New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-09-04
Mary Hathaway Needles.
A~",esr of tn. E.rIy Pioneer. .G E..saen.
Gone.


To the Editor Of the Press:
SIR There has not departed from our
midst, within the know ledge. of tho writer,
now a more than forty years adult resident
of Philadelphia a person of more remark.
able character than the subject of this me
moir. OF New England parentage, she par
took largely of the firm and rrSoute support
OF principle al all hazards that charactcrizes
the best minds ofthat region. Though leadiny
strictly private life, she was ever ready 10
assist by her services in forwarding anv work
OF bcncvolCnce, no matter how diSa0rccable
or unpopular the cause. \ person mot
merely a WomInl more devoid of any feelings
ot fear the writer never met with-tear either
OF personal danger or social Censure in a
cause she believed To be right. There have
been many heroes, whose fame has been
trumpctcd to the four quarters OF the world.
who had not 1.-THE of her quiet courage and
determined will to support the right, cost
what it might. When raging mobs have
hOwled round her house threatening to burn
1t to the ground If she did not Weld up VIII
liam Lloyd Garrison lottcn hers aud her hus-
bands guest or Frederick Douglass, she
has stood firm and unmoved as could the
iirmest Roman of ROmc's best div. In her
the "colored people" always found an un
tiinching friend in times when il cost some
thing to support that character; and many
painting fugitive from slavery has found refuge
within her hOme-a secure refuge as far as
her Will and courage could make il so-when
the hounds of slavery were close upon their
track, aided by the servie police of those
times. Yet such was the admiration for her
heroism and known purity of purpose, that
even pro-slavcry men have offered to defend
her house more than once when threatened
with mob violence. Though not a relative
Of tla, Il. 4
with her till well advanced in manhood the
writer knew Mary II. Needles Moroughiy. and
never did he know an individual more indif-
ferent to popular appreciation OF more indie
pendent in forming her judgment mot with
out prejudlces, ii IS true, rs strong characters
never are) on great moral and political cues
tons. A great reader, she kept herself well
acquainted with the important topics of the
times till within tew years of her death.
which took place on August &c, in the Seth
year of her age. Well read in all the better
poets, sho could quote largely from Their
pages, and "In Memoram" she knew nearly
by rote, as in it she found solace for her long
and weary bereavement. Twenty-Five years
a widow, longing to reioin her husband, and
subject 10 a large share Of the trials and cares
incident to human life, she yet expressed
again and again, and through all her last
suiferings, the most perfect submission to the
will of Providence. Eulogiums on The dead
are so indlscriminately given rs to have little
influence on the living, but the writer is CON
iident that but small part Of the worth OF
this great private woman has been told OF
can be told in a newspaper article. The
writer leaves to her more able friends, WIN
Lloyd Garrison and John g. Whittier, o.
some other Of her abolition associates, to do
her more ample justice than can this
FRIESB