The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-07
ANNA DICKINSON.
She Has Left the Stage for Good, and Is Pre-
pairing to Demolish Mgr. Capel.
Interview in Chicago Herald.

L Ia L WIS UOIl v llNS III Il ShA-
mate, read novels, and only talk when 1 feel
like it," She added, after a pause, 81 feellike
talking now"
And you intend to make some speeches."
eyes, before long,
"The wife of the Chief Justice of the State
of Illinois said this afternoon that you bad
decided to lecture in reply to Monsignor
Capel."
ut is true I mean to make some speeches,
and that before long. 1t is also true that
what 1 nave to say is something which, l be-
lieve, bears upon the best interests of my
country. l may have made mistakes, but l
have always striven to that end. L do not
know how it is possible for an American
woman of my antecedents and my convic-
tons of what America is and ought to be, to
touch upon certain questions that Monslg-
nor Capel has talked about without ~inevita-
bly, and as a logical sequence taking the
other side"
You allude, I suppose, to the school
question:" "
Miss Dickinson hesitated, and turned to
the gentleman friend mentioned with the
query: 'Must 1 passively submit to the in
evitable? Very well. Of course, sir, the
school question is involved, but what l say
will be in the line of my past work"
The lady rested her chin upon her hand,
and speaking slowly and t%houghtfully, on
tinued; GA foreign churchman's ideas of
things American must necessarily be diamet-
rically different from those held by Protest
ant American women of what is at least
called advanced views and liberal thought
That is all [ care to say. Since Monsignor
Capel talks of things American at the present
time and l talk of things American, we nee
~essafily take opposite views"
"Have you been asked to answer him?'
The lady smiled as she replied: Yes; but
what have | not been asked to do? Our
temperance sisters desired me to speak on
temperance from their point of view. Vari-
Gus prominent men who are interested in
prohibition and high license have offered me
flattering terms to make speeches from their
point of view. Certain organizations of
Knights of Labor have made propositions 10
ME to speak for them, but | very frankly
confess that the matter which interests me
most and has given me, as my Quaker an
cestors would say, AN internal prompting
as we'll as an external call to speech, has
been the subject-matter opened by Monsignor
Capel's addresses"
will you travel outside of Capers utter
ances in this country?'
off [ use what he has said as a text, you
know, there is a long sermon to be preached,
for he has touched upon a great many themes
which concern this country vitality. For in
stance, l read from a report of one of his
speeches published in a Chicago daily on Nov.
1, this sentence: The speaker then argued
that it was to the interest of the United States
to give to the Catholic Church freedom of
operation to fulfill its glorious mission"
Miss Dickinson threw the paper aside, rose,
and, with a gesture and in a tone which re-
called the fire of her anti-slavery addresses,
said: 'It is fair to ask: is it to the interest
of the United States? What is this mission?
The answer involves very serious thought,
both for an American who speaks and for
Americans who listen. Further on he adds,
speaking of the Catholic Church,: 'Cramp
her not; be not suspicious of her works L
tell you there is the text for a lecture in the
sentences l have read"
Are you going to make one of your old
fashioned political speeches?"
Il shall probably make a speech that will
be a combination of those ideas that used to
be regarded as distinctively Dickinsonian."
You mean, then, a semi political, semi
woman talk"
81 have something to say from the politi-
cal poin t of view and yet more from the
woman's outlook" ~
"Of course, you recognize Monsignor
CapePs power as an advocate OF Cathol;-
cism, and especially as a proselyter of wom-
amp" ,f.. ..,- ......
Eyes, yes, yes" replied the lady, 'rbut
this is to be no personal controversy with
Capel. What he'has said has a sequence of
interest and importance to American men
and women. 1t is of the sequence | feel i'm
PEELED to speak. Do represent me correctly
in this matter. There will not be any Capel-
Dickinson controversy, for l am going to
make a good-natured speech-if I can"
"Have you met Capel?' rs g.,
mo; [ understand that he is an entertain
ing man, | can comprehend how certain
Americans are blinded by his social charms.
But that does not matter. He make certain
remarkable assertions. He, a foreigner,
comes to this country, and, after laying a
platform. of declarations, asks certain ques-
tons. [ think L would like to try and
answer them. OF necessity I cross the
track Monsignor Capel has laid down.. | had
not proposed to make public my intentions
so soon, but have given my word to a few
friends in private, and | cannot now turn
back. Since slavery days nc subject has
stirred me as does this. 1 ave been silent
for several years because L had nothing to
say. | never yet made a speech until |
that | was the one to make it. Now l have
something to say and propose to say it."
CURRENT POLITICS.
Beyond the foregoing Miss Dickinson de-
clined to indicate the line Of thought she in
tended to follow in replying to Capel. Upon
other subjects she chatted freely and enter
taininglv. She thinks the present condition
of the South presents a problem not easy of
solution. "When 1 last visited Georgia and
South Carolina" she continued, there was
debatable ground there. Governor Cham
berlain had not yet given his party away.
The carpet-bagger was preparing for a II exit,
but the central government was still a prom
inent factor. l understand now that there
is no longer any debatable ground in the
South. The Democrats are again supreme,
but their capacity to blunder is as great as
as ever"
You think they will blunder f~atally?"
81 do"
"Was not the election of Carlisle as Speaker
a sensible thing to do?"
Yes and no. Carlisle is able and honest,
and he made a discreet speech on Monday;