New-York tribune., 1868-11-06
4 STRUGGLE FOR LIFEp
MISS ANNA Z. DICKINsoN's LECTURE TO THE
WORKINGwoMEN.

|
| W0RKINGwOMEN.
| Miss Anna K. Dickinson ectured on "a
Struggle for Life" for the benefit OF the workngwomens
Association OF this city Cooper Institute last evening
Att O'Clock tho crowd great around the entrance
that several ladies tainted and for hour was almost
"a struggle for fe TO obtain entrance or get ticket
| The hall packed and the colored ushers had
| voy time in seating the people Among the prominent
persons were Mrs Stanton Mrs Norton Theodore lloh'
Mrs Abby Hutchinson Patton. Miss Cecilia Bureigh'
Mrs Andrew Jackson Davis, Mrs. DR.. Lozier, Mrs Di
Chsby. Miss Susan b. Anthony. and Parker Pilsbury'
The meeting called to order by Mrs Andrew jackson
Davis. Miss Johnson sang, In a very touching man-
| ner. Father is a drunhard. and Mother Is dead
Mrs Davis then said that in order to give the audience
idea OF what the young women there represented
intended to do she would read platform in declaration
of principles adopted by the WOrkngwomens ASSOCIATION
the 2sth OF October 1863 Miss Anthony then intro
duced Miss Dickinson who had just arrived on the tram
from Philadelphia After the applause had subsidized the
orator OF the evening spoke substance as follows: I'm
the early part Of the Revolution an eminent
divine preached sermon on Christ and him Cruched'
and then descending from the pulpit and throwing open
his robes he showed himself uniformed for battle to his
astonshed audience. He explained by saying that there
WAS time to preach and a time to fight His time TO
fight had come. The women OF America were now 10
fight well preach No argument is effective as
success The world belongs TO those who take IT, says
an old Italian prOverb. For my part srd Miss Diclnn
son. had rather be rauper clothed in calico, than to
blaze IN jewels and not earn my own existence.
lAppausel 1t is easier to walk than to stand sl.
Women compared to flowers. which men pluck and
wear IN their ton-holes This is all very WELL but
what II the flowers hollyhocks sunhowers onion
blossoms. lLaughterl. 1t is bad thing for Republic
TO have class within its borders that produces nothing
Deny person subjects which lie eXpend thought,
and his body Will become diseased. The brain
requires cultivation well the soil.
to maintain privileged class in society without society
becoming diseased and corrupt lApplausel 1t is for
this reason that our women put into the market and
sold to the highest bidder. The odfashioned ideas OF
marriage with love looked with rdcue. Society
shuts its eyes the girl who marries mechanic for
love- though he may have the natural gifts OF inventor
While tho painter says. MY shall not
DO disgraccd by learning his fathers trade"
he never thinks OF the crowds OF people gather
around him as no lays the lines OF beauty. The idea
that labor degradcs is OF this country works
from choice, and general thing he had rather work
than remain idle. boy is usually brought up to look
WORK honorable while girl taught despise honest
labor [sensation.l woman who chooses whom she
will marry Ia udiculed She is expected TO wait
until ia offered, often weak as
tho cane which It's carries.
There arc women in Ncw.York who might have been
merchants lawyers, phycians or ministers, had they
been permitted To choose their occupations. To-day
they wasting their lives at from o. 10 ~ per week IL
Cooking does not by inspiration tho world will nnd
out. These met at the doors by mnlitudes OF
foreigners who underbd them and intellect conquered
by ignorance. 80 long at the heads OF house
holds look work as disgraceul they cannot expect
any but the lowest and unfeeng 10 accept the STU
alton they thus hold out. Woman should be allowed 10
choose the kind Of work she best fitted for for no one
is a better Judge OF her capacities than herself
When she has thus chosen her trade or profession,
let her learn S to do her work as man does hs
be allowed to travel in the paths that lead TO profit and
TO poverty and deeradaoni We are told that home is
the sphere IN which God placed woman. Well grant 1t;
What shall we do with those who have no homes, and
those whose homes the homes OF brutality and Of
vcei II propose 20 discuss these questions we meet
with dcrson. In speaking Of clerks the speaker said
The great undeveloped resources OF the West need
the bone and sinew Of The clerks at
lGreat applause Shut OF the hospital. sAy
men. when she wishes to enter professionally but when
angel OF mercy aud bless the day when sho entered the
wards Of their 9o'P'ai: App@sHse The people
Z! be wSss stand & d9y SSF S and and
abused in Court IApplause It Is dlssraceful for
women TO be merchants and build palaces, but not 50
wien 'hey ssa"S Dan. Snsw ynnps i.ay IN
siz said &ss Who has lately
received FOR dong the same l, work in spperiof,
manner So aud tho unSSuHssa @emen EMPLOYED
IN one OF tho Washington Departments. all but
eight have some depending their earnngsfor sup
port These very women almost all widows. whose
husbands died on the batle-helds OF their country
Great applause oh, Magnanmity, thy name Is man
Applause This the way America treats her patriotic
| women, while assassins and criminals sit IN
high places, and live or Of the nation they tried
| 10 destroy The speaker vvidly portrayed the
character Of those persons IN Washington and elsewhere
WHO have sought defame the reputation OF women en-
ployed by the Government. People, she resumed, are
born professions and II would be foolish for any one
10 force tho poet TO be mason or mason 10 De poet
Women should become their own employers. She knew
could the wealthy people OF Newfork look into the
desOlate homes OF the workingwOmen, many closed
| hands would fly open and many pockets would be
| empted Women fall because they have nothing within
| themselves to lean upon The elements OF weakness
which foster in become the means OF their
ruin. They fall from suffering To want. and from want
10 death speaker entreated those who eIalt purity
| 10 make its paths less rugged. -
Miss Dickinson closed by reciting some touching mel
dents OF poverty and temptation. She made poweIiu
appeals for the deserted and helpless women ana ehl
dren Of our cities. She listened 10 with profound AZ
tentiOn and looking over the multitude of uptnrhed
faces might have than face wet with tears