very
life of all the social gatherings for which our New England
ancestors were so famous. Three days later twice that
number of blooming young girls met in the same place and
signed like pledges. From that brave assemblage of women
nen-importation societies sprang up that produced an effect
upon the mother country almost equal to that created by
the success of our revolutionary armies. During all the
terrors of the war these noble women held firmly to their
pledges, and by their earnestness awoke the sympathy and
co-operation of every sister colony in the land. The spirit
thus aroused extended itself to imported goods of all kinds,
and every hearthstone was turned into an independent
manufactury. Thus it was that the flue wheel, the hatchel,
and the handloom became sublime instruments of freedom
in the hands of American women. The house mothers of
'76 not only keep their pledge of non-impartation, bxt with
their own hands wrought from the raw material the gar-
ments which clothed themselves, their husbands and
children. Tho pledge which they took, and kept so faith.
fully, evoked not only great self• sacrifice, but hard, hard
toil, such as the women of the present day scarcely dream
of. Had they net endured and laboured while their hus-
bands fought, we should have had no mighty Union to pray
and struggle for now.
We, the women of '64, have the same object to attain
and the same duties to perform which were so nobly ac
cereplished by the women of 76. Snail we not follow their
example, and take up, cheerfully, the lesser demands that
the welfare of our country demands ? They gave up the
very comforts of life without a murmur ; can we refuse
when a sacrifice of feminine vanity alone is required ? Can
we hesitate to yield up luxuries that are so unbecoming

Thank God ! science has given us the means of reaching
thousands on thousands in a single hour. While me make
this covenant, the thought that thrills our hearts may
tremble in fire along the telegraph, and awake kindred in-
spiration throughout the entire land. By every means of
communication in our power, let us urge the necessity of
prompt action. In every town and village throughout thn
Union, some woman who loves her country is implored to
ce,...4iik/Aaxauxiliary society and forward the names of the
Isdieiinvtted,to act artine Stale iiiiiitlCElEek."au ty lice:-
We ask simultaneous action, earnest work, and generous
self-sacrifice at the hands of sister women. With their
ardent help, a work will he accomplished so important iu its
results that the woman who shares he it may hereafter
leave the emblem of our object as the richest jewel that she
can leave to posterity.