of the ballot could woman succeed in obtaining the same rights in
the business world as men, she entered heart and soul into the work
of securing it, going to many cities of the North and the South
to lecture, often speaking five or six times a week. Her platform
manner was direct, straight-forward, and convincing; her good humor,
unfailing; her quickness to see and grasp an opportunity for retort,
noteworthy.
In 1860 the New York Legislature passed a bill giving to married
women the possession of their earnings and the guardianship of their
children. This was largely due to Miss Anthony's exertions. For
many years she had kept up a constant agitation on the injustice of
depriving women of these fundamental rights.
Belonging to the Abolition Party, she had worked during the war
with the Women's Loyal Legion for the abolition of slavery. In 1867
Mrs. Stanton, Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony went to Kansas in
the interests of woman suffrage; there the three women secured nine
thousand votes in favor of the cause. Their work, however, had no
immediately visible effect, but to-day, forty-five years later, women
in that State enjoy the privilege of the ballot.
As a citizen of Rochester wishing to test her right to the suffrage,
she voted at the National election of 1872. For so doing she was
arrested, tried, and fined one hundred dollars and costs. With her
characteristic defiance of injustice, Miss Anthony refused to pay the
fine, which to this day remains unpaid.
Beloved by her co-workers, to strangers Miss Anthony appeared stern and
uncompromising. Yet all her friends testify to her lovable qualities
and generous nature. Mrs. Stanton, her intimate friend for eighteen
years, said of her:
She is earnest, unselfish, and as true to principle as the needle
to the pole. I have never known her to do or say a mean or narrow
thing; she is entirely above that petty envy and jealousy that mar the
character of so many otherwise good women.
Miss Anthony herself said, "My work is like subsoil ploughing—preparing
the way for others to perfect."
But the last eight years of her long life, in which she worked
constantly and achieved much, must have given her the satisfaction of
knowing that all the "subsoil ploughing" had not been in vain. Her
constancy in keeping the idea of votes for women before the public
won many over to the cause, and paved the way for the partial victory
of to-day. At present, women have the privilege of the ballot in ten
States of the Union: California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming,
Washington, Arizona, Oregon, Kansas, and Michigan. It is clear that the
question of woman suffrage has ceased to be a mere matter of academic
discussion and that it is a very practical and even vital issue to-day.
For years Miss Anthony endured cruel misrepresentation and ridicule;
now she is acknowledged to have been a woman of splendid intellect and
wonderful courage, who devoted her life to the betterment of humanity.
To her co-workers she was always "Aunt Susan," and when her last
illness came, there were many loving friends to care for her. The
Reverend Anna Howard Shaw was with her when she died at Rochester,
March 16, 1906. She says, "Miss Anthony died with calmness and courage.
She spent her life in making other women freer and happier."
[Illustration: MARY A. LIVERMORE]
MARY A. LIVERMORE
(1821-1905)
"I am not accustomed to the language of eulogy. I have never studied
the art of paying compliments to women. But I must say that if all
that has been said by orators and poets since the Creation of the
World, in praise of women, was applied to the women of America, it
would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will
close by saying, God bless the women of America."
—_Abraham Lincoln_
The life of Mary A. Livermore shows how a poor, unknown girl became
famous, the world over, as an orator and reformer.
Mary Rice was born in Boston, Massachusetts, December 19, 1821. Her
parents were stern Calvinists, her grandfathers for six generations
having been Welsh preachers. Hence, Mary was brought up "after the
strictest sect a Pharisee." She was a restless, active child, fond of
play, yet interested in work. At an early age she was sent to a Public
School in Boston, where she made rapid progress in her studies, being
quick to learn and persistent and enthusiastic over her tasks.
Her class-mates were fond of her, and by reason of an unusually strong
character, she became a leader among them. The poor or unfortunate
always appealed to her. If ever a girl appeared in the school wearing
shabby clothes or eating a scanty luncheon, Mary would manage to
prevent her from feeling uncomfortable. It is not surprising that she
was a favorite.
