Eighty Years and More; Reminiscences 1815-1897
etc. He kindly consented to do so and had my trunk re-checked. On
arriving, as there was no light, no sound, and the depot was half a mile
from the town, the conductor urged me to go to Cedar Rapids and come
back the next morning, as it was Sunday night and the depot might not be
opened, and I might be compelled to stay there on the platform all night
in the cold.
But, as I had telegraphed, I told him I thought someone would be there,
and I would take the risk. So off went the train, leaving me solitary
and alone. I could see the lights in the distant town and the dark
outlines of two great mills near by, which suggested dams and races. I
heard, too, the distant barking of dogs, and I thought there might be
wolves, too; but no human sound. The platform was high and I could see
no way down, and I should not have dared to go down if I had. So I
walked all round the house, knocked at every door and window, called
"John!" "James!" "Patrick!" but no response. Dressed in all their best,
they had, no doubt, gone to visit Sally, and I knew they would stay
late. The night wind was cold. What could I do? The prospect of spending
the night there filled me with dismay. At last I thought I would try my
vocal powers; so I hallooed as loud as I could, in every note of the
gamut, until I was hoarse. At last I heard a distant sound, a loud
halloo, which I returned, and so we kept it up until the voice grew
near, and, when I heard a man's heavy footsteps close at hand, I was
relieved. He proved to be the telegraph operator, who had been a brave
soldier in the late war. He said that no message had come from Dixon. He
escorted me to the hotel, where some members of the Lyceum Committee
came in and had a hearty laugh at my adventure, especially that, in my
distress, I should have called on James and John and Patrick, instead of
Jane, Ann, and Bridget. They seemed to argue that that was an admission,
on my part, of man's superiority, but I suggested that, as my sex had
not yet been exalted to the dignity of presiding in depots and baggage
rooms, there would have been no propriety in calling Jane and Ann.
Mt. Vernon was distinguished for a very flourishing Methodist college,
open to boys and girls alike. The president and his wife were liberal
and progressive people. I dined with them in their home near the
college, and met some young ladies from Massachusetts, who were teachers
in the institution. All who gathered round the social board on that
occasion were of one mind on the woman question. Even the venerable
mother of the president seemed to light up with the discussion of the
theme. I gave "Our Girls" in the Methodist church, and took the
opportunity to compliment them for taking the word "obey" out of their
marriage ceremony. I heard the most encouraging reports of the
experiment of educating the sexes together. It was the rule in all the
Methodist institutions in Iowa, and I found that the young gentlemen
fully approved of it.
At Mt. Vernon I also met Mr. Wright, former Secretary of State, who gave
me several interesting facts in regard to the women of Iowa. The State
could boast one woman who was an able lawyer, Mrs. Mansfield. Mrs. Berry
and Mrs. Stebbins were notaries public. Miss Addington was
superintendent of schools in Mitchell County. She was nominated by a
convention in opposition to a Mr. Brown. When the vote was taken, lo!
there was a tie. Mr. Brown offered to yield through courtesy, but she
declined; so they drew lots and Miss Addington was the victor. She once
made an abstract of titles of all the lands in the county where she
lived, and had received an appointment to office from the Governor of
the State, who requested the paper to be made out "L." instead of Laura
Addington. He said it was enough for Iowa to appoint women to such
offices, without having it known the world over. I was sorry to tell the
Governor's secrets,--which I did everywhere,--but the cause of womanhood
made it necessary.
CHAPTER XVIII.
WESTWARD HO!
In the month of June, 1871, Miss Anthony and I went to California,
holding suffrage meetings in many of the chief cities from New York to
San Francisco, where we arrived about the middle of July, in time to
experience the dry, dusty season.
We tarried, on the way, one week in Salt Lake City. It was at the time
of the Godby secession, when several hundred Mormons abjured that
portion of the faith of their fathers which authorized polygamy. A
decision had just been rendered by the United States Supreme Court
declaring the first wife and her children the only legal heirs. Whether
this decision hastened the secession I do not know; however, it gave us
the advantage of hearing all the arguments for and against the system.
Those who were opposed to it said it made slaves of men. To support four
wives and twenty children was a severe strain on any husband. The women
who believed in polygamy had much to say in its favor, especially in
regard to the sacredness of motherhood during the period of pregnancy
and lactation; a lesson of respect for that period being religiously
taught all Mormons.
