Blackwell Family Lucy Stone Sept. 1890 Blackwell, Henry B.Sunday Sept 14/90 This is Alice's birth day 33 years!!! How astonishing it is! And I am very grateful for her good intellect. Her good conscience. and for her - I have given her a birth day present of $5 to do as she pleases with. The Montclair taxes bill has come $309.68 cts. The property is assessed at $9800. We shall no doubt get higher and higher valuation and more taxes on it. But it is good property. With much love L.S.I do not write about Dakota matters much - of course Susan will be glad to help you, and you are doing good - The papers give you much praise. They say your speeches do not leave a string behind as do those of some others. Tis a pity the women can leave! Mrs. Howell praises your work in an article to the Journal and she told of the Swede woman. Don't feel under obligation to stay. SOUTH DAKOTA EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION PHILENA EVERETT JOHNSON, PRESIDENT IRENE G. ADAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE. ELIZABETH MURRAY WARDALL, SUPERINTENDENT PRESS WORK WILL F. BAILEY, SECRETARY SARAH A. RICHARDS, TREASURER ELIZABETH M. HAMMER, SUPT. ORATORICAL CONTEST EMMA SMITH DEVOE, STATE LECTURER Pierre SOUTH DAKOTA, Sept. 3 1890 Dearest Lucikin Your letter of Aug. 28 is just recd at Pierre, having been forwarded to me from Huron. I spoke in Blunt on the sidewalk yesterday afternoon at 2:30 in front of the hotel to about 60 voters - and in Pierre at the Court House yesterday evening at 8 PM to about 250 - 1/4 of whom were voters but most of them believers in woman suffrage - I am more & more convinced of the futility of my efforts to affect the result in this way - I want to get the largest possible vote for the Amendment. To do this, we must get the name and Post office of every voter and send him at [home?] rates the three best leaflets - viz: The Elective [Necessities?], W.S. in Wyoming, & Eminent Opinions - I have writtentoday to Miss Anthony professing that Zoe at once write to each county to have the list of each township sent to Women's Journal office & that I go home & attend to the addressing & mailing of the 70000 offers. But if it is not too late I want to go to Jackson to address the Mississippi convention or at least to get out & send them by mail. My argument and statistics for the entire South. It is a thousand pities that i had not gone there instead of here - There is a conjuncture there in our favor; there is a conjuncture of circumstances here against us. I hope your rheumatism is better darling dee & that Alice is enjoying the Vineyard. I kiss your signature on each letter I receive from you which is a poor substitute for the genuine LS herself. Pierre is a wonderfully enterprizing young city beautiful located on the Missouri River. I am off for Oneida. In haste [*H B Blackwell - Write me to Aberdeen - where I shall be on the 16th Septr - You will find my dates of meetings in *] [*the Ruralist - Yours Affy H B Blackwell*]Dorchester Sunday Sept. 7 1890 Dear Harry Your letter telling of the delightful air, the small meetings, and the poor outlook all reach us. We are not sure you get our letters. Several were sent you at Mitchell. Mr. Morrison wrote you at that place to ask or rather to state what he wanted of money advanced to him before he went to N. York, Baltimore & Philadelphia &c. He has waited, is still waiting for a reply. He pushes very hard for money, and he does not collect much and he asked Miss Turner to make out bills for him, which she very properly declined to do. It seems to me it is not worth while for him to go to Baltimore or Philadelphia. Our paper being a [*it would be a good thing since there is no chance of carrying to advise Miss Anthony to part with most of her speeches, so as not to end with a debt. Ever truly L.S.]specially and of small circulation must command advertising. There have been no calls lately for either House. The catholic priest wants the Whittaker but fears the long walk to his church twice a day. As I wrote you before the family near the Codman house paid $50. Mr. Borllen paid a hundred. All of it is in the bank. The Hollis house rent is collected. The Montclair and the Claremont rents are not paid for August. Dick has paid nothing neither has Kimball who has just returned for the school time. Dr. Colby found her chimney unendurable so Mr Blaisdell came and stopped up the dining room fire place- The hall gas leaked and that has been fixed. Now I hope she will be better satisfied. We sent letters and leaflet to you at Hosmer and Hillsview. But as your letters come in 3 days it does not seem that we need to send so far ahead. I write with Alice in asking you to take good care of yourself. If you do not over work, the change of climate will be a real good to you. It seems to me this is Thursday Sept 4, [*1890.