In out-of-door sports she excelled most of the girls, being famous for
running, jumping and sliding. One day, after she had spent a happy hour
at her favorite sport of sliding on the ice, she ran into the house
exclaiming, "Splendid, splendid sliding!"
Her father replied, "Yes, Mary, it is good fun, but hard on the shoes!"
This led the child to believe that her father's burden was increased by
her amusement, so she decided that she would never slide again. When
ten years of age she grew so deeply anxious for the spiritual welfare
of her five little brothers and sisters that she could not sleep. She
would crawl out of bed at night and beg her father and mother to arise
and pray for their conversion, once saying: "It is no matter about me;
if they can be saved, I can bear anything."
Even in her play she would devise means of instructing as well as
entertaining the children. There being no money to buy toys for them,
Mary introduced the game of playing school. It is said that she
imitated her own teacher to perfection. Sometimes in the old woodshed
she arranged the logs to represent the pews of a church, and desiring
a larger audience than that of the children, she stood up sticks of
wood to represent people. Then, when the assemblage was sufficiently
large to warrant a service, she would conduct one herself, praying and
preaching with the utmost seriousness.
Her mother, surprised at her ability in this line, once said to her,
"Mary, I wish you had been a boy; you could have been trained for the
ministry!"
In those days no one even thought of educating a girl to speak from the
pulpit, though to-day it is not uncommon; nor could Mrs. Rice dream
that her daughter would one day become a powerful public speaker in an
important cause, and deliver speeches in lecture halls and churches.
When Mary was twelve, she resolved to assist her father in supporting
the large family, for she had observed with sorrow how hard he worked.
Dressmaking seemed to offer good opportunities, so she entered a shop
as apprentice. In three months she had learned her trade, and was then
hired at thirty-seven cents a day to work three months more, but being
desirous of earning more money, she engaged to make a dozen flannel
shirts at home for a clothier. After sewing all day in the shop and
sitting up at home until early morning hours, she could not finish the
shirts in the time agreed upon.
One evening the man called for them, greatly to Mrs. Rice's surprise,
for she had known nothing about Mary's plan. Mary explained the delay,
promising to have the shirts finished the next day. When the clothier
had left, Mrs. Rice burst into tears. "We are not so poor as that, my
dear child! What will become of you if you take all the cares of the
world upon you?" she said.
Mary completed the shirts, took them to the clothier and received the
sum of seventy-five cents. This ended her experience as a seamstress,
for her mother would not permit the child to continue such work.
At fourteen, Mary was graduated from the Public School, receiving a
gold medal for good scholarship. She then entered the Charlestown
Female Seminary, where she became one of the best scholars in the
institution. Her ability was so pronounced, that when one of the
teachers died, she was at once asked to take the vacant position. She
conducted her class with much tact and wisdom, earning enough to pay
for the four year course, which she completed in two, by studying and
reciting out of school hours.
At the age of eighteen, she took a position as governess in the family
of a wealthy Virginia planter. Her object was not altogether teaching;
she wished to investigate for herself the slavery question, which was
then much discussed by Abolitionists. She had heard the lectures of
Lucretia Mott and John G. Whittier and determined to find out if the
facts were as bad as stated. Her two years' experience in Virginia made
her an uncompromising Abolitionist.
The faculty of the Duxbury High School was in need of a Principal. It
was customary to place men in such positions, but Mary Rice's fame had
made its way to Duxbury. They had heard of her as an unusual young
woman and one of the most learned of the day. So Mary was placed over
the High School, and there she remained until she was twenty-three
years old, when she resigned to become the wife of the Reverend D. P.
Livermore, a young minister, two years her senior, whose church was
near her school.
Mary immediately began to coöperate with Dr. Livermore in his work.
For thirteen years she assisted him in the affairs of his parish,
during which time three children were born to them. She started
literary and benevolent societies among the church members and was
active in the cause of temperance, organizing a club of fifteen hundred
boys and girls which she called the "Cold Water Army."
