Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-05
PENS OF TWO WOMEN
And What They Accomplished in
Political and Social Life.
THEIR POWER FOR FREE TRADE.
Mrs. Marcet's Conversations and Harriet
Martineau's Stories.
THE LATTER's IDEAS OF SLAVERY
WRITTEN FOR THE p1spArcH.

Two women of England did very much
more than the philosophers in making the
subject of political economy popular in that
country. In their books upon this subject
Mrs. Marcel and Harriet Martineau pre-
sented the facts set forth by Adam Smith in
his Wealth of Nations" in such form of
interest and simplicity that even the COM
mon people became we'll posted upon the
great subject-at least as regards protection
and free trade.
| Mrs Marcel was the author of two books
that made her the teacher of hundreds OF
thousands of people. Her conversations
on Chemistry" a work inspired by her hus-
band, a noted physician and chemist who
had been driven out Of his own country,
Switzerland, for political mesdemeanors,
became textbook on the subject in Eng
land, and also in America, where it held
its own for over 30 years. Before the public
schools had been generally established in
this country. and before it was freely ad-
| mitted that girls needed any education to
| speak of, Mrs. Marcet's book passed through
| 160 editions.
Was Not Credited to Her.
That this work on chemistry was really
written by woman was not believed. or
| perhaps the boys who were trained on it
! would not have been allowed to have laid
| their foundations of chemical knowledge
| by study of the simple methods presented
| in its pages. Mrs. Marcel got her share of
scorn and ridicule from those to whom a
| woman with any pretensions to learning be-
| came an object of distrust and dislike, but
she received plenty of praise and apprecia-
! tion as well from the men of science whose
acquaintance she enjoyed.
The declaration of independence made
the year 1776 the most memorable in the
history of the United States. The same
year was distinguished by the publication
OF the great work on political economy,
which eventually brought about the
commercial revolution which con-
verted England from the protection
policy to that of free trade.
Mrs. Marcel was but a child when Smiths
great work was published, but she doubtless
studied it for herself and formed her own
opinions. At all events, when her mind
was matured and her judgment assured, she
published her Conversations on Political
Economy" containing much wisdom on the
subject in such style as to suit ordinary
readers. The book became Immediately
promoting intelligence among the working
classes of England on the subject of taxation.
Every GIRL" says Macauley, "who has
read Mrs. Marcet's Conversations on Politi-
cal Economy could teach Montague and
Walpole lessons on finance"
Mrs. Marcet's little book did much to help
in making free trade the policy of England,
and as she lived to be 80, she doubtless had
the satisfaction of seeing the progress made
in England by the adoption oil the views she
advocated.
A Political Old Maid.
Following in her footsteps few years
later came Harriet Martineau, a political
old maid, who occupies a no small place in
the foreground of modern English history.
Like Miss Willard and Miss Anthony, she
had natural taste for politics, and mani
tested more interest in public affairs than
did the ordinary women whose chief interest
and pursuit was, as Shakespeare puts it, ''to
suckle fools and chronicle small beer" A
turn of mind for politics In a woman was
much more remarkable half century ago
than at present, and Harriet had, of course,
a double burden of contempt and derision
to bear from the stupid and bigoted of her
time, in that she was not only an old maid,
but was "strong-minded" as we'll.
Took Her Cue From Mrs. Marcet
Her mind was early directed to the sub
jeet of political economy by Mrs. Marcet's
conversation" on the subject, and she con-
ceived the plan of writing series of tales
illustrating the need of reform in the poor
laws. Of justice in methods of taxation, and the
virtue and morality of true political economy
as contrasted with the evils of the false, then
in vogue. These stories met with immense
favor and were large factors in the conversion
of England to free trade.
independent of their yaIue as expositions of |
great principles" says q writer, "some of these
tales will always be read for their truthful pic
lures OF life. and the ingenious construction of
story limited by It's special purpose" They |
were eagerly read. not only by the working |
classes but by all people. In the form of a |
story they reached readers who would not have |
looked twice at political tract England at |
that time was going through the same contro- |
yersy between protection and free trade |
that is now carried on in the hammer |
and tongs fashion in this country and |
Harriet Martineau used her pen so powerfully |
that in recognition and appreciation of her |
services and the good she had done by spread |
ing the principles of free trade before the pee-
pie. she was rendered pension by the British |
Government, This she declined, preferring to
retain her independence as political writer.
Her Stand Against Slavery.
The abolition of slavery found in her a power
full advocate, and during the War of the Re- |
bellion some of the warmest and strongest arti-
cles in support of the North and the Union |
were written by this "strong- minded old maidn
In the stirring days when William Lloyd Garri- |
son and the small band of abolitionists were |
Martineau visited this country. Her great
reputation as writer had preceded her, and |
she was received with warmest welcome and |
highest honor: She visited some of the palatial
homes of the South, and enjoyed the hospitality
of some of Its most prominent people.
When at last she reached Boston, she at
tended little private meeting OF the Woman's
Society, which had the courage to
get together afrnrnOOn
son was mobbed.
Miss Martineau was asked to speak and
though she knew the cost, she had the courage
of her convictions and expressed her sympathy
for the slave and her adherence OF slavery. |
This turned public sentiment against her.
Every door hitherto open to her was banged
shut, ana from having been praised and hon
ored and sought after, she was abused, vilified
and scorned as black abolitionist as woman
who had gone beyond the bounds of feminine
modesty, as o dreadful and pestilent being who |
had abused the hospitality OF her entertainers
by stepping upon the toes of their pet preju-
dice, and by refusing to indorse slavery as a
virtue An this clamor and evil speaking,
not prevent her from doing justice to the many
virtues of the American people in her book on
this country on the subject of slavery. Miss
Martineau lived TO see the change in public
and to rejoice in the emancipation
that removed this blot from the
history Of the American Republic.
Character of the Woman.
Miss Martineau takes rank with the most
eminent writer's Of her age and country. Her
fame was won as a novelist. a historian. a
and a reformer. She had a little
sharpness of tongue In criticism, and was. it
nay be- somewhat egotistieai l, cal Thackeray was.
iandy;" "Macaulay had no heart" and the po-
itical party to which she was opposed was
made up of lot of "conceited imbeciles." But
'uch remarks, it must be admitted are "mid-
Hing mild" as compared with the cruel slash.
ngs of the Scotch reviewers.