*] Alice came home yesterday. She says she is so tired of knocking round that she is only too glad and thankful to stay at home. We have arranged to have Liszie live here. Her Aunt clothes her this year. I collected the Hollis St. rent yesterday. Miss Hathaway says she clears about $62 a month. Neither the Claremont or Montclair have paid. The man who bought the house near Mr. Codman paid $50. It all goes into the bank. Major Young brought you a ticket to hear Speaker Reed last night in Faneuil Hall. There was a great crowd there. The catholic priest has been up twice about a house. He would gladly rent Emily’s house but as that is for sale, he may take the Whittaker house. You say you are well and better than when you left but a card from Laura Johns says the contrary that you were hard worked and tired at Mitchell. And not very well. I hope you must stay on there for smallMeetings. and so wear yourself out for no purpose. Alice says you need not come home on her acct. So you must judge. Both on acct. of your health and the Horses here. We have had no letter from you for 2 days you have a lot of postal cards all addressed so that you might drop one every day. We feel the loss of a word a brief word very much and you are always warmly remembered both at home and in the office. Miss Allen has the back office full of her work. It is like a great quilting bee and the odd man who helps her flits in and out. Mr. Morrison is just getting off to N. York says he shall go to Baltimore and Philadelphia -&. I dont like him. Everything goes on at home as usual We are all well. The heart better all the time. It is going to get well. With ever so much love L. S. [Thursday] Friday Gettysburgh SOUTH DAKOTA Sept 5 1890 Dearest Luciken For two or three days past I have been campaigning between two lines of railroad running parallel with each other from East to West about 75 miles apart. After holding my sidewalk meeting in Blunt with about 60 voters + my courthouse meetings an Pierre with 250 in attendance including perhaps 75 voters, I returned to Blunt + drove 18 miles north over the prairies to Oneida, the county seat of Tully Co - passing numerous abandoned claims but on the whole road seeing only one inhabited house. At Oneida a Settlers' Reunion gathered quite a large attendance at 2 PM perhaps 200 being present. Most stayed to my meeting in the evening + The hall was crowded - say 250 of whom nearly 100 were voters. I had a very cordial reception + am told my address converted a number of opponents. The next day the sheriff of the Co.carried me without charge 8 miles to a farm house occupied by a young couple named Collard + their young baby, who entertained me hospitably in their sod-house + in the evening drove over with me to Davidson Schoolhouse whew I spoke to about 25 voters + 50 women + children + organized a woman suffrage club with Mr Clark as president - next morning, (today) Mr Harvey Howe brought me here in his buggy. Here in Gettysburgh public sentiment is strongly against suffrage - so much so that it is said I cannot soon get people out to hear me. But I am calling on the opponents + writing them individually. Tomorrow I go to Faulkton to remain Saturday & Sunday. This is the home of the Picklers, but I am told the opposition there is so strong that there is an anti suffrage organization. 150 strong with the president of a bank as its leader I have sent a written invitation to him + his club. to come out + hear me. Altho. I find in ea[ch?] locality a few earnest friends, I find everywhere a very pronounced + bitter opposition. Unless I am mistaken the vote against us will be 4 to 1 - It seems mean to abandon the field and leave Miss Anthony to struggle on - and it also seems almost futile to try to stem so strong an adverse current of public sentiment - Everywhere I make the person who presides introduce me as HBB of Boston editor of Woman's Journal and husband of Lucy Stone and you would be pleased to hear how in every place people come to me after the meeting who knew you formerly or whose parents knew you or entertained you at their house - But I wish that I was at home, or in Mississippi- My meeting here tonight was 200 - 60 voters + 140 women + children - County opposed 750 voters in it[OFFICE OF The Woman's Journal No. 3 PARK STREET,] Dining Room Tuesday Sept 9 1890 Dearly Beloved We have rented the Whittaker house to the Catholic priest He will sign a lease for six months but says if he finds he can stand the walk to and from the church twice a day he will stay for 2 years. Cowan has paid the Claremont rent. So much for business here. Now about Mississippi I had a letter yesterday from a member of the convention who says it is finally decided not to give votes to the Woman. We have done all we could. But I shall write again and send Pellew - It is not worth while for any northern man to go there But think of it - As to your stay inDakota. Susan writes that you are now in the sparsely settled part and will have better territory by and by - she praises your work &c. But all the speakers report small meetings except Miss Snow on Sundays. The appointments were only made just before you arrived there & then has not been time for good notice. It seems to me to be a great waste of time and [strength] strength and money to keep on there. and to send 3 leaflets to every voter is an immense job 70,000 votes but it may be the easiest way to reach them. and the least expensive. My very comfort in the case of yourself is that in that clear air. You may get benefit by the change. We are as usual Alice tired and too much to do & . my rheumatics sticking well by but the heart is better. af yours L.S.OFFICE OF Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association No S PARK STREET Boston, Dining Room Sept. 22 1890 Harry dear, I have tried to keep you posted about the business here. and Alice