The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-04-10
r Ell DIN D E r
TO MRS. STOVES REPLY To TIE ADDRESS OF
THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND.

Us once sent you, appealing 10 our sisters II
America to raise their voices against slavery
and you demand where is now the spiri
which dictated that appeal? You quote the
evidence of our press and our public speak
ers, that the righteous indignation against
slavery which once kindled in all Eugiist
hearts has waned, if it have not died ont
and you allege that we have been wanting in
generous faith and sympathy cor tie North
/ in her great struggle, and have even descend
! ed to afford countenancP, if not aSs.>ta!ce
! to the South. You challenge US to account
for this dereliction from our former ardent
sentiments, and you ask wherefore i is that
nor, when the conflict has assumed It's most
terrible form, and the peaceful persuasions o:
/ philanthropists have been superseded by TIE
/ shock of contending armies spreading desc
lation through your land-HO,c we stand at8r
off coldy viewing that awful contest. and
sending. instead of cheering wor,,S Of SYM
pathy ard faith, only doubts ana lamen'.-
tions over fratricidal war" and regrets
partitioned with strange impar;iaiity between
the sufferers in the cause OF free America,
and those who have, in their own apdac!ous
words. founded their commonwealth on n"
institution of slavery" You retort our cd
appeal iii the face of these things. and YOU
say to us: Sisters, You have spoken we'll
We have heard YOU: We have needed: We
have striven in the cause even un:, G-Gih
We have sealed our devotion by de,ula;e
hearth anG darkened homestead-hy the
blood of sous. husbands and brotarrs. In
many Of our dwellings the very light 81 our
lives has gone ont, and vet we accept the
lifelong darkness as our own part in this
great and awful ezpiatioa. by winch tne
bonds of wlckedness si:al. be l0oSe,!. and
abiding peace established on the foundation
IF righteousness. Sisters. what have Vau
done, and what do v"u mean - do IT,
view of the decline of the noble anii-siayerv
fire in England; in view of all the flCs.. AID
admissions recited from Your OWE papers. We
beg leave, in solemn sadness. to retrrn 10
Your own words -
a common origin, common faith. and,
We sincerely b-ive, 4 common cause. ur.e as
at the present moment to address you on tie
subject of the fearful encouragement and
support which is being afforded by Erfglan,,
TO a slave holding Confederacy. We appeal
to YOU a> sisters, as wives. as mothers. "a
raise your voices 20 Your fellow Cilizei>. arr.
sour PRAYERS to & ID, for the removal Of rhiS
affection and disgrace from the Christian
world"
Madam. in answering this solemn appeal.
We do not desire 70 detail the causes which
may, in Il measure. explain or pa! 4,e tl>
failure i'll our national sympathy. whose ex:>-
tence lin 50 far as it IS truel we profoundly
GcplCre. Enough, and more than ,nou n.
debate has already been held on the co.a,5.i-
Gated motives which have blended III youI
VIZ. as in all other concerns and on Ii.
occasional acts of question .b!, spirit which
must inevitably attend the public policy aud
sentiments OF nation engaged in dsi.i.;,> >l
conflict, and bleeding at every pore. So-n"-
what You NAV perhaps forgive Ia iiru>t wao
have withheld their sympathipS, i,.;.l5,iS ina,
q most righteous cause shcull he Eiaut .ili, 1.
with any save the mcst untailted motives
and the most unb-nding reclituGe: and We
have failed even Yet II read in ~ pc;.cy
the full desire to accomplish that end of un.
versal emancipation whercto Providence i
vlSlbly directing the course CT events
Somewhat. aiSa, may he forgiven 70 taos.
who have been mi>led by the mi>rcpre>rnt.
tiuns ct a portion of cur pres. ams 0.i .n,.e4
hy the inimical spirit of veur own. But
Madam. although maay lips have been closed
which ought to have spoken to YOU words %
blessing, though the voice u. England wkili
has roached you has lacked hat tuli tone q"
heartfelt sympathy YOU had Justly an'icira,
ed, vet believe not that our nation i tculr
aIjenated from Yours. or apoS,aJe Ia liz ,rea
principles Of freedom " hich were o4oe ou
glory. The heart of England Is sound a
the core-siavery is now and ever an abomi
nation in our eyes. nor has the da>;ar,; I,r !,
osition to recognize the Confederate STATE
F failed TO call forth indignant rejection, ard
, that even with peculiar earnes:resS trou
, those suffering operatives who's" relief SIr'
a measure might have secured. i Is to as
slre You of this, to yinGicate ourselves iror
the shame OF turning back in the nCur [
tria!,-most foreiga TO oar common SIxo
race,-that We. the Women OF Engl4n,.. c
| fer YOU this response.
We do not less abh0r slavery now tha
when Your eloquent words called on, an ech
8 Of feeling throughout Europe. such As !.
/ other appeal for the wronged or the miSe-:
: bic ever produced. We abhor slavery. ind.
A in. it simply as human beiH9s, and becau,
o: all the agoHies and tortureS ii has occ
stoned. We abhor it. Judging it especial
as womcn, because of all the unspeak.:h
: wrongs. tEe hideous degradation II HIS il
tlicted on our sex. But We abh0r it not on
because of these lis results. nor with Il II
tired which would he Withdrawn, were the
+ disputable now or remediable hereafter. !,
: abhor slavery for itself. aId for lis own emo
l. NOUS iniquity-even the ro0blng from a n
T.. man being of that freedom which it was ii
Supreme gift of Omnipotence to beslow. VI
/ hold that, were it in the power OF the Slav
II f:oider to make his slaves absolutely happ
\. slavery wOuld not less be an injustice and
+ crime. Happiness is not to be me.suT.
is against freedom, else would God nave left
Il bruteS, not men. and spared US all the 81
le rows OF struggling humanity. And where
" it has been argued that the negro IS oi
IS race Inferior to his master, and tEa, thereto
IS it is jpsiitiabIe to enSlaye him. W reply IL
re the right to freedom is not founded on IL
ID equality of the holder to any other hum,
being, else were every white man also Ia
fully 10 be ensiayed by every ether stronger
wiser than himself. But the right 10 frecdu
is founded simply and solely or the mol
nature wherewith God has endowed evl
to man and woman of the human race, enab.
Y them, by its use, to attain TO that Writ
ne which is the end of their creation. \
a whereas others, again, have defended slave
on the grounds of the supposed Divine sai
- ton to be found for it in the scriptures;
ry reply that we deplore the condition of ihc
in whose religion can lend itself to the task
do seeking to appeal to God for the permissi
y, of an institution which the consciences