Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1853-10-14
The pilgrim Mothers.

On the occasion OF dinner colebra.
ton Of the last anniversary Of the "land-
ing OF the pilgrims" In San Francisco,
Capt. Charley Brennan. Mayor Of that
city, requested talented lady acquain-
tance Of his to furnish him a suitable
toast for the occasion. He received the
following note in reply, which we think
knocks Fsnny Fern into cooked bon
net. The gallant Mayor proposed the
toast suggested, reading the lady's note
also TO the company at the table, and
"The Pilgrim Mothersl" was drank in
enthusiastic bumpers, aud amid clamors
ofapplause:
IL am surprised that man Of your
gallantry should be at loss for toast
ON an occasion such as this--l say sur
prised, because | know that you are
not such humbug as these Puritanical
straight laced, hypocritical, psalm sing
ing Pilgrim Fathers, whom hold In ut
ter detestation. You came from the
South, whore we do honor unto whom
honor is duel mean to tho women.
For more than two hundred years this
fragrant act OF injustice TO the gentler
sex has been tolerated and countenanced
by the men until Il has ceased TO appear
an Injustice to thcm. For two hundred
years men have usurped so quietly all the
honors OF Plymouth Rock--have given
themselves dinner ., and toasted them
selves, and made speeches about them-
selves, their dangers aud prosecutions
that stranger never for a moment
would suppose that there had over been
a woman within a thousand miles OF
plymouth Rock.
'The Pilgrim Fathers forsoothl What
had they 10 endure In comparison with
the 'piIarim Mothersi" II is true that
they had hunger, and cold, and sickness
and danger--loes without and within
but the unfortunate Pilgrim Mothcrsl
they had not only oil these TO endure, but
they had the Pilgrim Fathers alsol and
yet their names are never mentioned.
Who ever heard Of the Pilgrim Mothorsl !
Who ever gives dinner In honor Of
theml Who ever writes songs, aud
drinks toasts, and makes speeches In re-
collection OF theml This self suiiie len.
cy on :he part OF the men 10 beyond all
endurance. One, TO hear them, would
actually suppose that New England had
been colonzed by men, and posterlty
provided by a special act OF Providence !
Only Mrs. Hemans has ventured 10 In
sInuate that there ever was woman In
the caae--- that the Mayaower ever
brought anything but men across the
Atlantic. assure you, my dear friend,
that am perfectly dlagusted with the
sell.concolt fthe men--they appropri-
ate everything to themselyes--eyen the
settlement OF colony, aud the peopllng
Of whole continent. did hope tina I
there was one prerogatIve they would
leave to woman. We have submitted
quietly to their inventions for supersedlng x
W In many things--to their sewing ma
chimes and other "dxlngs," but we will
not tamely allow ourselves to be depri-
we'd Of this one priyllege-we will not
allow ourselves TO be deluded into tho
belief that New England was settled and
peoplcd entirely by Pilgrim Fathers-how
could they have been Fathers II there
had been no Mothersi And I hope ,dcar
CaptlIn,that have succeeded In convin.
cling you that yon will bc lending your.
self to an act OF great injustice to-
wards US II you do not propose for your
toast,