We were very thankful for the privilege granted us of speaking to the
women alone in the smaller Tabernacle. Our meeting opened at two o'clock
and lasted until seven, giving us five hours of uninterrupted
conversation. Judge McKeon had informed me of the recent decisions and
the legal aspects of the questions, which he urged me to present to them
fully and frankly, as no one had had such an opportunity before to speak
to Mormon women alone. So I made the most of my privilege. I gave a
brief history of the marriage institution in all times and countries, of
the matriarchate, when the mother was the head of the family and owned
the property and children; of the patriarchate, when man reigned supreme
and woman was enslaved; of polyandry, polygamy, monogamy, and
prostitution. We had a full and free discussion of every phase of the
question, and we all agreed that we were still far from having reached
the ideal position for woman in marriage, however satisfied man might be
with his various experiments. Though the Mormon women, like all others,
stoutly defend their own religion, yet they are no more satisfied than
any other sect. All women are dissatisfied with their position as
inferiors, and their dissatisfaction increases in exact ratio with their
intelligence and development.
After this convocation the doors of the Tabernacle were closed to our
ministrations, as we thought they would be, but we had crowded an
immense amount of science, philosophy, history, and general reflections
into the five hours of such free talk as those women had never heard
before. As the seceders had just built a new hall, we held meetings
there every day, discussing all the vital issues of the hour; the Mormon
men and women taking an active part.
We attended the Fourth of July celebration, and saw the immense
Tabernacle filled to its utmost capacity. The various States of the
Union were represented by young girls, gayly dressed, carrying beautiful
flags and banners. When that immense multitude joined in our national
songs, and the deep-toned organ filled the vast dome the music was very
impressive, and the spirit of patriotism manifested throughout was deep
and sincere.
As I stood among these simple people, so earnest in making their
experiment in religion and social life, and remembered all the
persecutions they had suffered and all they had accomplished in that
desolate, far-off region, where they had, indeed, made "the wilderness
blossom like the rose," I appreciated, as never before, the danger of
intermeddling with the religious ideas of any people. Their faith finds
abundant authority in the Bible, in the example of God's chosen people.
When learned ecclesiastics teach the people that they can safely take
that book as the guide of their lives, they must expect them to follow
the letter and the specific teachings that lie on the surface. The
ordinary mind does not generalize nor see that the same principles of
conduct will not do for all periods and latitudes. When women understand
that governments and religions are human inventions; that Bibles,
prayerbooks, catechisms, and encyclical letters are all emanations from
the brain of man, they will no longer be oppressed by the injunctions
that come to them with the divine authority of "Thus saith the Lord."
That thoroughly democratic gathering in the Tabernacle impressed me more
than any other Fourth of July celebration I ever attended. As most of
the Mormon families keep no servants, mothers must take their children
wherever they go--to churches, theatres, concerts, and military
reviews--everywhere and anywhere. Hence the low, pensive wail of the
individual baby, combining in large numbers, becomes a deep monotone,
like the waves of the sea, a sort of violoncello accompaniment to all
their holiday performances. It was rather trying to me at first to have
my glowing periods punctuated with a rhythmic wail from all sides of the
hall; but as soon as I saw that it did not distract my hearers, I simply
raised my voice, and, with a little added vehemence, fairly rivaled the
babies. Commenting on this trial, to one of the theatrical performers,
he replied: "It is bad enough for you, but alas! imagine me in a tender
death scene, when the most profound stillness is indispensable, having
my last gasp, my farewell message to loved ones, accentuated with the
joyful crowings or impatient complainings of fifty babies." I noticed in
the Tabernacle that the miseries of the infantile host were in a measure
mitigated by constant draughts of cold water, borne around in buckets by
four old men.
The question of the most profound interest to us at that time, in the
Mormon experiment, was the exercise of the suffrage by women. Emeline B.
Wells, wife of the Mayor of the city, writing to a Washington
convention, in 1894, said of the many complications growing out of
various bills before Congress to rob women of this right:
"Women have voted in Utah fourteen years, but, because of the
little word 'male' that still stands upon the statutes, no woman is
eligible to any office of emolument or trust. In three successive
legislatures, bills have been passed, providing that the word
'male' be erased; but, each time, the Governor of the Territory,
who has absolute veto power, has refused his signature. Yet women
attend primary meetings in the various precincts and are chosen as
delegates. They are also members of county and territorial central
committees, and are thus gaining practical political experience,
and preparing themselves for positions of trust.
"In 1882 a convention was held to frame a constitution to be
submitted to the people and presented to the Congress of the United
States. Women were delegates to this convention, and took part in
all its deliberations, and were appointed to act on committees with
equal privileges. It is the first instance on record, I think,
where women have been members and taken an active part in a
constitutional convention.
"Much has been said and written, and justly, too, of suffrage for
women in Wyoming; but, in my humble opinion, had Utah stood on the
same ground as Wyoming, and women been eligible to office, as they
are in that Territory, they would, ere this, have been elected to
the legislative Assembly of Utah.
"It is currently reported that Mormon women vote as they are told
by their husbands. I most emphatically deny the assertion. All
Mormon women vote who are privileged to register. Every girl born
here, as soon as she is twenty-one years old, registers, and