has written you other things. We probably get all your letters but we are not sure that you get ours. There is no special news. now. Alice is getting off the paper today. Yesterday she went shopping with Miss Bates & got a coat and dress. Besides doing up a lot of leaflets and working at the Journal. and looking over the bog last night. Of course this A.M. she was very tired - Nerves all on the outside. Tonight she goes t a wedding and wont be home till after 11 o'clock so she will be still more tired and then she has the column to make up too. That added to the leaflets which in the [*What makes it very hard for Alice is the going to the city long day with the letters & callers. leaflets & Journal. all to attend to and she has not rested before We read your letters with great interest and keep for others in loving remembrance We are doing everything that can be done for Mississippi. absence of Miss Wilde, Alice does of is too much for her. Miss Tusnerfills large orders on leaflets. but that Dakota is overpowering- and since the outlook is so poor for the cause in Dakota it seems to me you are more needed here than there. Besides you need to look after the sewer men. Mr. Cartes says it has cut off all the drain for the fresh water that was from the culvert on Nepunt Ave. so that if an outlet is not made for it. the March bill be worse than ever. I went to the works this A. M. but the boss was not there. I shall try to see him again this P.M. - Alice wants to go to the Vineyard for 2 weeks with Lucy Anthony. She thinks Mrs Adkison can get the paper out. but it is most best that you should be here. So I hope you will come home after the Huron Meeting sure. The Highmore Herald pays you to give tribute. and we never put it in the Journal. Faulkton S D Sept 6 1890 Dearest Luciken I have just recd your two letters of Aug 30 enclosing Ellen's letter & Alice's note from Cottage City. I am glad the poor child has taken a week's vacation, but wish she would trust Mrs Adkinson & Miss Wilde to make up the paper for a few weeks. It would be good for them and for her. I think that in justice to the work and the workers in S D these different series of meetings should be set up from date of publication in WJ to Oct. 1. & kept to the head of column on page 4. Let them be set in small type & kept standing, taking out each week the meetings already past before date of publication. You do not say how your rheumatism is, nor whether you think it best for me to stay here till Oct. 1. - I am divided in my feelings. I hate to shirk or cancel engagements made for me, tho I never intended or authorized so many. But I believe I could do more good by getting the names & PO addresses of every voter in the State & mailing literature to each at pound rate postage. In justice to you & to Alice, as well as i order to rent or sell the Whitaker house, I ought to be back, as well as to relieve you & Alice from double duty. Evidently Mrs Johnson and Miss Anthony dont like to let me off out here, and I feel it important to stay. The fact is that the campaign has begun too early. Unless the whole month of October is utilized in meetings, the work will seem to have died out & the force of speakers now employed aught to have been put into the field in October instead of September. If you find any parts of my letter which seem to you adapted for publication, I should like my work out here to be commemorated in the WJ, so that the Garrisons & other contributors may know what is done by the use of their money. A Soldier's Tribute to Woman To the Woman's Relief Corps of South Dakota, this little Song is respectfully dedicated. - J.H. DeVoe, Company "G." 9th N.Y. Art'y 2nd Brig., 3rd Div., 6th A.C. In the long, long years ago, when I wore the loyal blue, When the patriotic women, with their hearts so good and true, Came to help us in our struggle, as no other ones could do, Then I swore to help my sisters, for they nursed and brought me through. CHORUS. Yes, they nursed and brought me through, when the fever laid me low, In my dreams I now can see them, while they're flitting to and fro, Then I swore to help the women, for their hearts were loyal too, And my vote shall go to free them, for they nursed and brought me through. On the field of Petersburg, midst the screaming shot and shell, Where the soul of man was tested, where the bravest soldiers fell, There I saw the women kneeling, with their hearts so good and true, By the bleeding, wounded soldiers, and they nursed and brought them through. CHORUS. On the dome in Washington, there the goddess proudly reigns, She's the emblem of our freedom, while our women are in chains; And her light from Bedloe's tower gleams in mock'ry o'er the sea, While our mothers wives and daughters, humbly beg for liberty. CHORUS. Let us stand in solid phalanx, every man who wore the blue, For our mothers, wives, and sweethearts, who to use were tried and true; For no better friends, with truer hearts, on earth we'll ever find; We will not forget the kindness of the girls we left behind. The weather here is evidently changing. Clear, hot breezy days alternate with cool, cloudy, windy ones. The thermometer day before yesterday was 100 in the (?); today I think about 60. But this extremely dry, (?) (?) is a perpetual inspiration to me & would certainly have done you great good. I wish I had dared to urge