BLACKWELL FAMILY
LUCY STONE

1868 
Blackwell, Henry BLucy Stone
Boston Sat. Apr. 18

Mary darling
I write you from 
Plymouth and also had a 
note from you there. 
The weather has been really 
awful. Both meetings have 
been held in a storm, but 
each [both], paid $2.00 more than its 
expense. After the hearing had 
on Tuesday - I was invited to 
be heard by the representatives 
in the Green Room - next Wed. at 10 o'clock -- I enlose the 
order. Perhaps you can get it into the Port  - with some 
friendly notice of the first 
hearing --I hope I shall get a letter 
from you at Gardner where I 
[hope] expect to be tonight. 
Are the children good?
I thought of you all, and feared 
that the storm would keep the 
little people in, to the discomfort
 of the older ones - 
I hope Grandma is all right, 
that Mary has plenty of rainwater
and that she has put 
the brine on the butter. 
God bless you Harry dear 
and give you the large patience 
you need with me. My blues 
are gone, I wish they may never 
return to trouble me or you. 
Don't fret about business. We shall 
do well enough
I shall probably get home on Thursday 
or Friday
Love to you dearest 
and to the children and [G?er]1868
Lucy Stone
Apl/68
Plymouth Wed
Dear Harry
I reached 
Boston at 9 oclock - Slept 
at the Adams House, and 
the next morning, in a 
driving snow storm, met 
Olympia, and went to the 
State House had a good 
hearing, about which I 
must tell you, and came 
down here last night, 
with Mrs. Spooner, heard 
Phillips lecture, etc. He told 
me of the letter he had just 
sent to me which I hope you 
will keep very safely, as 
it contains all the items of theJackson & Hiney fund -
Today it is very fine.
Mr. Spooners house is very
near the ocean and all
this morning the tide has
been arriving, with the
wonderful colors, crests, &
cloud shadows, and my
shadows have fled. Only I
have headache all the
time, and did yesterday,
tho it did not spoil my
speech.  But with this
bright clear sky, and
Blunt ocean air, and 
more than all, the presence
of these old friends who
have real sympathy with
me and my ideas, I
must get better.

I speak at Pembroke Friday [Sat]
night, and shall go to Gardner
on Sat. - Several members
of the House want to have
me repeat my address
before the Whole Body next
week if they can arrange
it.  I was invited to ever
so many places and
really might lecture all 
the time
I enclose names for you
to send the New Jersey
Women's Voting to those
in ink, and to Mr.
Stratton, the little vol. of
tracts.  And the N Jersey
tracts.  History of votes also.
I am going out soon
to see a small housethat may do for summer.
Just this moment comes the
little boy with your letter
thank you Harry dear.  I
sympathize with the pang
you [will] feel at Mr.
Bronsons decline.  But all
things work together for good
to so good souls as yours.  So
Harry dear never mind.
There must be something good
for you somewhere because
you deserve it.  I am glad
the children are as good as
nice pie.  I hope they will
keep so.  Tell Mary I want
to have brine on the butter.
Please look and see if there
is any - Love to Mother &
all - but most to you.
aff - LucyReport
of the
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
of the
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
in relation to
FEMALE SUFFRAGE.
---
TRENTON, N.J.:
PRINTED AT THE TRUE AMERICAN OFFICE.
1868.REPORT ON FEMALE SUFFRAGE. 7

But would it consist with the true sphere and true mission of woman?  Not if any regard be had to the teachings of the Bible, either as to the original purpose of her creation, or as to the proper duties and character of a model woman.  There it is taught that woman was made to be an help-meet for man, that she is properly subject to her husband, that her duty is to learn in silence (not to teach or usurp authority over man), to love her husband and children ;  that her true ornaments are a meek and quiet spirit, diligence, modesty, sobriety and virtue, and that her true sphere is the home.  So the highest uninspired authorities accord with these sentiments.  The great poets of our own tongue have sung the praises of woman in the highest strains, and with the intuition of genius have caught and fixed the true element of her power and worth, her grace and gentleness, her love and dignity—elements that have their origin and gain their strength only in the domestic sphere, and are the peculiar property of woman.  In her true sphere of home, and in her highest charm, woman hath been thus most happily portrayed :

"Here woman reigns ; the mother, daughter, wife,
Strews with fresh flowers the narrow way of life ;
In the clear heaven of her delightful eye
An angel guard of loves and graces lie ;
Around her knees domestic duties meet,
And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet."

