"Mrs. Packard's statements are incredible. And she uses such strong
language in giving them expression, as demonstrates her still to be an
insane woman."
I acknowledge the fact, that truth _is_ stranger than fiction; and I also
assert, that it is my candid opinion, that strong language is the only
appropriate drapery some truths can be clothed in. For example, the only
appropriate drapery to clothe a lie in, is the strong language of _lie_ or
_liar_, not misrepresentation, a mistake, a slip of the tongue, a
deception, an unintentional error, and so forth. And for unreasonable, and
inhuman, and criminal acts, the appropriate drapery is, insane acts; and
an usurpation of human rights and an abuse of power over the defenceless,
is appropriately clothed by the term, Despotism. And one who defends his
creed or party by improper and abusive means, is a Bigot. One who is
impatient and unwilling to endure, and will not hear the utterance of
opinions in conflict with his own, without persecution of his opponent, is
Intolerant towards him; and this is an appropriate word to use in
describing such manifestations.
And here I will add, I do not write books merely to tickle the fancy, and
lull the guilty conscience into a treacherous sleep, whose waking is
death. Nor do I write to secure notoriety or popularity. But I do write to
defend the cause of human rights; and these rights can never be
vindicated, without these usurpations be exposed to public view, so that
an appeal can be made to the public conscience, on the firm basis of
unchangeable truth--the truth of facts as they do actually exist. I know
there is a class, but I fondly hope they are the minority, who will resist
this solid basis even--who would not believe the truth should Christ
himself be its medium of utterance and defence. But shall I on this
account withhold the truth, lest such cavilers reject it, and trample it
under foot, and then turn and rend me with the stigma of insanity, because
I told them the simple truth? By no means. For truth is not insanity; and
though it may for a time be crushed to the earth, it shall rise again with
renovated strength and power. Neither is strong and appropriate language
insanity. But on the contrary, I maintain that strong language is the only
suitable and appropriate drapery for a reformer to clothe his thoughts in,
notwithstanding the very unsuitable and inappropriate stigma of Insanity
which has always been the reformer's lot to bear for so doing in all past
ages, as well as the present age.
Even Christ himself bore this badge of a Reformer, simply because he
uttered truths which conflicted with the established religion of the
church of his day. And shall I repine because I am called insane for the
same reason? It was the spirit of bigotry which led the intolerant Jews to
stigmatize Christ as a madman, because he expressed opinions differing
from their own. And it is this same spirit of bigotry which has been thus
intolerant towards me. And it is my opinion that bigotry is the most
implacable, unreasonable, unmerciful feeling that can possess the human
soul. And it is my fervent prayer that the eyes of this government may be
opened to see, that the laws do not now protect or shield any married
woman from this same extreme manifestation of it, such as it has been my
sad lot to endure, as the result of this legalized persecution.