MRS. BLOOMER’S SPEECH.
“Mrs. Bloomer, of Seneca Falls, was introduced and proceeded to read an address which occupied nearly an hour. She commenced by remarking that, from the earliest agitation of the subject of temperance down through the whole past course of the cause, woman has had a great and important part to perform in the great struggle for freedom. And most nobly has she performed her part, according to the light she possessed. She has done all that the custom of the time permitted her to do. She has faithfully attended temperance meetings and listened to many wise discourses from temperance lecturers. During all this woman has imagined that she was doing the cause good service. But lo! she still sees the great destroyer passing triumphantly on in his work of death; she sees poverty, wretchedness and despair still rampant in our midst; she sees that her prayers to rumsellers to desist from their murderous work have fallen upon hearts of stone; she sees that, in spite of her remonstrances, the stream of death still flows on and that thousands and tens of thousands are still going to destruction. But, though she is often weary, yet is she not hopeless; she still has faith to look beyond the clouds to the bright prospect beyond—still has faith to look beyond the efforts of man to One who is mighty for deliverance.
“Yet, notwithstanding the efforts already put forth in this work, woman was not without guilt in this matter. While man endeavors to compel obedience to his laws, and make woman dependent upon him and an echo of his thoughts, while man has greatly sinned in thus usurping this great prerogative, woman has greatly sinned in submitting to this power. Woman has suffered her individuality to be merged in a name. She forgets that God created them equal; she forgets that our Heavenly Father has not made one to rule over the other. She forgets that she is as necessary to his happiness as he is to hers. They are created to work hand in hand, bearing equally the burden of life; and though we may fail to do our duty on earth, yet will our individuality be recognized and held to account on the Last Day. The plea often raised that it is immodest and unladylike, that we are out of our sphere in thus battling against the evils of intemperance, will not avail in the sight of God who has commanded that even one talent should be put to a good use. He has created woman intelligent and responsible and given her a great work to do, and woe unto her if she does it not! Woe unto him who hinders her in its fulfillment! Her individuality must be recognized before the evils of intemperance can cease to exist. How absurd the idea, how degrading the thought, that before marriage woman can enjoy freedom of thought, but afterwards must endorse her husband’s sentiments be they good or bad! Call you not this slavery? But if she acts the part of true womanhood, the path of duty will be made so plain that she cannot err therein.
“The speaker next said that she proposed to show how woman, by her own acts, had retarded the cause of temperance. And, first, woman had done much to retard the cause by herself partaking of stimulating drink during lactation, and thus transmitting it through the system of her infant. She imagines that this gives her stimulus and strength. But in this she sins from ignorance. As the child grows, his appetite grows perverted, and he will desire still stronger stimulus such as tobacco and cigars. Let mothers study the physiology of themselves and their children that they may know how to feed them so as to give them regular appetites. Woman has also done much to retard the cause of temperance by presenting the intoxicating cup to her guest. Not unfrequently does the first glass taken from the hands of woman destroy both body and soul forever. Home is said to be woman’s sphere; herein, at least, she should forbid the intoxicating cup to enter. Women, Christian women, as you hope for salvation, let not this guilt rest upon your souls!
“Woman has also retarded the cause of temperance by using intoxicating drinks for culinary purposes. Such an one voluntarily yields up her children to the Moloch of intemperance. Let no woman think this a little matter. Let no woman think that because she occupies a high place in society the destroyer will pass her by. Such is not his course. He delights to cut down the high and noble and trample them beneath his iron hoofs.
“Another class who in my view greatly retard the cause of temperance principles are those who profess love for our cause and hope that it will triumph, but do nothing for it. They say we have men to attend to this work and that it is none of woman’s business. Deliver us from such dead weights on society and on the spirit of Progress! None of woman’s business, when she is subject to poverty and degradation and made an outcast from respectable society! None of woman’s business, when her starving, naked babes are compelled to suffer the horrors of the winter’s blast! None of woman’s business, when her children are stripped of their clothing and compelled to beg their bread from door to door! In the name of all that is sacred, what is woman’s business if this be no concern of hers? (Great applause.) None of woman’s business! What is woman? Is she a slave? Is she a mere toy? Is she formed, like a piece of fine porcelain, to be placed upon the shelf to be looked at? Is she a responsible being? or has she no soul? Alas, alas for the ignorance and weakness of woman! Shame! Shame on woman when she refuses all elevating action and checks all high and holy aspirations for the good of others! (Applause.) Sisters, the liquor traffic does concern woman deeply; and it is her business to bring her influence to bear against it, both by private and public acts. Some mothers say it is as much as they can do to look after their own children without going to the trouble of looking after children of their neighbors. If all mothers would do this and train up their own children in the right way, it would be all well. But such is not the case; and therefore are we to go out into the world and help reclaim the children of poverty and crime around us.
“Another obstacle to the progress of temperance principles is that women live in close companionship with drunken husbands. This may be a delicate point upon which to enter and many may object to mentioning it, but nevertheless the truth must be spoken. In my mind no greater sin is committed than by woman consenting to remain the wife of the drunkard, rearing children in poverty and wretchedness and thus transmitting his sins. A pure and virtuous woman tied to such a piece of corruption, and giving birth to children who will grow up to be a curse to themselves and society! The drunkard knows that the gentle being is bound close to him and is literally his slave, and that she will remain with him be his conduct what it may. Thus are thousands surrounded by these gentle and loving creatures, when they are not worthy to have even a dog for a companion. (Applause.)
“And yet public sentiment and law bid woman to submit to this degradation and to kiss the hand that smites her to the ground. Let things be reversed—let man be made subject to these various insults—and how long would he suffer anger, hunger, cold and nakedness! How many times would he allow himself to be thus trampled upon! (Applause.) Not long—not long—I think! With his right arm would he free himself from such degrading bondage. (Applause.) But thanks to a few brave hearts, the idea of relief to woman has been broached to society. She has dared to stand forth and disown any earthly master. (Applause.) Woman must banish the drunkard from her society. Let her utterly refuse to be the companion of a drunkard, or the man who puts the intoxicating cup to his lips, and we shall see a new order of society.
“Woman must declare an unceasing war to this great foe, at all times and upon every occasion that presents itself. She must not wait for man to help her; this is her business as much as his. Let her show to the world that she possesses somewhat of the spirit and the blood of the daughters of the Revolution! Such thoughts as these may be thought unladylike; but if they are so, they are not unwomanly. (Applause.)
“Mrs. Bloomer then made a brief argument in favor of the Maine Law, and concluded her remarks amid long continued applause.
“It will be seen that Mrs. Bloomer’s address was almost entirely confined to women, and marked out an entirely new field in temperance thought; and it therefore attracted not a little attention.”
The meeting in New York city did not end the work of the three ladies in the Temperance cause during the winter. They made a tour of the state, holding meetings in Brooklyn, Poughkeepsie, Sing Sing, Hudson, Troy, Cohoes, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Lockport, Buffalo, and other places along the Hudson River and the line of the Central Railroad. They were everywhere received by great crowds of people anxious to see the now famous speakers and listen to their words. It was a new thing for women to speak in public; and no doubt the fashion of the dresses worn by Mrs. Bloomer and Miss Anthony had something to do with calling out the people to their meetings.