The active men of to-day were children when the Union was saved. Helpless children, when Miss Carroll, in the prime of her life and fullness of her powers, with clearness of perception, with firmness of character, with the light of genius upon her brow, devoted her time, her strength, her fortune, and her great social influence to the national cause that the men of to-day might have a country, proud, prosperous, and peaceful, to rejoice in themselves and to hand down in unbroken unity to their children.
It should be not only a duty but a blessed privilege—still possible—to see that all that earth can give to brighten the latter days of our great benefactress shall be given her. That she shall be crowned with the undying love and gratitude of a great and a united nation.
And let us remember, too, what it would have been for our country if the noble daughter of Governor Carroll had thought it her duty to keep out of politics while her country was perishing, and to regard the military movements, upon which its life depended, as something outside of a woman's province.
The nation belongs to its women as surely as it belongs to its men. All that concerns its welfare concerns them also, and nature has gifted them with especial attributes of heart and intellect to aid in its guidance and to aid in its salvation.
Footnote 1: He was Governor Carroll's predecessor.[(back)]
Footnote 2: At that time the sessions of the Legislature were not restricted, as now they are, to sixty days.[(back)]
Footnote 3: Caleb B. Smith was Secretary of Interior in Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet and an old friend of Miss Carroll.[(back)]
Footnote 4: Samuel T. Williams was at that time chief editor of the Globe (the Congressional Record of the day) and son-in-law of Mr. Rives, the owner of the Globe.[(back)]
Footnote 5: Edward Bates was the Attorney General of Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet and an intimate friend of Miss Carroll.[(back)]
Footnote 6: A. S. Diven was Member of Congress from New York, a railroad man, and, I think, is still living.[(back)]