Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-09-01
SPIRITUALISM AS A PRACTICAL PRINCI
PLE-ABBY X. FOSTER APPLY
ING IT TO THE POLLUTIONS
OF SLAVERY.
WENDELL PHILLIPS.

Horny c. Wright, writing from a Convention
called by Spiritualists, a; Providence, r. l. under
date of Aug. 2nd, says
Abby X. Foster took the platform, to speak to
the resolution of sympathy with Miss II ardinge in
her efforts to save women from prostitution. She
is nov speaking, and with power. Abby has of.
ten spoken. How often and how efficiently, the
entire Northern States can attest for the las, TWEEN
ty FIVE years-ir behalf of women prostituted by
slavery in the United States but | never heard
her speak with more power than at present. She
is saying. in substance. as follows:-
Il would present to Miss Harding and 10 this
Convention two millions Of American women who
are compelled by the law and religion Of the ma
ton to live in prostitution, without any protection
from the Government, from the Church, from the
politics or religion OF tho land. These are the
tempted, the outraged, the crushed, the broken
hearted. BY law and religion they are handed
over to tue lasts Of any priesi.deacon, slave'trader,
and STAKEHOLDER, who sh all wish to outrage them.
Resistance to those brutal rapes is punishable with
death as treason against the rights of all rhtte
men. These h~aplesss victims of the white mans
rape and rapine appeal to Miss Hardinge and to
all Spiri,ualists. If Spiritualism cannot help these
women, pros.ituted by law, and stripped of all
personal rights, what is it good for Ia vain do
Miss l~lardlnge and the Spiritualists seek to save
the white woman Of the land from prostitution
AID its dire results, while they studiously and pur-
posely ignore the condition of those two millions
among us who may have u skin Of darker hue,
They are compelled to bear children, and these. as
SOON as burn, are registered as chattels. and in
dina tin,as ol1 10 hrrV,e TInr o.l hal l.,-l
tiers by white Christians (P) and p)liticians, are
consigned to hopeless. helpless prostitution.
NJ effort to elevate woman, whbthcr made by the
advocates Of Women's Rights, by Spiritualists, by
Christians or politicians, caa be of any avail, while
the condition Of these two millions Of prostitnted
women aud sisters is overlooked. The purity the
virtue of the white woman and that Of the black
woman must rise or fall together. So lvng as the
white man ~despises and tramples upon the chasti-
F ty and personal rights Of the black woman, he will
outrage and despise the person of the white wo-
man. The Democrats and the Republicans of the
North hold these helpless two millions of women,
while their Southern coadjutorS in politics outrage
their persons.
Mrs. Fosters ten minutes were up. A motion
/ was made to extend her timo ten minutes more.
One man arose III mucu excitement, aud SAID, i
am opposed to that. Mrs. Foster is introducing
politics. This is a side issue. Spiritualists have
nothing to do with politics 10 their Conventions.
Better stick to their own text
The question -'Shall Mrs. Fosters time be ex-
h tended ten minutes more ?'-was then put by Dr.
+, Gardner OF Boston, the President, and declared
to be adopted by ten to one.
Mrs. Foster then proceeded to show how the Re.
, Federal Government, were responsible for the pros
r %titution aud outrages practised upon these tw,
millions of helpless women. Her remarks were
/ listened to with profound attention, and cheered
with more enthusiasm than anything else said ia
The Convention.
have often heard Ably plead the cause Of
these two millions of her outraged -sisters-outrag
ed 10 the most sacred aud holy right aud function
Of their wOmanhood-but / never heard her speak
more eloquently or more to the purpose. A great
portion Of the audience thanked her in their hearts
for her remarks 10 behalf Of enslaved woman. One
man, tho one who was opposed to extending hel
time, and to introducing aide issues, said, when he
saw how enthusiastic was the audience in favor 81
Abby's remarks-'The Convention might 20 t.
hell for all him. lie wac told that II hell so deep
dark and desOlating. and so boiling over with ho
wrath, and so foil of ~howliogs and gnashings, wa,
n no bosom as 10 bis own.
1t was the feeling Of the Convention that Spirit