you to come here with me. Mrs. Pickler met me this morning on arrival of (?) & brought me to house where I am comfortable & hospitable (?) Mrs. Pickler will start day after tomorrow to fill Mrs. Seymour Howell's appointments. Monday Sept. 8 (underlined) I leave here this afternoon for Vermont City. Had an excellent meeting here on Sat. evening in the M.E. Church, Mrs. Pickler presiding. Present 150 with about 50 voters Sunday afternoon. I spoke to 100 including about 30 voters in a school hose 10 miles S. of (?). Took a vote & it was unanimous for the (?). Last night I spoke in the Congregational Church to 200 people including from 50 to 60 voters on The Bible for Woman Suffrage. (?) (?) (?) (?) SOUTH DAKOTA EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION. Philena Everett Johnson, President Irene G. Adams, Vice-President at Large. Elizabeth Murray Wardall, Superintendent Press Work. Emma Smith Devoe, State Lecturer. Will F. Bailey, Secretary Sarah A. Richards, Treasurer. Elizabeth M. Hammer, Supt. Oratorical Contest. Bowdle, South Dakota Sept. 9, 1890 Dearest (?) I held meetings in Faulkton (?) Sat & Sunday evenings Sept. 7 & 8. Also on Sunday aft at Orient 10 miles South; last night I spoke at Vermont City to a school house full of people including about 20 voters, a majority of whom voted at the close for W.S., only 2 voting against. At WS club was forward with Mrs. D.M. Chamberlin, President, Mr. A.S. Whitman, Vice P., Miss Edith Hutchison. See Mr. (?) Udell, Treasurer. Rev. Y. T . Walker (?) president. & this morning drove me over to Roscoe 14 miles where I came here by rail 20 miles & shall hold a meeting here tonight. Tomorrow morning Mrs Avey M Gould is to drive over from Hosmwe & will bring me there to hold a meeting tomorrow night. This western part of SoDakota is in a very strange condition. Successive partial & in some cases total failure of all their crops- oats, wheat, flax, & corn- have fairly ruined the pecuniarily. Many have left & gone back East, others are preparing to go- almost all the houses one passes are abandoned. The towns are as quiet & still & empty as if struck by a pestilence It is a sad condition of affairs, but is due to a boom based upon several fine crops five of six years ago which brought in a stream of immigrants from the East who have "claimed" government lands & after living in them for five years have "proved up," then mortgage the land to Eastern loan companies & gone off leaving the land to be taken for the mortgages. Those who remain are mainly those who cannot get away, or who have got some live stock & are utilizing the grass & hay, of which there is abundance When hay can be put up for $1.50 a ton it is only a question of time when things will revive & new people come in. I have [*no word from you either here or at Vermont City. Hope for a letter*] [* soon- Love to Alice. When shall I come back? Yours ever Henry B Blackwell*]Hosmer So Dak. Sept. 11. 1890 Dearest Luciken [Editors Woman's Journal] Here I am in McPherson County, a locality settled largely by foreigners;_ two thirds of the inhabitants being Germans, Russians, [or] and Scandinavians. [From] A majority of them do not speak English(:) [and] Many have only been in this country a year. Yet, under existing State laws, they/men are all voters, and, as might be expected, are a unit against the Suffrage Amendment. There seems something extremely wrong in allowing persons wholly unacquainted with our institutions and controlled by European prejudices to vote against the Social and political rights of American women. [In order] To avoid antagonizing these old world prejudices, both the Republican and Independent parties have declined to put a woman suffrage plank into their platforms while the Democratic party has made a higher bid for the foreign vote by adopting an anti-womans suffrage platform [which]. The foreign vote of So Dakota is estimated at 30000 [and] out of 45000. This will be a very important factor in the fall election. If the result depended upon the4 get here their letter of Sept 5. telling of her safe return from the Vineyard. The delay and monotony of lying around waiting for the evening meetups without anything to read, is almost unbearable to an active man like myself. I have made up my mind to fight it through till I reach Aberdeen on the 16th + 17th. The towns from the 17th to the 30th are much more important than the ones marked out for me before the 17th. But I am needed at home and I have not the slightest hope of success in the Nov. election here. The friends here are much more sanguine of a large vote than I am. I set our vote at not over one in five. But it will not do to print this, as it would do us harm + diminish our vote. Some of our friends here believe that the Amendment will carry + I wish that everybody believed the same. I am well + am making good speeches to very small and uncultivated audiences 2 American population, the Amendment would undoubtedly carry next November. Here, as recently in Rhode Island and in the other States of the Northwest, Woman Suffrage is complicated with Prohibition, to the disadvantage of the former. Constitutional prohibition was carried a year ago by a small majority, but very many localities are opposed to it. Here in McPherson Co, for instance, liquor is openly retailed at Eureka in defiance of the law, and the