The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-05-18
Office -.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.


Presidcnt-Mrs. Gen. Jas. Taylor.
Vice Presidcnt-Mrs. Stephen \.
Douglas.
Recording Sccrctarie--Miss Rebecca
Gillis, Miss Virginia Smith.
Corresponding SccrctaricS-MissM NJ.
Morris, Mrs 3 French. Mrs s Bowen.
Mrs II { Ingcrsoll. Mrs l. Robbins,
Mrs. Prof Henry, Mrs Chittenden, Mrs.
Capt Ridden, Miss Williams, Miss Ma
tilda Bates.
The same committee further reported
the following addrcss-which At the re
quest orits authoress and the committee,
was read by DR.. Nc Murdy.
Address to the Woman of America.
In the capital of our country we have
this day organized Il central society for
the suppression of extravaganza, the
diminution of foreign imports, and the
practice of economy in all our social re
lations. The Ladies National Cove
nant" Its object is good and gcner-
Gus one, which should inspire a spirit of
a great nation. For the society We have
an example and precedent at once august
and encouraging
In 100 the woman of Massachusetts,
actuated by the same impuI:c that in
ton. 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 the 9th of February three hundred
matron~, each the mistress ota household.
met As we do now, and signed 81 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 50 famous Three
days after. twice that number Of bloom
ing young girls met in the same place
and signed like pledges from that brave
assemhlaEe Of women non importation
societies sprang up. that produced an ef-
feet hpon the mother country almost
equal,to that created bv the success Of our
revolutionary armies During all the
terrors Of the war these noble women
held firmly 10 their pledges, and 10y their
earnestness awoke the sympathy and co
operation of every sister colony in the
land The spirit thus aroused extended
its IF + imported goods ofal kinds. and
every hearthstouc was turned into an
independent mandatory. Thus it was
that the flax wheel. the hatcheI. and the
hand loom became Sublime instruments
of freedom in the hands OF American
women. The house mothers Of 20 not
only kept their pledge OF non-importa,
ton. hut with their own hands wrought
from the raw material the garments which
clothed themselves, their husbands, and
children. The pledge which they took
and kept SO faithfully evoked not only
great self-sacriice, hut hard hard toll,
such as the women of the present day
scarcely dream of Had they not en-
dured and laboreI while their husbands
fought. we should have had no mighty
Union to pray and struggle for now.
We. the women Of 81, have the same
object 10 attain and the same duties 70
perform which " ere 50 noblv accomplish
ed by the women of 10 Shall we not
follow their example. and take up. cheer
fully. the less burdens that the welfare OF
our country demands They gave up
the very comforts Of life without a
murmur. can we refuse when s sacrifice
of feminine vanity i alone required
Can We hesitate to yield up luxuries that
are so unbecoming when the very earth
trembles under our feet from the tread
OF armed men going down 10 battle. and
almost every roof throughout the land