New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-04-21
sTRONG-MINDED WOMAN
ON SLAVERY.

Madame Jessie Merton Whte-MariO 1--WE believe
she became entitled to this latter appelative through
matrimony) is lady who few years ago became in
measure known to the world by getting into
prison, in Genoa we believe, as the result Of her
efforts 10 create revolution in Italy, and effect
thereby very material diminution in the dominion
and the pride of the Austrian Emperor. Whether
admiration for her perseverance and boldness in the
cause she had espoused had anything to do in pro.
curing for her husband with an Italian name, we
are not sufficiently "posted up in her private history
to determine, whether that piece Of good or bad
fortune was due to her personal charms exclusively,
or to feeling Of sympathy for woman whom the
hand Of the oppressor threatened to crush, but we
do know that the failure of her political schemes
caused her hurried departure from Italy, and that she
is in this country lecturng upon the subject of
Italian patriotism in particular, and upon freedom
generally, with fair prospect Of shortly turning her
undivided attention to the deplorable condition of
white and black people in the South, and becoming
bright and shining star in the galaxy of strong
minded women in the North.
A few days since she addressed letter to the New
York Evening Post demonstrating against an ntoler.
able injury she had suffered at the hands of one OF its
correspondents, who had with unparalleled baseness
intmated that her lectures upon the subject of Italian
wrongs might draw together large and weeping audi
ences If she would agree not to say anything about
american slavery" To many persons this cruel re.
mark might seem only intended as rebuke addressed
to those people who expected to interest them
selves in subjects pertaining to human rights when
they have so much better capital to work upon at
home but Madame White Mario decided at once that
the writer meant to reproach her for not defining her
position upon the only question in the world t in his
eyes, for cosmopolitan, an American patriot, or
general phanthropstto to consider and discuss She re-
solved that nobody should charge her with Indifference
to any question in connection with which the word free
dom could be used, and accordingly declares the con-
viction that it behooves all who plead for freedom in
this country place their sentiments on negro slavery
above suspicion" She believes that liberty is equally
the right Of the Italian the negro the sepoy and the
serf-whch is, to say the least Of it, putting the Italian
and the negro in rather bad company-and afirms that
her lectures ncucate this idea, and would cause any
Sontherner who should hear them to acqut her of q
studied avoidance of the subject of American slavery.
We have doubt that any Southerner will readily
do it ; we, for our part are not only willing to acquit
her in the premises, but feel content, after hasty
perusa of her letter to the Post to give her credit for
ardent desire to distinguish herself in the foremost
rank Of the strong-minded, Notwithstanding women
| of America.
BuL III giving 10 Tue AOOltOnlStS ner Valna0e
countenance and support, Madame White Mario in
ficts upon them q most withering and unmescful
sarcasm, innocent, perhaps of any intention to do
So yet one under which they would vince were it not
that he presence of their avorite hobby invariably
drives out all sense Of shame and decency. After
stating that she lectures upon the Italian question
because she has studied it and knows something
aboutit she proceeds:
Not so with the question of negro slavery. While
am convinced of the nquity of slaveholding never
having been South l can form no opinion as to the
capacity of slaves to emancipate themselves and
while thoroughly sympathsing with the noble work
of the true Abotionists, am not sure how far that
work can proceed towards its good without the co
operation of the slaves. Were to say more than
this until have had time and opportunity to study
the matter thoroughly, l should lay myself open t.
the charge of empty defamation = though if any
American will show me how could help on this vita
question, l should gladly avail myself of any an(
every opportunity.
When the reader remembers that the great mass o
Abolitionsts derive their ideas Of the institution
slavery from such works as Uncle Toms Cabin, tht
pulpit denunciations of such men as Cheever, ant
from such newspapers Abolition fanatics usually
print, and when he remembers that nine tenths of h
nosiest Freeso demagogues have little better mean.
Conformation, never slave unless fugitive ant
would as venture into the dominions of Pluto a
upon Southern soil with their vile prejudces dis
played he will appreciate the correctness of the lady
idea that person should know something about
subject before attempting to instruct the world a
large upon it, and the severity of its application
that of Abotionism in note written specially for tn
perisal of all Abolitiondom.
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