Life and writings of Amelia Bloomer

by D. C. Bloomer

Mrs. Bloomer’s life during the latter part of 1853 was a very busy one. In addition to her duties as editor and publisher of the Lily and clerk in the post office, she was also frequently invited to deliver addresses on Temperance. A few of these invitations she accepted, and appeared before well-pleased audiences in villages of western New York. She never until later years acquired the habit of extemporaneous speaking, but all her addresses were carefully written out and delivered from manuscript. There is a big pile of her writings now before me. They are all characterized by great earnestness in appeal both to the reason and sympathies of her hearers.

Mrs. Bloomer’s appeals were mainly addressed to her own sex, but she never failed to call upon the men also to practise total abstinence and give their influence in all proper ways for the overthrow of the liquor traffic. She also introduced other questions into her addresses. She insisted that the laws relating to women were narrow and unjust and should be changed. She thought that women should have a voice in making the laws and also in their enforcement. When this change should be brought around, she had hopes that woman would be relieved from the curse of drunkenness under which she suffered so keenly. And it so happened that it was frequently said of Mrs. Bloomer that “she talks on temperance, but she gives us a large supply of woman’s rights, also.” To this Mrs. Bloomer in the Lily in April, 1853, made the following reply:

“Some of the papers accuse me of mixing Woman’s Rights with our Temperance, as though it was possible for woman to speak on Temperance and Intemperance without also speaking of Woman’s Rights and Wrongs in connection therewith. That woman has rights, we think that none will deny; that she has been cruelly wronged by the law-sanctioned liquor traffic, must be admitted by all. Then why should we not talk of woman’s rights and temperance together? Ah, how steadily do they who are guilty shrink from reproof! How ready they are to avoid answering our arguments by turning their attention to our personal appearance, and raising a bugbear about Woman’s Rights and Woman’s Wrongs! and a ready response to the truth we utter wells up from women’s hearts, and breaks forth in blessings and a hearty God-speed in our mission.”

IN NEW YORK CITY.

We now quote from Mrs. Bloomer’s personal reminiscences:

“In February, 1853, in company with Miss Susan B. Anthony, Rev. Antoinette L. Brown, and Mrs. L. N. Fowler, I held three meetings in the city of New York. We had been attending a Temperance mass meeting in the city of Albany, where we had both day and evening been addressing the assembled temperance hosts that had come together from all parts of the state in response to a call for that purpose. At these meetings we were met by parties from New York, who invited us to visit that city and hold a series of meetings, assuring us that every preparation would be made and we should be received by good audiences. We accepted the invitation and in a few days went to New York to fill the engagement. Full notice had been given and all things put in readiness for us. These meetings were held in Metropolitan Hall, where Jennie Lind made her début on arriving in this country, which has since been burned down; and in the old Broadway Tabernacle; and in Knickerbocker Hall.

“That was in the early days of the woman’s movement, and women speaking in public was a new thing outside of a Quaker meeting-house. We were the first to address an audience of New Yorkers from a public platform; and much curiosity was excited to hear and see the wonderful women who had outstepped their sphere and were turning the world upside down by preaching a new doctrine which claimed that women were human beings, endowed with inalienable rights, among which was the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“The halls at each of these meetings were filled to their utmost capacity, from 3,000 to 5,000 persons being the estimated number in attendance. At the Metropolitan, Horace Greeley and wife, Dr. S. P. Townsend, Colonel Snow, and a number of others were seated with us on the platform; and in all the after meetings, Mr. Greeley was present and manifested much interest in our work, taking copious notes and giving columns of the Tribune to reports of our speeches. While in the city we were guests of the great phrenologist, L. N. Fowler, one of the editors of the Phrenological Journal, and his wife, and Mrs. S. P. Townsend; and the evening was spent at the home of the Greeleys.

“AT HORACE GREELEY’S HOUSE.

“At the latter place we met about a dozen of New York’s literati. Of these I only remember Charles A. Dana, then on the Tribune staff; Mrs. E. F. Ellet, a prominent story writer of that time; and Alice and Phœbe Gary, the poet sisters. I remember the latter as dressed with very low necks and arms bared to the shoulders, while their skirts trailed upon the floor. Around their necks were hung huge boas, four feet long, the style of that day; as a protection, I suppose, from the cold. These being heaviest in the middle were continually sagging out of place, and kept the wearers quite busy adjusting them. I confess to a feeling short of admiration for this dress display at a little social gathering in midwinter, and my estimation of the good sense of the Cary sisters sank accordingly. And I never read of them to this day but those bare necks and shoulders and trailing skirts appear before me. They, no doubt, were as much disgusted with my short dress and trousers which left no part of the person exposed. Tastes differ, that is all; and I was not used to seeing women in company half-dressed.