Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-17

Ladies' National Covenant.
Masonic Hall WIS attended last night BY
beautiful and patriotic women.
They bad convened to consider whether !, vas
their duty or not wear. while the var lasts,
only domestic fabrics.
The meeting Was begun by address TO the
Throne Of Grace by Rev. Mr. Edison.
Judge David Mcdonald then came forward
and said that he deemed il no ordinary disiipc-|
ton that the ladies who had called this meeting
had designated him TO preside over H. Il would
doubtless be pleasant and easy task Chill
dren, women. aud old men, could not engage In
war But they could do something AZ home
The object OF this meeting he understood. was
TO devise some plan by which, il not directly,
indirectly. the ladies could contribute something
to the Cause OF their country. He hoped there
would be no distinction made between ladies' Who
were unfavorable To our cause, If there were any
such. and others. There were men in this CITY
VINO were receiving the glorious tidings daily
from our armies. with sorrowing hearts.
Judge Mcdonald concluded, introducing Hon.
Albert u Porter. who proceeded to inculcate the
absolute necessity Of eurtailment of expenses
by the American people. and especially by the
female portion thereof The taxes of the couu-
try could not long be borne if it, resources were
To be sapped by private extravaganza The la
dies To night had given the key which unlocks
economise; 20 consume as little az possible of
everything These ladies that never before
IN the history Of the nation bad extrayagance in
living been unbounded. They saw that We
we're fast rushing on national ruin unless this was
stopped They saw that We must export more
aud impor, less Thirty three million dollars
worth Of silks alone were imported last year.
He spoke OF lsces and other things If the OBJ
iects of the ladies' covenant carried out, two
hundred millions Of dollars per snnum would be
retained in the country
He hoped the example of the ladies would be
come contagious. and reach the other sex Mil
lions would be saved by the mere cessation OF the
of tobacco. We wanted to come out of this
contest with such financial resources that we
could make the despots Of Europe hereafter give
surety for the peace. He who had the last dollar
would win. Ii pride and extravaganza were
suppressed five hundred millions per snnum
would be saved TO US This movement of the
ladies', therefore, was only another proof OF the
glorious patriotism Of American women.
Mr.. G W Moores followed Mr.. Porter. going
into lucid argument, backed by satisfies. show.
ing Why the ladies should practice economy in
all things
Mr.. Moores brought 10 bear upon what he said
a considerable amount OF poetry, too. He
marked among other things, that the nliner
and dress maker. with the assistance of the in-
porter. could manufacture iue lady out Of any
one Of the female sex These were the times
that tried men souls. and women's too. Buy.
therefore. your American goods only of those
who had showed by their works that they de.
served well of their country.
John l. Ketcham ESQ followed. He argued
forcibly in the same line with Messrs Mcdonald.
Porter. aud Moores He said we were now called
upon to lay aside all our foreign fabrics. aud re
place them with domestic. This was the object
OF this Ladies League, or Covenant But let
this not lead to an additional extravaganza, each
lady vieing with the other who should haunt
along the streets with the greatest amount of
domestics. Economy the thing-private
economy And he would pledge himself and
Judge Mcdonald that, If the ladies would give
up their unparalleled extravaganza in dress they
would forego tobacco and whisky.
BY this course we would build up our own
manufactures of all sorts and render us truly
an independent nation. Mr.. Ketcham forcibv
contrasted the gayety and levity with the weeping
and lamentation which prevailed throughout the
land. Was il decent, while such suffering was
every where. that ladies behounced and beiurbe-
lowed should appear daily on the streets? He
repeated. was il decent?-that was the word upon
which he wanted to put the emphasis. He should
like to see the boldness of those ladies who would
stand ort and wear their foreign goods. after the
Leading ladies' of this town had determined TO
wear only domestic fabrics. He wanted all
ladies who were disloys. by stress Of public cen
timent, to be driven in the right road, and be
compelled to put on ut least an appearance Of
LOYALTY.
He urged immediate action upon the ladies'
and no postp0nement to some future period He
would look on to morrow at every lady he saw
on the street or in the house, aud he would mark
in his own mind who silks and who wore
calico. He assured the ladies that they were
loved more by the gentlemen in proportion as
thev retrenched.
Hon. Eoratio Newcomb followed. and sug-
gcsted that il was time now to transact business
The President then read pledge to the effect
that for six wears during the the ladies
who signed it would not wear any article of for
eicn manufacture except what might be indies
pensably necessary.
The pledge was circulated for signatures.
Adiourned