Life and writings of Amelia BloomerBloomer, D. C. (Dexter C.)
History
Life and writings of Amelia Bloomer
Bloomer, D. C. (Dexter C.)
Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894; Women's rights -- United States
In May, 1853, the annual meeting of the Woman’s State-Temperance
Society convened in the city of Rochester. It was very largely
attended by many of the prominent Temperance workers in the state.
Mrs. Bloomer was present and took an active part in the proceedings.
At the convention, the question of admitting men as members came up
and excited a great deal of interest. It was agreed that, as both
sexes were equally interested in the work, they should all bear an
equal responsibility in guiding the doings and sharing in the labor
of the society. Those who took this view insisted that it should be
placed on the broad grounds of equal rights and equal duties for all.
Others thought the time had not yet come for so radical a change in
the constitution, but preferred that it should continue to be an
exclusively feminine organization. Mrs. Bloomer took this view and so
the majority decided, with the result that Mrs. Stanton declined a
reëlection as president and Miss Anthony also declined a reëlection
as secretary.
In their places, Mrs. Mary C. Vaughan was elected president; Mrs.
Angelina Fish, secretary; Mrs. Albro, chairman of the executive
committee, and Mrs. Bloomer corresponding secretary. These ladies
continued the work of the society with great zeal and fidelity. It
kept its lecturers in the field and continued to labor earnestly in
promoting its temperance work. Mrs. Bloomer’s connection with it
ended with her removal from the state at the end of the year. She
always exceedingly regretted that this divergence of views occurred
between her and Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony, but their old-time
friendship continued on as of old and Mrs. Stanton continued her
interesting contributions to the columns of the _Lily_.
The proceedings of this convention, as also of the Good-Templars
meeting at Ithaca, were printed as a double number of the _Lily_
soon after the adjournment of these bodies. Many extra copies were
also printed, for which there was a very active demand. Mrs. Bloomer
insisted that the work of the Woman’s Temperance Society should go
on vigorously, as in the preceding years, and she exerted all her
influence to that end as one of its officers. She however did not
long remain a resident of New York, and after leaving the state she
was no longer responsible for the work. The zeal of some of the
workers may have become cold, or rather (which seems to have been
the fact) was turned into other channels. Mrs. Bloomer always looked
upon her connection with the society as one of the most useful and
interesting events of her life.
After the close of the convention Mrs. Bloomer visited Niagara Falls
for the first time, accompanied by her husband, spending a couple of
days of much needed rest and recreation. While there they looked over
nearly all the most noted points, including a visit to Termination
Rock under the mighty cataract itself, passing on their way under
Table Rock, which has since disappeared.
A LECTURE TOUR—FOURTH OF JULY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account