National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-02
THE W0MEN's CRUSADE.
VIEWS OFANEAINENTWA SHLNGTON
LADr ON THE SUBJECT.

Why THE MOVEMENT Is RADICALLY
WRoNG-THE WOMEN, ACCUSED OF vIO-
LATINO LAw-HOW CAN THEY BE ''G0D-
FEARING AND LAw-BREAKlNGP '-LET-
TER FROM MRs. n. vINTON DAHLGREN.
Tbs following lsttsr from Mrs. DaAlsrsn viii
be read with interest nsi 70 -,
TO tAs Editor u The Satsoaal 1epablieas:
Sir: OF conrse no one but the topsrs thensslvss,
who are Ut once the dupes, victims and parasites
Of the liquor dealers; no one but these miserable
untortunates can feel any or pefeonal
pity for the troubles which have ,ovsrtaken this
class Of men. Nor, perhaps b II TO b wondered
struments the Borrowing women who have suffered
20 long In silence from the. heaftiess gold-greed
which dominates the whisky.vUdsr. r-'-
We're fAis al We might, II not active helpers Of
such movement, Ut least look On, holding that
silence which givsa consent. But fhts u not all ;
for We behold IN this intemperate epidemic nov
ss.Dss is3 and order n
the more 70 b dreaded where, Is in this case,
nj
semblance Of truth: for Whereja mask Of virtue
Let as IN this case tear away ali sophisticsi sub
teriuge and ask the plain question: How are We
70 be At one and the same time God-feaEinE and
Our laws are subvsrsive Of natural right; let
as legialato anew. But can legislation reach the
moral stains which arise from the unEegenerate
hearth A true Temperance movement must be,
first Of oil, laM-abidilg-must address the affec-
tions; must be based in prayer to God to change
ths corrupt heart; but this passionate outbreak-
chance, a. q sinfui instrument used BY God II his
.na onr .. ss
be thus perverted. 60
tits sesshns eycioes, lss sssn los. sghs Of; We
plead for the nights Of these men ~ citizens. So
long as their frame = protected By law let there
higher, striEe deeper: Eii.a6eth Cady Stanton is
right when she designates this crusade Is .mob
Ian" snd she may. now SEQ some Of the results Of
ss1:sr reg S .s
suffrage question. or such & the commune. And
subversion Of law to meet outside Interpretation
Of right. II mob Of women may bo allowed to
attack and invade the prvats .isht. o. Sss class
moral cowardcs Of failing to xindieato their COM
mon rights, then what nsstf Who-can foresee the
,hs s. 10: Of
furnish the most extraordinary vagaries Of the
human mind, which have led 70 the most fatal ae-
'iis E S. az 31e Save Women a.. TO B. allowed
to destroy the rights Of citissns without let Or
hindrance, and in their blind seal sweep away our
common protection, We again ask, What next
There are likewise starving bands Of men and
women with unpaid labor due them in our midet.
Why should they wait for the slow action Of the
laWf Why not Wrest from those in opulent power
the needed relief and claim as their egis Justice
rightf Why not rob the bloated contractor in his
pslatial homef for he, too, has robbed the people,
Why let one stone rest upon another Of the lofdly
mansion Of that greedy usurer, whore bloed-money
10 stamped upon the very portalf Why should
the perishing seamstress behold other women ride
about in easy carriages clad in silks and velvets,
for the making Of which she remains unpaid!
Yet all these things are wrong, foully wrong;
they cry to high heaven for redress, and yet shall
mob law arise to Do Vengeance for these and every
other right violstedf Then, indeed, shall We
wade knee-desp In streams Of blood, helpless vic
Tins of our own moral weakness while the red
flag Of the commune triumphs. And is this the
way to effect any real reform7 No! no! Q thou.
sand times no! Progress has been indefinitely
arrested. The very class Of men who before were
friendleSs have now real wrong: and with this
mighty weapon they will soon turn back from
the rout ~ v1ctors.
The present cutlery resembles . fierce prairie
fire that devastAtes limitlese plain, finding no
resistance. Caught In the hot whirlwlnd, the tall
weeds shrlvsl and perish, but the noxious snake
slowly drags to his hissing hiding place, from
whence he Will again arise, charged with added
venom, and more surely strike the shared with
his death-deAling fang.
This momentsry fury must soon eIpend ITSELF
having brought about no permanent reform, but
having only given Us the dangerous example Of
violated law. NJ. VlHToN DARLGRKN.