Life and writings of Amelia BloomerBloomer, D. C. (Dexter C.)
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Life and writings of Amelia Bloomer
Bloomer, D. C. (Dexter C.)
Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894; Women's rights -- United States
“Now the question for us to consider is: Are we prepared for
the further and continued sacrifice? Have we yet more sons and
brothers to yield up on the altar of our country? To this question
let every loyal woman address herself; and I fondly hope that the
proceedings of your convention will be such as to nerve woman for
whatever sacrifice and trial await her.
“I know there are many women in whose hearts the love of country
and of justice is strong, and who are willing to incur any loss and
make almost any sacrifice rather than that the rebellion should
succeed and the chains of the bondmen be more firmly riveted. If
they manifest less enthusiasm than their patriotic brothers it is
because they have not so great an opportunity for its exercise. The
customs of society do not permit any stormy or noisy manifestation
of feeling on the part of woman. But the blood of Revolutionary
sires flows as purely in her veins as in those of her more favored
brothers, and she can feel as deeply, suffer as intensely, and
endure as bravely as do they.
“But I would have her do more than suffer and endure. I would that
she should not only resolve to stand by the government of the
Union in its work of defeating the schemes of its enemies, but
that she should let her voice go forth to the government in clear
and unmistakable tones against any peace with rebels, except upon
the basis of entire submission to the authority of the government.
Against the schemes and plans of the ‘peace party’ in the North the
loyal women everywhere protest. That party seeks to obtain peace
through compromise, and it advocates an armistice with rebels who
ask for none. Such a peace we do not want, for it would be either
brought about by the recognition of the rebel government, or by
base and dishonorable submission to its demands. To either of these
results we are alike opposed. When peace comes, let it come through
the complete triumph of the Union army; and with the destruction of
the great cause of the rebellion, which we all know to be African
Slavery.
“What part woman is to take in the work, and in what way she can
best hold up the hands and cheer the heart of the great man who
is at the head of our government, will be for the loyal women in
council to determine.
“A. B.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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