Ten American Girls from HistorySweetser, Kate Dickinson
History
Ten American Girls from History
Sweetser, Kate Dickinson
United States -- Biography; Women -- Biography
That district was lost by a large majority, while the others went
strongly Republican, and it is interesting to note that when the good
news reached headquarters the Governor-elect himself personally sent
Anna thanks for her eloquent speeches, and to her amazement she was
serenaded, feasted, and praised in a way that would have turned the
head of a young woman who had been more interested in her own success
than in victory for a cause for which she stood. But that and the
money she could make and pass on to her mother were Anna's supreme
objects in whatever she undertook, and although she would have been
less than human if the praise and recognition had not pleased her,
yet her real joy lay in the good-sized checks which she could now add
to the family treasury.
"Having done such good work in the New Hampshire election, her next
field of endeavor was Connecticut, where the Republicans were
completely disheartened, for nothing, they said, could prevent the
Democrats from carrying the State. The issue was a vital one, and yet
so discouraged were the Connecticut politicians that they were about
to give up the fight without further effort, when it was decided to
try having the successful young girl speaker see what she could do for
them. Anna was only too delighted to accept the challenge, and at once
started on a round of stump-speaking and speechmaking, with all the
enthusiasm of her intense nature added to the inspiration of her
recent success in a neighboring State. The results were almost
miraculous. Two weeks of steady work not only turned the tide of
popular feeling, but created a perfect frenzy of interest in the young
orator. Even the Democrats, in spite of scurrilous attacks made on her
by some of their leaders, received her everywhere with the warmest
welcome, tore off their party badges, and replaced them by her
picture, while giving wild applause to all she said. The halls where
she spoke were so densely packed that the Republicans stayed away to
make room for the Democrats, and the women were shut out to leave room
for those who could vote."
Well had her mother's struggle to make a fine woman of her turbulent
daughter been repaid. Never was there such a furore over any orator in
the history of this country. The critical time of her appearance, the
excited condition of the people, her youth, beauty, and remarkable
voice, all heightened the effect of her genius. Her name was on every
lip. Ministers preached about her, prayed for her as a second Joan of
Arc raised up by God to save their State for the loyal party, and
through it the nation to freedom and humanity. And through all the
excitement and furore the youthful heroine moved with calm poise and a
firm determination toward her goal, attempting to speak clearly and
truthfully in regard to what were her sacred beliefs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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