Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-03-29
FEMININE MUSTARD.

Ed. MOnltOT,-1 our article IN a
recent issue was quite curiosity for
these times, and for Vermont. We
had supposed, judging from the po-
sition taken by the leading people
and leading men of the day, that
Vermont men, especially editors, had
passed through the dark age, on this
question and were getting into the
light somewhat. In fact, we believe
they have in the majority of cases,
and we would not feel that the views
you presented were worthy of special
attention, had they not contained an
attack upon woman-suffragists, which
every just man and woman should re-
sent.
The article reminds me of an eX-
perience of Mrs. Livermore, which
she related to me only few days
ago. She with VIM. Lloyd Garrison,
Lucy Stone, Mrs. Bowles and one or
two others came into our state about
fifteen years ago, and visited many
of the leading towns, endeavoring
to arouse among the people an inter-
est on this question. One of the
leading Vermont papers-nameless
here-made an attack upon them, de-
claring they were free-lovers-men
and women without principle-and
bringing a long list of accusations
against them as unfounded as those
the Jews brought against Christ, and
as in this case, the women were more
grossly maligned. They were said to
be women who had been divorced
from their husbands, and who neg
lected their families etc., etc. The
editor who wrote these words at that
time has lived to be ashamed OF
them, and is now hearty supporter
of Mrs. Livermore and her work fol-
humanity. And many of that party
whom he felt bound, to abuse at thai
time, he has long since felt bound to
laud and magnify, for their works
sake.
We hope for you, dear sir, in view
of these things. Less than fifteel
years will work great change il
your mind. Imagine any one to-da,
undertaking to malign such womel
as Mary A. Livermore, Frances E
Willard and Lucy Stone, or to ute
disrespectful words of that gram
man, VIM. Lloyd Garrison. Imagin
any one, when the smoke has cleare
away after the battle, maligning tn
women of Vermont, who are no.
standing in the front on this question
Some of us will ask no greater eartf
ly reward than to be remembered 9
women who dared stand up for tk
truth and right in the face of all OF
position, even while those we wei
2 working for were comparatively il
= norant of and Indifferent to our su
cess, and to their own and human
{. tvs highest interests. 1t is pitif
!, fact that too many of our intelligel
: people will not see that the elevation
e the civilization, the evangelizati(
e of the world wants for the enfra
e chisment of women. The propos
II to wait until majority ask for t
n right of suffrage, is really propos
e to wait to do justice until the id
II becomes popular. Was every bla
lie man on the southern plantations co
Is suited before the ballot was put
l. his hands? The worst features of t
If old common law, which are laugh
er at by the most conservative as reli
j. of barbarism were never rebelled
Or by women. They have been repe
I'd ed, one by one, at the request of t
IN progressive few. Women ha
at shown more desire for the ballot th
er was ever shown by any disfransch