Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-01-29
PRUDEN CE CRA NDALL.

Hail century ago, a young woman
named Prudence Crandall opened q
school for colored girls In Canterbury,
Windham county, Connecticut. Such
an outrage upon the sensibilities of the
people OF Canterbury was promptly
resented. They were not long in OBJ
tanning an act of the Legislature pro-
hibiting private schools for non. resi-
dent colored children. Miss Crandall' s
scholars were partly from Providence,
Rhode Island, and the law took advan-
tagc OF the fact. The enterprising
young woman took no notice of the
absurd law; but il soon took notice oil
her. She was arrested, thrown into
prison, twice tried and convicted. Her
case went to the Supreme Court, but
was dismissed on u technical point.
The brave people of Canterbury took
the law into their own hands and de-
termined to drive Prudence out of
town. They adopted at, that early
day, the boycotting system. They
accommodated her and all her be-
longings. They drove her from the
Westinghouse; the shops would not
sell To her, the public stages would
not carry her, the very doctors would
not visit her, nobody would visit her.
Her own family and relations were
forbidden by the town authorities TO
hold nyssintercourse with her. How
the brave woman managed to live at
all, under such an embargo, Is not
told; out she did hold the fort for a
considerable length of time.
At last the brave Canterbury people
resolved TO try actual force. They de-
filed her well and allowed her to use
no other. They daubed her house
with filth; bombarded it with rotten
eggs; finally they set fire to it and
burned 1t down. Then she surrender
ed, left Canterbury and retreated
across the border into her native State
of Rhode Island. She had made a
heroic stand against unjust laws, popu-
lar prejudice and outrage and mob vio-
lence, and was only driven out at last
by fire. She left Canterbury with a
legacy of shameful cowardice and big
otry, ofwhich that town has enjoyed
the unenviable income from that day
to this.
Prudence Crandall subsequently
married Baptist clergyman of Utica,
N. Y, Calvin Philleo by name, and
she still survives him, a venerable
widow in her oighty-third year. She
IS living in Southern Kansas, at Elk
Falls, retaining in her old age much of
her youthful courage and mental vigor,
in circumstances, but
highly respected by all her neighbors.
And now half century after the event
which made her earlier life such a con.
spicuous and stirring one it has slowly
revealed itself to the enlightenment of
the people of Canterbury that their
fathers and mothers once did a griev-
Gus wrong that has never been re-
dressed.
There may be some among them
who were themselves actors in the
cowardly outrage upon q defenceless
woman, and who helped TO drive her
from her adopted home and her con-
scientious work. fifty years ago. How.
ever this may be, the people of Can
terbury have gone TO the Legislature
asking 1t TO make some reparation to-
Prudence Crandall in her old age and
poverty for the wrongs that she suffer
ed at their fathers hands.
Connecticut should not stand upon
A1y nice | ONTO distinction in dealing
with such Il memorial. The State can
well afford TO assume the responsibility
and TO make atonement for the former
sins of her children. The old stain
that lies across the good name of Can
terbury and of Windham casts some
what OF blur upon the escutcheon of
the State itself, and the Legislature
may well make haste to do what lies
In its power TO repair the wrong done
- long ago, before it is too late. And
II the State is not large minded enough
to act generously in such case, then
the people Of Windham County, and
of Canterbury. cannot act
too promptly and literally in putting
away the dishonor that they have
inherited from their fathers.
l, is slow sort OF justice that mea-
surts its steps by half.centuries. But it |
Is infinitely better than none. Only
last summer, Salem reared O monu.
ment over the grave of q noble, brave,
cody woman, Rebecca Nourse, whom
It hanged as witch, nearly two hun
drcd years ago. Nothing could be an
emptier honor, so far as Rebecca
Nourse was concerned; if she alone
was TO be considered, there would be
only bitter satire in the marble
memorial of her raised two centuries
amer her judicial murder. But Salem
had an account to settle with herself,
and her sonsand daughters could no
rest until it was discharged, The
,ardy honor was of no use to Rebecca
Nourse, but it was very grateful
= the proud spirit of the people of,
canterbury has the same kind of
ieot 10 pay and her creditor is still |
lVing. In some respects, it was the
'ame spirit that hanged good Rebecca
Nourse and that burned out brave
Prudence Crandall. The practical |
Inference is that there is yet little
lime left in which to do practical ms
ice TO the latter. Canterbury can
give bread, where Salem could onlv
give stone. Whether it will do il or
not, remains to be seen.