In 1857 the Livermores removed to Chicago. Mrs. Livermore while there
aided in editing the _New Covenant_, a religious paper, at the same
time writing stories and sketches for many Eastern publications. In
1860, when Abraham Lincoln was nominated for the Presidency, Mrs.
Livermore was the only woman present,—probably the first woman
representative of the press who ever reported a political convention.
The breaking out of the Civil War changed her life of domestic
quietness to public activity. Being in Boston at the time that the
President called for volunteer troops, she witnessed their departure
for the seat of war. The sad scenes at the station, where mothers
parted from sons, and wives from their husbands, affected her strongly.
As the train carrying the soldiers started off, some of the women
fainted. Mrs. Livermore helped to revive them, telling them not to
grieve, but rather to be thankful that they had sons to fight for
their country. For her part, she told them, she grieved to have no son
to send.
Then a question arose in her mind: What _could_ women do to help? The
general feeling seemed to be that women could do nothing, since they
were not allowed to enlist and fight as soldiers. They were told they
were not wanted in the hospitals, but notwithstanding this a large
number of women banded together and formed "The United States Sanitary
Commission," whose object was to provide bedding, clothing, food, and
comforts for the soldiers in camp, and supplies for the wounded in the
hospitals.
Branch associations were formed in ten large cities. Mrs. Livermore
and Mrs. Jane C. Hoge were put in charge of the Northwestern branch.
Together with others Mrs. Livermore went to Washington to talk with
President Lincoln. They asked him the question, "May women go to the
front?"
Lincoln replied, "The _law_ does not _grant_ to any civilian, either
man or woman, the privilege of going to the front."
The emphasis he placed upon the words _law_ and _grant_ convinced these
women that he would not disapprove of their plans. So Mrs. Livermore
entered hand, heart and soul into the work of relief.
The North was entirely unprepared for war. The hospitals were few and
poorly equipped; nurses were scarce and not well trained; there were
no diet kitchens; nor was there any way of supplying proper medicines
to the sick or of caring for the wounded. To all of these matters Mrs.
Livermore gave her attention; the confusion came to an end, and soon
the machinery of the new department was running smoothly.
She formed soldiers' aid societies; enlisted nurses for the hospitals
and took them to their posts; she went to the front with supplies, and
saw that they were properly distributed; she nursed and cheered the
wounded soldiers, and often brought back invalids with her to their
homes. With all this work, she kept cheerful and well, and found time
to write letters of comfort and cheer to the families of the sick. In
one year she wrote seventeen hundred letters, many being from dying
soldiers, and containing their last farewell to loved ones at home.
The Sanitary Commission was permitted in time of battle to keep its
wagons in the rear of the army. Hot soup and hot coffee were kept in
readiness, cool water and medicines were given when necessary, while
the mere fact that brave women were ready to assist the wounded, put
confidence into the hearts of the men.
It is impossible to describe the great work done by this untiring
woman. Mrs. Livermore tells about it in her book called _My Story of
the War_, which is said to be the best account of the hospital and
sanitary work of the Civil War that has ever been written.
This work took a great deal of money. Donations must be constantly
solicited and Sanitary Fairs arranged. From all parts of the country,
people were writing and begging Mrs. Livermore to come to them and tell
them about her plans. She frequently did describe them in an informal
way to small audiences.
Her first public speech was made in Dubuque, Iowa, where she had
consented to address some ladies. Leaving Chicago by the night train
she reached the Mississippi River at a point where there was no bridge,
travelers being obliged to cross by ferry. It was very cold and the ice
in the river had stopped the ferryboats. Mrs. Livermore, after waiting
nearly all day, began to think she would not be able to keep her
engagement. At last she saw two men starting out in a small boat, whom
she asked to row her across.
One man said, "No, we can't think of it! You'll be drowned!"
Mrs. Livermore replied, "I can't see that I shall be drowned any more
than you!"
Her offer to pay them well settled the matter. This determination to
accomplish whatever she undertook to do was the chief reason for Mrs.
Livermore's success in all her undertakings. The fact is, she liked to
do hard things.
