The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-17
HOW MRS. STOWE WORKED.
A Review Called Out by Hopkinson
Smiths Talk.
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
The recent fippant depreciation of 'Uncle
Toms Cabin" and its author have set many
been written about Mrs. S~tOwe-abOut her
life and about the great work she attempt
ed. led to ii by the ~prOmptings of a solemn
conviction. None perhaps shows more
clearly the head and heart work that Mrs.
Stowe put into her mission than does her
Lie and Letters" edited by Mrs. James
7. Fields.
Day after day, and daily. did Mrs. Stowe,
while she was in Brunswick, Me-, hear from
friends in Boston of the terror and despair
the fugitive slave law occasioned to indus
trious and worthy colored people who had
escaped TO New England and were living in
peace and security. She heard of families
broken up and fleeing in the dead OF winter
10 Canada to escape the arm OF this law.
And much as these facts panied her fine,
noble nature. she was as deeply grieved at
the apathy of the Christian world here at
the North to these proceedings. The pull
pits and the voices that denounced 1t were
not loud enough nor prominent enough to
create a following. Small wonder that she
m0destly conscious of her own power,
should have felt that there was a call to
her to put pen to paper in defense of hui
man beings standing in such great need or
a forward movement in their behalf. Even
among people at the North. who would not
De Shareholders themselves, there was eX-
isting a feeling hat TO be an AbOlitionist
was an questionable attitude. and this
Mrs. Stowe had to combat along with the
great and g~rievOus wrong itself.
Writing TO a friend in London at the
time when Mrs. Stowe was at work upon
Uncle Toms Cabin" she said it seemed to
her that she was writing with her hearts
blood. and that before she could finish her
kealth would fail utterly But her faith
that earnest prayers would sustain her
combined with her zeal for the good she
hoped 10 accomplish, helped her TO finish
the task.
There was forced upon Mrs. Stowe, all
me time she was writing, the belief that
leople. thousands of them, good, honorable
and upright did not understand the terri
Die ab0mination and blight TO a and that
slavery and the spirit that made its IL
cense possible could be. All her labor was
one grand endeavOr to open the eyes OF
such persons, knowing that that accom-
Pushed they would not abide the wrong.
And they cid not. She lived 10 see the
awakening and the terrible battle between
GespOtism and liberty. Whether or not that
great conflict might have been averted,
whether or not the ends it accomplished
might have been brought about by moral
suasion we cannot tell. Tolstoi says IL
might and should have been so. But adj
hitting. for the sake OF argument, that
ne IS right. he and those who hold with him
must so a step farther along the broad path
they affect and admit that those who
worked then and strOVe I'm the interests OF
human liberty and right had none of the
hind-sight' which SO easily shows up the
ihey could My look around and ahead
tnd the outlook was dark and gloomy. in
ueed- with no sidelights thrown on ii in a
promise OF better things TO come, except
as the results of fearful commissions and
oNerturnings.