the anti-slavery crusade-第6部分
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dent in their work。 Lundy addressed himself almost entirely to the non…slaveholding class； while all of Birney's early efforts were 〃those of a slaveholder seeking to induce his own class to support the policy of emancipation。 Though a Northern man； Lundy found his chief support in the South until he was driven out by persecution。 Birney also resided in the South until he was forced to leave for the same reason。 The two men were in general accord in their main lines of policy： both believed firmly in the use of political means to effect their objects； both were at first colonizationists； though Lundy favored colonization in adjacent territory rather than by deportation to Africa。 Women were not a whit behind men in their devotion to the cause of freedom。 Conspicuous among them were Sarah and Angelina Grimke； born in Charleston； South Carolina； of a slaveholding family noted for learning； refinement； and culture。 Sarah was born in the same year as James G。 Birney； 1792； Angelina was thirteen years younger。 Angelina was the typical crusader： her sympathies from the first were with the slave。 As a child she collected and concealed oil and other simple remedies so that she might steal out by night and alleviate the sufferings of slaves who had been cruelly whipped or abused。 At the age of fourteen she refused to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church because the ceremony involved giving sanction to words which seemed to her untrue。 Two years later her mother offered her a present of a slave girl for a servant and companion。 This gift she refused to accept； for in her view the servant had a right to be free； and； as for her own needs； Angelina felt quite capable of waiting upon herself。 Of her own free will she joined the Presbyterian Church and labored earnestly with the officers of the church to induce them to espouse the cause of the slave。 When she failed to secure cooperation； she decided that the church was not Christian and she therefore withdrew her membership。 Her sister Sarah had gone North in 1821 and had become a member of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia。 In Charleston； South Carolina； there was a Friends' meeting…house where two old Quakers still met at the appointed time and sat for an hour in solemn silence。 Angelina donned the Quaker garb； joined this meeting； and for an entire year was the third of the silent worshipers。 This quiet testimony； however； did not wholly satisfy her energetic nature； and when； in 1830； she heard of the imprisonment of Garrison in Baltimore； she was convinced that effective labors against slavery could not be carried on in the South。 With great sorrow she determined to sever her connection with home and family and join her sister in Philadelphia。 There the exile from the South poured out her soul in an Appeal to the Christian Women of the South。 The manuscript was handed to the officers of the Anti… slavery Society in the city and； as they read； tears filled their eyes。 The Appeal was immediately printed in large quantities for distribution in Southern States。 Copies of the Appeal which had been sent to Charleston were seized by a mob and publicly burned。 When it became known soon afterwards that the author of the offensive document was intending to return to Charleston to spend the winter with her family； there was intense excitement； and the mayor of the city informed the mother that her daughter would not be permitted to land in Charleston nor to communicate with any one there； and that； if she did elude the police and come ashore； she would be imprisoned and guarded until the departure of the next boat。 On account of the distress which she would cause to her friends； Miss Grimke reluctantly gave up the exercise of her constitutional right to visit her native city and in a very literal sense she became a permanent exile。 The two sisters let their light shine among Philadelphia Quakers。 In the religious meetings negro women were consigned to a special seat。 The Grimkes； having first protested against this discrimination； took their own places on the seat with the colored women。 In Charleston； Angelina had scrupulously adhered to the Quaker garb because it was viewed as a protest against slavery。 In Philadelphia； however； no such meaning was attached to the costume； and she adopted clothing suited to the climate regardless of conventions。 A series of parlor talks to women which had been organized by the sisters grew in interest until the parlors became inadequate； and the speakers were at last addressing large audiences of women in the public meeting…places of Philadelphia。 At this time when Angelina was making effective use of her unrivaled power as a public speaker； she received in 1836 an invitation from the Anti…slavery Society of New York to address the women of that city。 She informed her sister that she believed this to be a call from God and that it was her duty to accept。 Sarah decided to be her companion and assistant in the work in the new field； which was similar to that in Philadelphia。 Its fame soon extended to Boston； whence came an urgent invitation to visit that city。 It was in Massachusetts that men began to steal into the women's meetings and listen from the back seats。 In Lynn all barriers were broken down； and a modest； refined； and naturally diffident young woman found herself addressing immense audiences of men and women。 In the old theater in Boston for six nights in succession； audiences filling all the space listened entranced to the messenger of emancipation。 There is uniform testimony that； in an age distinguished for oratory； no more effective speaker appeared than Angelina Grimke。 It was she above all others who first vindicated the right of women to speak to men from the public platform on political topics。 But it must be remembered that scores of other women were laboring to the same end and were fully prepared to utilize the new opportunity。 The great world movement from slavery towards freedom； from despotism to democracy； is characterized by a tendency towards the equality of the sexes。 Women have been slaves where men were free。 In barbarous ages women have been ignored or have been treated as mere adjuncts to the ruling sex。 But wherever there has been a distinct contribution to the cause of liberty there has been a distinct recognition of woman's share in the work。 The Society of Friends was organized on the principle that men and women are alike moral beings； hence are equal in the sight of God。 As a matter of experience； women were quite as often moved to break the silence of a religious meeting as were the men。 For two hundred years women had been accustomed to talk to both men and women in Friends' meetings and； when the moral war against slavery brought religion and politics into close relation； they were ready speakers upon both topics。 When the Grimke sisters came into the church with a fresh baptism of the Spirit； they overcame all obstacles and； with a passion for righteousness； moral and spiritual and political； they carried the war against slavery into politics。 In 1833； at the organization of the American Anti…Slavery Society in Philadelphia； a number of women were present。 Lucretia Mott； a distinguished 〃minister〃 in the Society of Friends； took part in the proceedings。 She was careful to state that she spoke as a mere visitor； having no place in the organization； but she ventured to suggest various modifications in the report of Garrison's committee on a declaration of principles which rendered it more acceptable to the meeting。 It had not then been seriously considered whether women could become members of the Anti…Slavery Society； which was at that time composed exclusively of men； with the women maintaining their separate organizations as auxiliaries。 The women of the West were already better organized than the men and were doing a work which men could not do。 They were； for the most part； unconscious of any conflict between the peculiar duties of men and those of women in their relations to common objects。 The 〃library associations〃 of Indiana； which were in fact effective anti…slavery societies； were to a large extent composed of women。 To the library were added numerous other disguises； such as 〃reading circles；〃 〃sewing societies；〃 〃women's clubs。〃 In many communities the appearance of men in any of these enterprises would create suspicion or even raise a mob。 But the women worked on quietly； effectively； and unnoticed。 The matron of a family would be provided with the best riding…horse which the neighborhood could furnish。 Mounted upon her steed； she would sally forth in the morning； meet her carefully selected friends in a town twenty miles away； gain information as to what had been accomplished； give information as to the work in other parts of the district； distribute new literature； confer as to the best means of extending their labors； and return in the afternoon。 The father of such a family was quite content with the humbler task of cooperation by supplying the sinews of war。 There was complete equality between husband and wife because their aims were identical and each rendered the service most convenient and most needed。 Women did what men could not do。 In the territory of the enemy the men were reached through the gradual and
