The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-01
NOTHING UNREASONABLE"
Miss Anna E. Dickinson Speaks
at the Academy of Music.

on the occasion of a lecture entitled 'Nothlng
Unreasonable" " by Miss Anna E. Dickinson. She
appeared on the stage few minutes atter elghJ
o'clock. The large majority of the audience
evidently did not accord with the views OF the
speaker, as the applause quite limited. Miss
Dickinson spoke as follows;-
Miss Dickinson said:-A criminal-a criminal
accused arrested, arraigned, tried, convicted
has vet the opportunity to speak for herself.
The Judge, ere he adjusts the black cap, stays
the course of law for brief moment to demand
of this human being all else having been said
for her that others can say whether she herself
has any reason to show why sentence of death
should not be pronounced upon her. tits, then,
nothing unreasonable for me, who am no crmi-
nal, who am faithful, law-abdng citizen OF
the republic, to demand why ], in defiance OF
Justice and right am condemned to political
death. Being one OF the loyal and untainted
people of the United States and thus desirOus of
seeing more perfect Union formed, Justice es-
tabished domestic tranquility insured, the com
mon defense provided for general welfare pro-
noted and the blessings of liberty secured to me
and mine, and to those who may live after me
it is not unreasonable for me to inquire by what
right am excluded from any part in the coun-
ellis of the nation, from any share in pcrtecting
the Union, from any effort to establish justice,
from any attempt to insure tranquility, from
any opinion as to means of common defense,
from any portion or lot in directly promoting
the general welfare, and from the use of any
legal weapon whereby can secure the blessings
of liberty, will not say to others, not even to
myself. AS o taxpayer, unrepresented by any
voice or choice of my own, it can be nothing un-
reasonable for me to cry, Taxation without
representation is tyranny" As a morally and
intellectually responsible being, governed by an
authority which asserts that it has no just powers
over me save those which il derives from my
consent; and yet with my consent not asked
and even rejected when proposed it can be
nothing unreasonable for me to assert, ''by its
own showing this government is usurpation
gaVNIa nti ly,rl,i tn
sue happiness in my own way, this pursuit not
trespassng upon the rights of another; as one
who can be robbed of liberty by an ordinance
to which my consent has never been asked; as
= mortal who can be deprived of life by
law to which | have never been permjited
to assent, it is nothing unreasonable for me
TO protest against being deprived of an inaliena-
bic right Being so wronged and defrauded, it
is nothing unreasonable for me TO demand of
those who support and defend the wrong and
the fraud, that they should show cause for the
continuance of this state of things. 1t is not
sufficient for them to answer it has been so
from all time; the judgment of mankind assents
thereto For demur; a feeling is not proved
TO be right and exempted from the necessity of
Justifying itself because the writer or speaker is
not conscious of it in himself but knows it
lives in other people, because instead OF say
ing 'I' he says you and he" 4 hard
task, l confess; for common-sense, con-
sistency, reason, argument justice, are all
opposed. He needs to be subtle and keen
these antagonists. 1t is easier fighting for a
good cause than a bad one As n certain great
divine hath it, man may go TO heaven with
half the pains which it costs him to purchase
hell. Nevertheless, it is a task which will have
to be executed great many times An old pro-
verb says:-"A fervid idea is q sort OF gimlet-
every year gives il an additional turn" Certain
women in this land are possessed with the idea,
and are conveying this idea TO others. that they
are injured and outraged, and are demanding
Teparation. These women, and the men who
stand by their sides, are not those who win he
silenced without sufficient cause
THE EVENING TELEGRAPH DEFIED.
paper published in this city, this afternoon,
has seen fit to attack me- When was fighting
for it's cause and the cause of the peopeit called
me q Demosthenes in language and a Cicero in
eloquence. Now it is too cowardly to give ne
the justice that to-day is due me, and will no
doubt attack me in its columns tomorrow.
am, however, not to be frightened because the
papers see fit to say these mean, unmanly, false,
and indecent things about me. Their paper bull
lets fall on me harmless None but the silver
cartridge of truth can injure me in this cause
Miss Dickinson then read some extracts from
the editorial in THE EVENING TELEGRAPH Of
yesterday, including the following
'grhe nation has trouble enough contend against
the host of bad men who figure as politicians. If
they reinforced by the silly and bad women OF the
land, the republic will soon be beyond redemption
Women rulers have been tried over and over again,
but their reign has tended rather TO add new ele-
ment Of corruption to politics than TO purify and ee-
fhte IL.
In response to this, she said it is about time
women had taken the matter in hand and regu-
lated the men, | can stand the attacks of all
such pigmies, especially when such men as Gar
rison and Sumner are on my side.
THE CHAMPIONS OF THE CAUSE.
When Stuart Mill and Lady Amberey. John
Bright and his Queen, Herbert Spencer and
George Eliot, Robert Browning and Mrs. Jami-
son, the Howitts and Florence Nightingale,
Sigourney and George Sand, Professor Huxley
and Amelia Edwards, Phillips and Mrs. Stanton,
Beecher and Mrs. Stowe, Sumner and Grace
Greenwood, Tilton and Harriet Prescott Bishop
Simpson and Mrs. Mott, Gerrt Smith and Mrs.
Child, Curtis and Alice Carey, Whittier and
Mrs. HOWe-When such men and women as
these back the guns, look out for heavy can
nonading, and for a fight that will be no child's
play to the enemy. (Applause.)
A FAIR WARNING.
Meanwhile I, the faithful follower and I'M ter
rifed soldier in the ranks where great souls com
nand cry out:-"You, over there, point your
first gun-fre your first sentence OF opposition
against my demand and the demand OF other
women for the ballot, and ! give fair warning
that am not 10 be frightened by hard words and
ugly names, neither boomer nor strong-minded,
nor infdel, masculine nor free-loYe affect me
against which am I. There was an old prejudice
among the Scottish Covenanters that certain OF
their enemies could be destroyed only bya silver
bullet-the leaden balls of sander and malice
and falsehood fall away harmless here-naughl
can iniure me or the cause which here repre-
sent save the silver cartridges of truth So, Mes
seurs, as the French officer said in the great
battle:-"f you please, fire first
DO WOMEN WANT THE BALLOT
Useless, You say at the outset for women
themselves don't want the ballot. False on Its
face; for why should men deny and women de-
"a XVO does