county officers do nothing to [enforce] stop it. They dare not do so. These Republican officials [kn][then] believe that enforcement would result in a wholesale transfer of the foreign voters to the Democratic party and would prevent any possibility of their own re-election. So, here and in similar localities, prohibition does not prohibit and free-rum prevails. Of course woman suffrage is opposed with added bitterness as likely to [strengthen the cause] aid the enforcement of Prohibition. But the greatest difficulty in getting a serious hearing for woman suffrage here is the distress which prevails. The people who have come here are almost destitute in consequence of three short crops. This year in many cases there is a total failure + people who owe anything are ruined, while even those who3 are not in debt have nothing to live on. Yet there is plenty of grass for pasture & for hay, but no animals to eat it. The only hope is in bringing in sheep and in sinking artesian wells t furnish irrigation. But how to get through the next 12 months? Sept 12. Last night we had a good meeting of a rough & ready kind in the Hillsview school house. We had probably 75- of whom 25 or 30 were voters. Most of them were opposed before they came, but when a vote was called for at the close of the meeting I put the vote __ "all who are opposed to giving women equal political rights please rise" - not a soul rose - A great laugh followed, & then when I called for those in favor to rise _ three fourths rose_ whereupon I called for nomination of officers & we organized a woman suffrage club auxiliary to the State Association. It blew & sleeted last night, & today the ground was white with snow but it is clearing up. I go, at 1 PM, to Eureka- which is probably the hardest place in S Dakota being foreign. I was very glad to[hotel Knickerbocker,] [ [?]eo. C, Knickerbocker, Prop.] [THE ONLY COMMERCIAL HOTEL IN TOWN.] The Situation in South Dakota Eureka, S.D., [Sept 13, 1890. Dearest Lucikener Editors Women's Journal: This is the queerest place I ever was in, in America. It is the terminus of the railroad, which points towards Bismarak, 120 miles North Werth and a town of that business activity. It is the centre of Mc Pherson CO which contained 6500 inhabitants, 3/4 of whom are Germans and German Russian. These people are well meaning, honest people, but intensely prejudiced and chauvinist. They abhor prohibition and are rated against Womans suffering. They have(2) ℙ The objection which these people have to woman suffrage is 2 part of a general dislike of the American woman. The Germans say that "American women are no good. They do not work. They have [very] few children. They quarrel with their husbands and leave them unless they are allowed to do as they please." The Russians' idea of a wife is a woman who works from morning to night both in the house and on the farm, who is in all respects the [subject and] submissive serf of her husband. Therefore no argument can reach them. The Russianized portion are much more ?? than the other Germans. They went to Russia 100 years ago, & have stagnated there ever since. The American minority here are trying to keep these foreign vots Republican by charging the Democratic party with introducing woman suffrage into Wyoming & with nominating a woman in North Dakota as State Supt of Public Instruction. The Democrats, on the other hand, are denouncing the Republicans as a Prohibition and Woman Suffrage party as shown by their Prohibition platform & by the Republican Congressional vote admitting the State of Wyoming. It is to be hoped that the Republicans may carry the November election by a large majority without this class of voters, which must eventually join the Democrats if the Republicans are true to Temperance and Liberty. - ℙWhen I came here yesterday afternoon, 3 STRICTLY FIRST CLASS. RATES $2.00 PER DAY. hotel Knickerbocker, Geo. C. Knickerbocker, Prop. THE ONLY COMMERCIAL HOTEL IN TOWN. [Eureka, S. D., _____189 .] I found no handbills distributed and no hall engaged. I called on the leading Republicans, all of whom were friendly, but quite unwilling to aid me openly in my meeting. I was privately advised not to hold one, for fear there would be an attempt to break it up. The School-house was secured with some difficulty, however by Rev. A D Smith, the Methodist minister, the only man I found who had the courage of his opinions. I happened to have eight or ten handbills, which I filled up and [distrib] posted in shop-windows and at the post office. I had 200 flyers distributed at the houses & in the stores. We had the school-house full _ say 50 men & 10 or 12 women. Rev Mr Smith presided & started a hymn with prayer. I spoke at length & made a special appeal at the4 close to the Germans & Russians. There were a few Germans but I think no Russians present, and several prominent Republicans + Democrats. I claimed both parties as logically committed by their history to WS - the Dems by extending Suff to poor whites - the Republicans to Negroes, etc, etc. This morning there is to be a Democratic County Nominating Convention here, and the leaders have got hold of one of our yellow hand bills which calls for WS. in order to make "a truly Republican form of government," & are showing it to prove that WS. is a part of the Republican programme. A curious incident occurred here recently [last]. [year] A political enemy of Mr Knickerbocker, who keeps the leading hotel here, in order to put a joke upon him nominated Mrs Knickerbocker without her knowledge or consent, for School Committee. Mr Knickerbocker found it out in the afternoon & hustled round and got out 30 or 40 American voters to vote for her. The word got out and in poured the Russians mad and infuriated. They overwhelmed the woman ticket, & then denounced Mr Knickerbocker, who is quite a Republican leader and until then had been a favorite with them. One of Mr Knickerbocker's German friends, to pacify them, assured them that the woman was nominated without her husband's knowledge or consent, and that altho he (5) had felt bound to stand by his wife, he had giver her a sound thrashing for her impudence after the affair was over. The report that he had flogged his was was swallowed with great approval and quite set up Mr. Knickerbocker again in public estimation, as a man with a proper spirit who had maintained domestic discipline. Was there ever a sharper contrast than the liberal, reckless, easy-going spirit of the American voters and the honest but fanatical conservatism of these foreign voters, many of whom have been in this country less than two years, who dominate absolutely several of the most populous counties & in large measure the politics of the State? Great allowance must be made for the unwillingness of the Republican [party] leaders of South Dakota, at their recent State Convention, to endorse Woman Suffrage. They undoubtedly thought that with prohibition on their hands they would lose the State Legislature is they did so. In view of the fact that the principal cities - Sioux Falls and Yankton, - are wedded to the saloons, that in the Counties largely peoples by Germans prohibition is openly disregarded, that in the Black Hills a large part of the miners live in the saloons - and that one third of the population of So Dak. is of(6) foreign birth I am not sure that the Republicans could have done otherwise without incurring temporary defeat. But very many who from policy are silent, will vote for Woman Suffrage next November. If our speakers are active and judicious no one can foretell the result. We must work and wait. Henry B Blackwell 500 730 4270 2/3 of 8/1 = 16 501 53 20 250 270 CAPITAL $ 25000 Bank of Ipswich M. P. BEEBE, Prest. A. J. BEEBE, Vice Prest. C. A. KINNEY, Cash F. A. GOOGINS, Asst Cash IN REPLY TO YOURS OF Ipswich, So. Dak. Sept 14, 1890 Dearest Lucikin From Alice's Letters I infer that I can fill the appointments made for me to the 30th Inst in this State + will do so, unless advices come from you + her to the contrary - I am well and every meeting advertised has been filled so far + has seemed to do good. Last night I had about 300 people, possibly more, in the Rink who listened for 1 1/2 hours + then like Oliver asked for more. I still think that it will be wise to reach every American voter with some leaflets to his PO. at pound rates of postage, but do not want anything done about that until my return. I am getting the names + post-offices at every County Seat which I visit, for use of it seem best - The people here are very cordial + generally friendly, so far as theyare Americans. If the women speakers are kind & reasonable, avoiding satire and needless antagonisms, we shall poll a large vote. What the result time will show. Much will depend on the impression made during the month of October by our speakers. I know that at every meeting I change more minds in our favor & women's also. I have recd. here Woman's Journals of Sept 6. and Woman's Columns of same date addressed to me by the laborious Cub. But no letters - I go at 1 PM "over land," - i e by private conveyance, to Leola & back & shall speak in Leola tonight & at Aberdeen at State fair tomorrow night & next day Ever yours HBBSOUTH DAKOTA EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION PHILENA EVERETT JOHNSON, PRESIDENT IRENE G. ADAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE. ELIZABETH MURRAY WARDALL, SUPERINTENDENT PRESS WORK, WILL F. BAILEY, SECRETARY SARAH A. RICHARDS, TREASURER. ELIZABETH M. HAMMER, SUPT. ORATORICAL CONTEST. JUSTICE EQUALITY EMMA SMITH DEVOE, STATE LECTURER. Leola [HURON], SOUTH DAKOTA, Sept 16 1890 Dearest Luciken I spoke here last night to an audience of about 100 in this little dried-up county seat of McPherson Co. - a very intelligent enterprizing American community struggling to live in a county now overwhelmingly German & Russian - 1 1/2 years ago a frightful prairie fire swept away the entire town except the court-house burning several people to death & destroying all their houses furniture & live stock. How on earth they ever rebuilt the place is one of the mysteries - but they did so in the hope of a railroad which was being graded - The failure of crops & consequent want of business has put an end to the railroadbuilding & one half the American population of this county will leave this fall because they have nothing to live upon & no seed, food, or fuel. There never was so distressed a community as the inhabitants of So Dak I did not take up a collection last night because I was told that it would be cruel to ask for money, as people are situated. the Russians will remain because they have to & because they can live on almost nothing - They burn cow dung for fuel - live in houses of of without ventilation , dress in sheep-skins and eat anything that will support life. They are a hard lot - stupid violent and ignorant - Dr Gamble who lives here tried to stop diptheria which swept off entire families of children but the Russians drove him away and threatened to mob him what business is it of ours, they said. If God wants to kill the children let him. It is none of our affair." So they refused medicines , and disinfectants & let the children die - Think of such now being voters HBBlackwell I go to Aberdeen on the stageDorchester Sept 1 [*1890*] Darling Harrykin This is Labor day. Mr. Killian and the girl have gone for a spree. Lizzie and I are alone. Her aunt is coming to day t see about Lizzie coming to live with us. Yours telling us of the final refusal of the Republicans came this A.M. We had seen the fact in the despatches. How blind they are not to see what a power on their side, such women as addressed them would be! Well. there is now no hope for S. Dakota this year. But we have woman suffrage in the Constitution of Mississippi! That is a great fact if the voters adopt it - The [Nemerstands?] will no doubt try t prevent it. Shame on them - Alice really needs more holidey than she will get if you stay through Sept. She is nerve-time and looks pale and tired. She is at the Vineyard now. but she meant to come up Well.to get the paper off - so she will have only 4 days there. So I hope you won't stay the whole month. All the more as we cannot carry S. Dakota no matter how many stay - besides, here are the houses to rent and sell and this month is the best month for either selling or renting - I sent off one waste paper last week. This week the pears go. We have put up 12 cans of pears this morning and 9 cans of tomatoes. The days are cool but pleasant, and each day brings more than we can do. Mrs. Duning writes that the Washington Women mean to fight for their political rights - we are all very well - my heart better all the time, but the rheumatics are not better. Luther's daughter has gone to Clare Barler Your bank book went in to be balanced Mr. Borden paid $100.9 deposited $50 and at his request kept the other $50, till Sept. 5. I wrote you at Huron. with much love L.S. Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association, No. 3 Park Street, Boston, 188 Office of [The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street, Boston] Dining Room Sept 13 1890 Darling dear The Montclair rent has come, and with it regret that they had not seen you when you were there. The priest is moving in his goods today. At the house No 192 - the boss of the sewer says they will make a drain for the fresh water from the culvert. Your blank check came in the last letter. I do not think I shall need to use it. We feel great sympathy with the discouragements dear. And as I said before your month promised will be out on the 21st and as we need Jim, I think you may [*I am glad the people know me, and that you let your introduction tell of our relation to each other *]fairly come home. They ought not to [heree, make] have made appointments for you for longer times - We are having hot sticky close rainy days. But we are as usual. The winter coal is in Luther left here yesterday for Nebraska having spent one night - Alice is getting off oceans of leaflets. and is hard at work. Lucy Sutty is in the city with Dr. Miss Allen [???] the office with her pageant - Miss Wilde comes back next Tuesday Your clean clothes, clean bed and good room are all ready for you and so are we - The Aberdeen Meeting is to be a great occasion & things may look more encouraging but as there is no help, it seems to me it must pay to spend so much effort there But of course you will do as you think best Aff L Stone[*To my Dear Cub Many happy returns of your birthday, You are now one half my age.*] SOUTH DAKOTA EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION PHILENA EVERETT JOHNSON, PRESIDENT IRENE G. ADAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE. ELIZABETH MURRAY WARDALL, SUPERINTENDENT PRESS WORK. ESA JUSTICE EQUALITY EMMA SMITH DEVOE, STATE LECTURER. WILL F. BAILEY, SECRETARY. SARAH A. RICHARDS, TREASURER. ELIZABETH M. HAMMER, SUPT. ORATORICAL CONTEST. Redfield [HURON], SOUTH DAKOTA, Sept 19 1890 Dearest Lucikin I have just had & read your letter of Sept 14th advising me to return without completing the tour of meetings arranged for me to Sept 30th. You say you need me at home, & surely that makes it imperative on me to remain no longer than the engagements. But since Alice has gone to Martha's Vineyard for ten days outing, & since you have you have Mrs Adkinson to help with the W J. and will ere this have Miss Wilde to help at the office, I think I had better carry out the programme, which will detain me only 11 days longer. I will write Mrs Ripley that I shall go East via Minneapolis & St Paul Oct 1st & will speak once in Minneapolis & once in St Paul if meetings can be arranged (over) [*to save you steps. The weather here is glorious. Keen white frost*] [*every Mornings, then warm sunshine, a cloudless sky, a fresh dry breeze & a majestic, imperial crimson sunset over the illimitable plains. H B Blackwell*](2) for me on Thursday evening Oct 2 and Friday evening Oct 3., but not otherwise. So you may look for me Oct 5. or 6., at latest. & I assure you that