Upon her arrival at Dubuque she found that the ladies had made great
preparations to receive her. They had invited the Governor of the State
and many noted men, and the largest church in town was crowded with
eager people. This rather alarmed her. At first she refused to speak,
saying that she had come to talk to a few ladies only; that she had
never made a speech in her life. But when they said that by speaking
she might be the means of inducing the great State of Iowa to enter
upon the work of Sanitary Relief, her shyness departed and she held her
audience spellbound for an hour and a quarter. A new power had suddenly
developed in her.
At the close of her address the Governor of the State arose and said,
"Mrs. Livermore has told us of the soldiers' needs and of our duties!
It is now our turn to speak, and we must speak in dollars and gifts!"
The enthusiasm was great; eight thousand dollars was soon pledged and
other donations were made. It was decided to hold a Sanitary Fair in
Dubuque, and Mrs. Livermore was engaged to speak in different towns
throughout the State to interest the people in it. When the fair was
held, sixty thousand dollars was cleared. After that, Mary Livermore
was never again afraid to speak before a large audience. By her
lectures she raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hospital
work.
At the close of the war, people were so anxious to hear Mrs. Livermore
that she became a regular public lecturer, traveling from place to
place and lecturing always before crowded houses. Her eloquence has
been equaled by few modern speakers, and undoubtedly she was the
foremost of women orators.
Before the war, Mrs. Livermore had been opposed to woman suffrage,
but life in the army caused her to change her views on that question.
She saw that, under existing political and social conditions, women
could never hope to complete reforms until they possessed the right
to vote. She was also devoted to the cause of temperance, serving for
ten years as President of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of
Massachusetts. All this while she was writing articles for magazines,
and at the age of seventy-five Mrs. Livermore produced a book of seven
hundred pages, entitled _The Story of My Life_.
A bust of Mrs. Livermore, made by the sculptor, Annie Whitney, was
presented to the Shurtleff School in Boston by the Alumnae Association
of that institution. It stands opposite that of Lucy Stone, which was
the first bust of a woman ever accepted by the city of Boston for its
schools.
Mrs. Livermore continued in public work, while living at her beautiful
home in Melrose, Massachusetts, until May 23, 1905, when she passed
away at the age of eighty-four.
[Illustration: CLARA BARTON]
CLARA BARTON
(1821-1912)
"She was on the firing line for humanity all her life."
The Red Cross Society, whose object is to relieve the sufferings caused
by war, is well known the world over, and the name of Clara Barton must
ever be associated with it.
This Society was founded in Europe in 1864, but did not make its way to
America until 1881, when Clara Barton succeeded in establishing it.
Born in the town of North Oxford, Massachusetts, on Christmas Day,
1821, Clara Barton began life under most favorable circumstances.
The family was well-to-do and Clara, being the youngest, received much
attention from all. Her father, who had fought under Mad Anthony Wayne
against the Indians of the West, used to tell her stories of army
life—knowledge which she afterward turned to good account.
Her elder brother was fond of mathematics, and insisted upon teaching
Clara the mysteries of number. These she mastered rapidly and soon no
toy equaled her little slate in her esteem.
Her younger brother, David, was a fearless and daring rider. On the
farm were several fine horses, for Mr. Barton was fond of the animals
and raised his own colts. It was David's delight to take little Clara,
throw her upon the back of a colt and spring upon another himself.
Then, shouting to her to "cling fast to the mane," he would catch hold
of her by one foot and together they would gallop away. What mad rides
they took, and how well Clara learned to stick on a horse's back! These
lessons, too, she had cause to be thankful for later in life, when
she was obliged to mount a strange horse on the battle-field and ride
fearlessly to a place of safety.
Her two sisters, who were teachers, took care that she should have a
knowledge of books. Miss Barton said that she did not remember the time
when she could not read; she always did her own story reading.
When old enough she was sent to an academy at Clinton, New York, where
she graduated. She then became a teacher and opened the first free
school in the State of New Jersey, at Bordentown. Here her work was
very successful, her school numbering at the close of the first year
six hundred pupils. But, her health failing, she gave up the school
work in 1854 and obtained a position as Head Clerk in the Patent Office
at Washington.
When the Civil War broke out, she offered her services as a volunteer
nurse, and from the beginning of the war until its close she worked in
the hospital, in the camp, and on the battle-field.
During the Peninsula campaign in 1862, Miss Barton faced horrible
scenes on the field. She also served eight months in the hospitals on
Morris Island during the siege of Charleston, and was at the front
during the Wilderness campaign. In 1864 she was put in charge of the
hospitals at the front of the Army of the James, and continued that
work until the close of the war.
All this time Miss Barton persisted in aiding the wounded soldiers of
_both_ armies—a practice which shocked many people and caused them
to protest. But she paid no attention to the protests, nor are any
such heard to-day, for Clara Barton's way of helping the suffering,
regardless of the uniform they wore, is now followed over the civilized
world; it is the very heart of the plan of the Red Cross Society itself.
War over, and peace assured to our land, President Lincoln requested
Miss Barton to search for the eighty thousand men whose names were on
the army records, but of whom no trace could be found. In the course of
this work, Miss Barton visited the prison at Andersonville and helped
the released prisoners to regain their health and their homes. She
laid out the ground of the National Cemetery at that place, identified
the dead, and caused marked gravestones to be placed over the bodies
of twelve thousand nine hundred men. Four hundred tablets, marked
"Unknown," were placed over the bodies of other dead soldiers.
This Work took four years to accomplish, and when it was over Miss
Barton went to Switzerland for rest. Here she first heard of the Red
Cross Society. The idea had originated with a Swiss, M. Henri Dunant.
Each European country had signed a treaty permitting the members of
this association to help all the wounded on the battle-field without
interference, and without regard to religion or race, or whether they
were friends or foes.
Miss Barton devoted herself to this work during the Franco-Prussian
War. After the siege of Strasburg, when the people of that city were in
a terrible condition, she organized a relief fund for the starving, and
saw to it that the homeless were given places to sleep. Materials for
garments were obtained, and the poor women were set to work at a fair
price to make articles of wearing apparel for the needy.
When no longer needed in Strasburg, Miss Barton went to Paris, where
the breaking out of the French Revolution after the war with Prussia
had caused great distress. She entered the city on foot, for it was
impossible to procure a horse, thousands having been slain to use as
food for the starving inhabitants. Miss Barton immediately began relief
work there, with such success that she came to be looked upon as an
angel.
In 1873, on her return to America, she asked Congress to join in a
treaty with the European powers to establish the Red Cross Society
here. It took a long time to secure this legislation, and it was not
until 1881, as stated before, that the Red Cross was established with
us. Clara Barton was chosen as the first President and soon afterward
she had an amendment passed widening the scope of the Society so as to
include cases of suffering from floods, fires, famine, earthquake, and
other forms of disaster. The amendment also gave protection to all Red
Cross workers. This was agreed to at a conference of the Society held
at Berne in 1882, but was not adopted by any of the European nations.
At that time there was little possibility of a war in the United
States, and Miss Barton thought she would have little to do unless she
extended the plan of work. As it was, she found quite enough to do.
The forest fires in Michigan, the Mississippi Valley floods, 1882-1883,
the Charleston earthquake, the Johnstown flood—all afforded much
work for the Red Cross. During the famine in Russia, 1891-1892, Miss
Barton and her Society took an active part in distributing food and
clothing. When the frightful massacres in Armenia brought horror to the
civilized world, again Miss Barton made an appeal to a European country
to be allowed to help the sufferers. The Sultan at first objected, but
public opinion was too strong for him, and he finally consented on
condition that the workers should place the crescent above the cross
on the badges worn by them. Miss Barton and her assistants were then
pleasantly received and succeeded in giving valuable aid.
In 1898 President McKinley sent Miss Barton to Cuba to help the poor
people of that country, many of whom were starving. During the Cuban
War which followed, she went to the battle-fields and did heroic work
there.