“In initiating measures for the conciliation of opposing interests and views, it may seem to some of my friends that I have overlooked just grounds of personal offence in imputations wantonly made upon my honor and integrity. I do so knowingly and willingly, and because the cause that the American Red Cross is meant to promote stands first in my affections and my desires. It would be strange if it did not—if the cause for which I have devoted myself for half a century were not deemed by me worthy of any possible sacrifice of personal pride or personal interest.” ’Tis not the house and not the dress, That makes the saint or sinner, To see the spider sit and spin, Shut with her walls of silver in, You would never, never, never guess, The way she gets her dinner. Had she entered the spider’s web of the society “remonstrant”; had she accepted the proposed annuity—and proposed honor of Honorary President, and thrown her child to the sharks, Clara Barton’s frail bark would have been towed into port, in peace. Instead, with her never failing courage she took to the life boat, on a stormy sea, and survived the storm to hand over her Red Cross child not to an unworthy, but to her Country and humanity. LXXXIV No cynic will find a flaw in what Miss Barton did. Boston (Mass.) _Record_. The spiteful factionist, to be found in every cause—even the cause of Christ himself—formed an opposition to Miss Barton. Harrisburg (Pa.) _Telegram_. Truth hath a quiet breast. SHAKESPEARE. Great souls suffer in silence. SCHILLER. Silence is the Mother of Truth. EARL OF BEACONSFIELD. Come, let us have peace. U. S. GRANT. Peace to the land forevermore. CLARA BARTON. I never spoke a discordant word in my life, meaningly. CLARA BARTON. Like her Master, whom she followed, Clara Barton opened not her mouth. KATE BROWNLEE SHERWOOD. And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders He answered nothing. ST. MATTHEW. NO RED CROSS CONTROVERSY “There has been no Red Cross controversy,” says Clara Barton, “as the sensational press has termed it, inasmuch as the Red Cross has taken no controversial part. It has only spoken when it _must_, and as little as possible, and its President not at all, nor ever will. “When it is necessary for me to defend myself before the _American people_, let me fall. I should not value the defense thus gained, and I trust I shall never feel it needful.” In her later years the following was oft quoted by Clara Barton: