USA > Ohio > Memories of the crusade a thrilling account of the great uprising of the women of Ohio in 1873, against the liquor crime > Part 19
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There is no abatement of zeal on the part of the women nor of excitement throughout the country over the "Women's Whisky War." The papers are teeming with accounts, -whole pages given to the reports of mass-meetings, organizations, bands moving out, surrenders,
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liquor-pourings, closing out,-sixty, seventy, nearly a hundred telegrams in a day from as many different places; no place so hardened that the Crusade cannot reach it, and no place so given over to drunkenness and its accompany- ing vices but was greatly blessed, even though the saloons might not all be closed. It looked as if we were going to take the world.
I remember as I stood in our prayer-meeting one morning, the news coming in from various quarters of the glorious work, a telegram came : "Gallipolis has organized, and the women are marching." "Even Gallipolis!" I exclaimed; "Is it possible that old, French river town can be moved ? Then certainly Springfield, or any other place, might have hope." It was even so, for there, too, were found men and women of piety and determination, who only needed some intimation of a way to combat the curse that held such undisputed sway in their town-a way they never had heard of, and with enthu- siasm they grasped at it.
Among the ladies here I recall Miss Maxon, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Aleshire, and Miss Shallcross, and they were sustained by a corps of good, strong men.
CHAPTER XV.
Story of the White Hyacinth.
'S THE time for election drew near, our men went to work in dead earnest. A call for a temperance mass-meeting to be held in Black's Opera House, was signed by the mechanics and working men of the city, their names filling two newspaper columns. The men pledged themselves to be present and to do all they could to secure a full attendance. A request also came from the colored voters for a meeting in Black's Opera House for their benefit, before election.
And still the calls are coming for help; my correspondence has become a heavy task, and my telegrams amount to dollars per day. I must pause here and make an apology, or an explanation to some of the dear friends who felt aggrieved because I paid no attention to their calls, -sometimes being repeated. This was the case with Zanesville, Steubenville, London, West Liberty, and I think some others. These calls came in my absence, and for some reason would not reach me till it would be too late for me to respond. I can only say I was in no way
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responsible, and that it was a source of much regret. I know very well that audiences dislike to be disappointed, and that it weakens confi- dence in public speakers. When it has depended upon myself I have never failed to meet my engagements, and never disappointed an audi- ence,-unless prevented by illness, and then very rarely-though often to meet my engage- ments I have made long, night journeys, endured great fatigue, and stood before my audiences when only the oblivion to self caused by absorp- tion in my theme, sustained me.
Matters at home were coming to a white heat. I felt that I was not needed, and that in many places the brethren were not thinking of the jeopardy that threatened them, -as some told me after election, " We did not think about the election "-so I set out again.
Having to wait a few hours at Morrow, the friends invited me to come to their meeting and address them. I went, and gave them what was on my heart, as to the coming opportunity for our friends or foes, whichever should make the best use of it. While I noticed that a few demurred at anything but prayer, the majority seemed to grasp the thought. One gentleman endorsed me warmly, saying he was sure I was right. He had overheard a conversation recently on the train among a party of the fraternity ; they were saying the Crusaders had nearly scared them out of their boots ; but "a reaction was coming ! a reaction was coming !" Some of these
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brethren-who were from other places-insisted upon my going to their towns to help awaken the voters, but my time was taken up, and I sped on my way and-fell among friends, who made a grave mistake, or it would have proved so if I had not swallowed down the insult for the sake of the cause for which I was almost ready to lay down my life. This was the first deep wound I received in my work. It caused me much alarm, too, lest the liquor men would get hold of it and use it against us. From only one other place, which even exceeded this, have I received uncivil or unkind treatment. A few individuals have been able on occasions to cause me great suffering, but from the hundreds every- where I have had only love and kindness, and their love is buried deep in my heart of hearts, and will there abide for aye. But they can never know what rest and inspiration and hope they gave me, nor how much better I was able to work and endure because of it.
I reached the place in the afternoon, and found the ladies, with a large crowd of men, women, and children, at the depot awaiting my arrival. There was a saloon near, and the ladies insisted upon my addressing the crowd in front of it. I, as everywhere, endeavored to do everything the friends asked of me, though weary from my long ride, and was expected to address two other meetings-being helped onto a beer-cask I pro- ceeded to address the crowd, a large number of whom I saw were voters. I exhorted them to
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see to it that they put in nomination good and true men to be voted for at the approaching election ; to stand for the right, as true and loyal citizens of this great Republic, etc. I do not remember much, however, that I did say, but it was in that vein. I then proceeded with the ladies to their afternoon meeting and addressed them. But I perceived something uncanny in the atmosphere and was sorely perplexed, but unable to account for it.
At the close I was driven to Mr. D-'s, where I was very kindly entertained. But a little before time to go to the evening meeting, two ladies called, and one proceeded in very decided tones to inform me that they could not have any party politics brought into their work, - it would break it up, for they had Democrats as well as Republicans among them. The lady with her was a Democrat. ( I have been amused to notice that women are as strong partisan politicians as men, though spurning with scorn the imputation of "meddling with politics.") This lady, to whom my catechiser seemed to pay so much deference, she assured me, "would certainly leave them if anything of the kind was brought in, and they could not get along with- out her," and much more of the same sort. I was of course shocked at such an attack, and greatly puzzled to know what in the world I had said or done to give such umbrage. What could it be that could warrant such discourteous treat- ment ? Upon asking an explanation, she
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declared that I had urged the voters to vote the Republican ticket at the approaching election. I tried to say she was very much mistaken, but oh, no! she would not hear me ;- I had said what she charged ! I held my peace, but saw with sadness that they had ruined me for the evening's lecture.
The ladies had hardly left when a gentleman called and informed me that he was President of the Women's League, and that he wished to inform me that they could not have anything like party politics brought in ; they were of both parties. I said I had not said one word about
parties. "Oh, yes, I had ; his hired girl was present and heard me, and they could not con- sent to my speaking if I proposed to say any- thing more of the kind !" I felt myself thor- oughly insulted. I could not remember that I had even used the expression "this grand Republic," till some one recalled it to my mind. He insisted upon my promising not to offend any further, as the condition of my addressing the meeting. I sat there silently struggling between my sense of self-respect and the inevit- able disaster to the cause, if this should reach the ears of the enemy.
It was growing late, and I had not yet settled with myself whether I could crush down my personal feeling and go to the church, when a couple of the ministers called for me. They had become uneasy and the audience was growing impatient. I conquered self for the sake of my
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cause, and went with the ministers. And I did the very best I could ; but who can conceive what distress I felt, and how hard the effort to give those people what would be a benefit to them, and yet not incur their further displeasure. I could not tell what would or would not offend. I was, too, by this time, getting a little into Topsy's mood, "so wicked," and turning to the gentlemanly President, I, with demure and sub- dued "demeanor," as Samantha Allen would say, asked his permission to say something I felt very necessary to be said. He very graciously gave his consent, and I thanked him for the privilege. I could not make out whether he saw the point or not-rather thought he did not.
When I had finished he thanked me for my "excellent address," as he patronizingly called it. I had no word of reply, but I thought, "You little know how much better I could have done for you if you had not so deliberately insulted me."
I do wonder if any other lecturer ever had this kind of experience. I have been told since that Horace Greeley was, in the days of slavery agitation, called upon by the lecture committee of a certain town where he had been called to lecture, and instructed that he must not touch the slave question there. This was a little com- fort to me, on the principle that "misery loves company." If those good friends have paid any attention to my position as to political parties, they have long since seen the blunder they made,
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but they have not had the manliness or womanli- ness to acknowledge it. The dullness of some persons is often amazing, sometimes amusing and sometimes not a little vexatious. I have learned, now and then, that some bright-idead man would declare that I was a Democrat, and hired by that party ; and again a specially sharp man would express himself as convinced that I was employed by the Republicans. If such be the case, both parties have proved to be very poor paymasters, and I have some heavy out- standing claims. I have not as yet received a cent, and I hereby notify whomsoever it may concern, to call and settle, for I need the money awfully.
I was really glad to hasten on, next morning, and pick up heart as well as I could for my next appointment, which was Somerset, where I met a warm reception. I addressed a mass- meeting that night; next morning met the ladies, organized and led them out. They gave me to march by my side the most venerable lady in the place-a woman of sincere piety and beloved by all. She was so affected that she could scarcely stand, and I begged her to stop at a house till we returned, and then join us again. But oh, no! she insisted upon going with her sisters, though she trembled at every step. I noticed that the saloon-keepers' respect for her was such that her presence and her kind words, as she addressed them as neighbors and friends, shamed them. I was much surprised and rejoiced upon returning to this town in our "amendment
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campaign," to find this venerable saint, whom I presumed had long since put off the mortal and gone up, still witnessing a good profession for Jesus.
Before going to the meeting that morning, my hostess told me she had a great sorrow on her heart, that she had never trusted to her lips before. But she felt it might be a benefit to the cause to tell it to me; and so she told of her brave and beloved brother, who had fought so gallantly in the service of his country, -had never drank till coming home he was made much of, and invited by convivial companions to join them in their social gatherings, the taste was acquired and he became a confirmed inebriate. His property went, and yet he went on down. "Often," said she, "did my husband and I watch him home on the cold winter nights, lest he would fall by the way and freeze to death." Yet he was so high-strung and sensitive that they dared not let him know they did. He became despondent, and hinted at self-destruction, in despair of ever overcoming his appetite. And still the liquor men sold him the soul-destroying poison. He had now become such a slave to his consuming thirst that he took the wood his little boys had managed to cut, -little fellows eight and ten years old, with which to buy some school-books-hauled it to town and sold it for rum to slake the insatiable thirst. But the end came. Returning one night from town very much under the influence of liquor, he went to
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the cupboard and seizing the laudanum bottle drained it. Soon becoming crazed he tried to shoot his wife and children, then drove them out into the snow and cold of that bitter January night, the wretched wife on the eve of confine- ment. And there they had to cower till one of the little boys ran a half-mile to the nearest neighbor and brought help. The men obtained an entrance, and overcoming the poor maniac, bound him onto the bed. It was not long till he fell into the deadly slumber from which there was no awakening. Thus miserably perished the once gallant Major B --. The neighbors came to the assistance of the bereaved and desti- tute family ; the ladies furnished the children with clothing so they could go to Sabbath- School. And when the Sabbath came they pre- pared to go, but the eldest, little more than a child, burst into tears and turning to his mother, exclaimed : "Oh, mother ! I cannot, I cannot go ;- I am a drunkard's child !" Is it possible for the world ever to know what the drunkard's children suffer in shame and mortification, even before they are able to express it in words? The silent pondering of their little, burdened minds over it ; why they can not have nice, comfortable homes, clothes, nice food, and happy times, like other children, and why their mamma is so sad and cries so much, and why their papa is not nice and manly, and does not love them like other men do their children.
Oh! I cannot bear it! Will not the people ever hear the cry of these helpless innocents ?
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My friend went on while she pointed to a place across the street. "That man," said she, "whom we prosecuted for the murder of my brother, swore in court that he had not sold him a glass of liquor in a year, though it was proven that he sold him the liquor that caused his death. Oh," she exclaimed, "I cannot go into that place ; I cannot pray for that man !" And yet that grief-stricken sister did find strength not only to go with us into that man's place, but to kneel there and pray for him! Oh, boundless grace !
We were becoming impressed with the fact that we must look beyond the present methods for extending and perpetuating our work, for to the most sanguine and enthusiastic it was be- coming evident that we had entered upon a long and bitter struggle. It would be wisdom to organize and train all the forces we could enlist for the war, though it might be for years or a lifetime.
The ladies of our Executive Committee, upon consultation, decided to call a County Conven- tion, to be held in Black's Opera House on the 3rd of April. When the day arrived, having previously requested the ladies to assemble at our headquarters, we there formed in procession, five hundred strong, and marched to the Opera House, -a solemn, affecting sight. There was a large delegation from the county-a crowded house, and the same enthusiasm characterized this that had been manifested at our first mass-
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meeting at the opening of the campaign five months previous.
Looking over the old file of papers of those days, I see that Captain Perry Stewart, who had in the other war done valiant service for his country, was made Chairman of the meeting, and Mr. C. M. Nichols and Rev. J. W. Spring, Secretaries. Stirring speeches were made by General Keifer, since Speaker of the House in Congress, S. Bowman, Esq., A. R, Ludlow, D.S. Morrow and other prominent business men, as well as ministers and ladies. A county organiza- tion was effected, with Mother Stewart President, Mr. Wm. Barnett and Mrs. S. W. Cathcart, Vice-Presidents for the city, with one gentleman and one lady for each township. The duty of these township Vice-Presidents was to act as President of their respective townships, organize and superintend the work in the same. Mrs. J. A. S. Guy was made Secretary and Captain P. Stewart Treasurer. Thus was formed the first county organization in our State; Madison county, in our district, being the next. We held meetings once in three months in different parts of the county, where we reported the progress of the work and encouraged each other to con- tinuance and steadfastness in our labors.
Now the time for our Spring election had come, and for the first time in the history of our city all minor interests were merged in this all- absorbing one of the temperance question. The nominations were made with reference to this
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question alone. Of course the liquor men were becoming desperate. They had always in the past been more watchful of their interests than had the Christian people of theirs. And so it was when our work opened up, as has already been stated, we found a distiller, a brewer, and several of their sympathizers, composing our city council, and the same in kind in the minor offices.
But the better class of citizens were coming to see where they had made their mistake, and a desperate struggle was inaugurated. The liquor men finding their business so damaged financially by the Crusaders and brought into greater dis- repute than ever before, saw their chief hope was to control the election and get men again into office who would paralyze all efforts towards legal restraint.
Our Advisory Committee labored diligently to put their forces into as good shape as possible. But some of them had not been trained in the school of election tactics, and it would not have fared so well for us if our staunch friend, Wm. R. Calhoun, former Chairman of the Republican Executive Committee, had not come home from Pittsburgh expressly, as he said, to vote with the lovers of law and order. He fell to work, helping with his experience and might, till the polls were closed on Monday night. There is no doubt that much of the success was due to his energetic aid.
We had appointed another of our "all-day
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prayer-meetings" for election day, and while the men worked outside securing votes, we ceased not to cry to the Lord of our hosts to give us the victory. The brethren came in from time to time to report the news from the field. As was our custom for such meetings, the leaders were changed each hour. I was engaged to be at Pomeroy that week and had to leave at one o'clock, but took my hour to lead from eleven to twelve o'clock.
But I was really glad to get away before the end, for it seemed to me I could not bear a defeat. I ran to the telegraph office and requested the operator, Mr. Parsons, to wire me at Pomeroy the result; I could by that time bear it, whatever it might be. The excitement and the voting and the praying went on. The sun went down, but there was no abatement, and the women still waited before the Lord. At length ten o'clock came, and the news of the result was brought in. That house of the Lord never witnessed such a scene before nor since. The men that had worked so faithfully all day came pouring in, and the wildest joy and enthu- siasm were manifested. Oh! I don't know what we would have done in those days if we had not had that grand old doxology with which to give vent to our emotions. How that vast crowd of men and women did lift up their voices in-
" Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
Men who had not before participated in our war
(20)
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on the whisky were swept away with enthusiasm to-day, and coming into the meeting sprang onto the pews and made ringing speeches. We had carried the city by a majority of 400. When I reached Pomeroy the telegram was awaiting me. How can I tell the joy and gratitude that filled my heart? I have not the words. But it was worth many a league of travel in the night time and the buffeting storms.
This was thirteen years ago, and to-day ('87) is election again, but it is a very tame affair. The liquor men are not disturbed over the possible outcome, for many a man that did vote against them that day now casts his ballot side by side with them for the same candidate, to " save the party !"
I took the train for Cincinnati, thence by steamer up the Ohio to Pomeroy. We did not arrive on Tuesday evening as expected, but early Wednesday morning. The dear friend of my young girlhood and of a long life, Mrs. Paine, with Rev. Mr. Davies and others, were waiting to receive me. The other friends (?) having won a victory at the polls, and hearing that I was to be up Tuesday evening on the "Ohio No. 4," concluded to get out the band and to fire off the cannon as a salute, "over the left." They drew their cannon to the brow of the precipitous hill back of the town, and fired their salute about the time I ought to have been up, but I was not in range or sound, and the paper, in reporting the matter, got it badly mixed up,
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and made it read that the temperance friends serenaded Mother Stewart and fired a salute in her honor. So the saloon-keepers lost their labor, their ammunition and their fun.
A precious time did I have with my Pomeroy friends, as I always do; and the value of their love and friendship is above that of fine gold. Revs. Mr. Davies, of the Presbyterian Church, and Frampton, of the M. E. Church, were the ministers, and their competent and pious wives, with others equally as efficient, were laboring faith- fully, but against fearful odds, there being a large number of saloons, and a large population of miners of foreign birth as patrons.
At Middleport, two miles below, where the Council had passed the McConnelsville Ordi- nance upon petition of the citizens, the sisters had but a short experience of crusading, but the enthusiasm was still kept up under the leader- ship of Mrs. Fisher, a peculiarly gifted English lady of the Mary Fletcher type. Here also a host of friends received me and we had crowded meetings.
Returning, I stopped at Ironton, and found the ladies, under the management of Mrs. Rev. Mitchell, doing a grand work. We announced a children's meeting for the afternoon before I was to leave, and the dear children were all wild with delight that they were going to have a temperance meeting of their very own. The little Jew children, as gleeful as the rest, were clapping their hands and saying, "Oh! we are going to
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see Mother Stewart, too !" But a short time before the meeting word came that the " Fleet- wood" was crippled and would be indefinitely delayed, and in consequence, to meet my next engagement, I had to take the first boat down, which bore me away just as the children were gathering. It was a real source of sorrow to myself as well as disappointment to the children, and I never ceased to feel sorry that the dear boys and girls of Ironton were cheated out of their "very own " temperance meeting.
It will be beyond the limit of this narrative to even name, much as I would like to do so, the more than a hundred places to which I was called during this wonderful campaign. I must content myself with the mention only of such as will serve to give the reader as correct an idea as possible of this remarkable women's move- ment, with such results and incidents as may add interest, and for which I can vouch either from my own observation or reliable information.
Among the many hard fields was that of Dayton, where was a large foreign element ; and where the citizens, even a large portion of the church members, having become indifferent by long custom or through business interests dominated by the liquor power, seemed not to take much interest in the work. There were, however, a brave few that dared, even here, to take up their cross and go out to this unequal warfare.
How my heart was stirred even to pain, as
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one day passing through and having to wait for my train, I went out to seek the Crusaders. I found them, under the leadership of Mrs. Dr. Herr, kneeling on the pavement. They were crying to God to touch the hearts of the liquor-sellers, and make them to see the wrong they were doing to their fellow-men, and to give up their business and turn to God, while a large crowd of rough and hardened men-largely for- eigners-stood by making various comments. I could see there was little soil there for the seed, and little hope for the toilers. And yet in this city was much hard work done, persecution en- dured, and not a little good accomplished. One of my dearest friends, Mrs. Dr. Adams, who has long since gone over to her beautiful mansion on the glory shore, was, with her husband and family, in Dayton the winter of '73-4, boarding at the Phillips House. While she was a lady of advanced views in many directions, yet, when she heard of the peculiar form of work taken up by the women in so many places, she felt really shocked. "Certainly," said she, "it cannot be the duty of woman to so work. I cannot give my endorsement to anything so entirely out of the line of woman's work as this." But one cold, wintry morning she heard in strange, sweet measure float out upon the air from the saloon below-
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