Surely, woman never fulfills her true mission or fills her true sphere if not when, as wife and mother, by her wise provision and rule she brings happiness and honor to her husband and household, and shapes the character of her children to the highest ends of life.  Of such an one the wisest of men said: "Many daughters have done virtuously, but though excellest them all."  And another has well said : "In her a thousand claims to reverence close."  But woman, mingling in the angry strife of politics, and dragging her shining skirts in its polluting mire, is not consistent with such a conception as this.
  In view of all these considerations, the Committee do report adversely to the prayer of the petitioners for suffrage.  And if it be proper for them to make any suggestion for the benefit of the petitioners and those who sympathize with them, they would say, with all respect, with the stern old King of the ambitious Princess—

"A lusty brace
Of twins may weed her of her folly.  By
The bearing and the training of a child
Is woman's wisdom."

All of which is respectfully submitted.

C. Christie, Chairman,
Chas. E. Hendrickson,
George Gage.West Brookfield, Oct. 28, 1868
Dear Lucikin, 
 Yesterday morning I brought Billy, the 
horse, down to be shod, saw Mr. Lynde, Mr. Cummings, 
Mr. Aiken and others, who seemed pleased with my 
lecture. After dinner Bowman and I drove over 
to New Braintree to the farm where your Mother was 
born. The present owner (for 20 years past) is B.F. 
Hamilton. He is one of the leading men of the town 
and one of three trustees who have control of the Town 
Hall. He says he will get you the Hall, warmed and 
lighted for a free meeting, and invites you to come to 
his house and spend the day preceding and night 
following the lecture, This will give you an opportunity 
of seeing the beautiful place where your mother's childhood 
was spent. It is just one mile east of the meeting 
house at the centre. The old house has been enlarged, 
remodelled and improved so that it presents very little 
to remind you of what it was years 75 years ago. But 
they showed us just how it used to be, and the old 
elms are there on whose top your mother used to 

swing----- now large, noble trees. The stream below 
the house where she used to play; the old grist 
mill, now in ruins, which her father carried on; 
the old canal which carried water to the mill; the 
old well now covered with a stone; the orchard 
and garden, and above all the old hills large, 
green slopes free from stone --- a beautiful prospect 
in all directions of rich grass farms. Your brother 
and I looked across to the "meeting house hill" 
down which your mother used coast on a board. 
He saw all the places with great interest. Fifteen 
years ago one of your mother's brothers with his son, 
came to Mr. Hamilton's, and the old man 
walked over the old home he had left 60 years 
before, with the greatest interest and delight and 
pointed out all the localities to his son. So say 
the Hamilton's.
 The place is in unusually fine order; a 
model of a rich, intelligent farmer's home..... 
On our way home we came by the old tannery 
where most of your brothers and sisters were born.Bowman remembered many of the places perfectly. 
The house is removed, but the cellar-hole, with tansy 
growing beside it is there. The old tan-yard has 
been recently ploughed up. ... We saw the old dyke 
which brought the water to the vats, and the old 
house where the Waits used to live, whose loose 
habits and games of cards and dominoes so vexed 
your mother as to make her insist on removing. ... 
Next time you come to West Brookfield you must certainly 
go with Bowman to both these places. Just think of your 
Mother's living all her long life within 2 1/2 hours 
drive of her childhood's home and never getting back 
to it for a visit. It seems strange and sorrowful.
H. B. Blackwell