I shall be as glad to return as you will be to have me back. It is possible that I may be too pessimistic in my view of the situation here. The Republican managers may pass the word privately to the County managers to poll all the votes they can for the W.S. Amendment. I speak tonight with Mr Gamble, the Rep candidate for Congress - dividing the time with him - This is accidental the meetings having been separately planned for the same evening here. I am to speak after this in more important towns, but they have all had several meetings already & the work needed is in the smaller villages & school houses. [* I am glad you have rented the Whitaker house to the Catholic priest who will be sure pay - The Montclair tax is unduly large*] [*but we cannot evade it - I am glad that you have good little Lizzie*]OFFICE OF The Woman's Journal No. 3 PARK STREET Boston Sept 24 1890 Dear Harry This is perhaps the last letter you will get unless you stop at Minneapolis and this is only sent t say that Sissie and I are well. The days are lovely. Alice still at the Vineyard and there is lenty t do here. You will be very welcome home and we shall want you t rest and be petted after the long hard time of service that is only see sewing and has no presantHope. We are glad when you say you are well. We dread the cars for you, as the repeated rail road accidents seem to be an epidemic I began this at the office this A.M. when I met Phebe Stone - But only wrote 2 lines Now it is 4 o'clock at home. Michal gone t the city fr the Mail, and Lizzie for lectures at the old South, I alone. The Noyes boy and one other stole our concord grapes yesterdy taking all tht grow by Mr. Souders corner - But we have more grapes - Mississippi fails us. But Mrs Nash Hill is stirring up th city Ever aff L.S.C. M. HOPKINS, Proprietor. THE DAYTON. Aberdeen, S.D., Sept 17 1890 Dearest Lucikin I am beginning to count the days until I return home, I spoke on [Sunday morning] Saturday evening at Roscoe, Sunday aftn at Naris, [Monda] Sunday evening at Ipswich in the Rink to 300 people, Monday evening at Leola and came here yesterday to the State Fair expecting to speak last night, but found Miss Shaw billed for that meeting and myself for this evening. There is a great rush of people here. - Today is to be "Ladies Day" - at 10 AM a procession of ladies in carriages and four hours set aside at the Grand Stand for women to speak. Miss Anthony is here & Miss Shaw, Mrs Devoe, Olympia Brown & Mrs Clara B Colby is expected. I shall try to address an open air meeting here if I have an opportunity I am delighted to see that Wyoming has gone Republican by 2000 majority electing Clark over Beek to Congress and a legislature with 35 majority on joint ballot _ ensuring the election ofJudge Carey as Senator with Warren or Hoyt as his colleague. This is glorious news for the Suffrage cause. You may count on my being home on or before Oct 5. I will write today to Mrs. Ripley asking her if she can arrange a meeting for me in Minneapolics and another one in St. Paul for Oct 1 & 2. When I get home I shall be in good working order and will relieve you & Alice & put things through generally. I have written Mr Carter that I want to make a street on the rear line of my land & should like the material disposed of as may be best for the purpose, but will see him in about two weeks time. I will write again giving particulars of the Fair & of the women's reception. The Democrats held a Convention here yesterday & the Republicans will hold a Map Meeting here tomorrow. This is an extraordinary community Altho hundreds of families are on the brink of starvation all are cheerful, at least in their appearance [*& conversation. I think it is "close climate". Yours affy Henry B Blackwell Headquarters of Kilpatrick Relief Corps No. 2. Huron, S Dakota, Sept. 22 1890 Dearest Lucikin This is Monday morning, and in another week I shall have finished my round of meetings. On Saturday evening I addressed a meeting of 200 in Woolsey, a little town 12 miles north of this city which aspires to become the capital. Yesterday (Sunday) Mr. Fink drove across the prairie with me to this city where I met Mr and Mrs Wardall, Mr & Mrs Devoe, Mrs Pickler, Mr Bailey, & other friends. The state of affairs was a little peculiar. Several of the ministers, instigated it is said by leading members of their congregations opposed to woman suffrage, had refused the use of their churches for my Sunday evening meeting & declared to give notice of it on the ground that politics were not proper for Sunday evening. So we secured the Opera House & I called on all the ministers - who were polite, but all united in a union Bible meeting except the Episcopal & Catholic ministers, who are both friends of W Suffrage. The Episcopal rector, Rev Mr Potter, kindly agreed to conduct the exercises and introduce me, which he did. I spoke to a deeply interested audience of 250 - one fourth voters, and we had an excellent meeting. Today Mr. Wardall has driven me out to an Artesian well in the midst of a tract of 1000 acres. The water pours out of a 4 inch pipe 75000 gallons daily (over) [*The Constl Convn -- How I wish you could be here with me to enjoy every day this heavenly climate - so fresh, dry, elastic and balmy atmosphere. With ever so much love believe me Ever yours Henry B Blackwell I am well and counting the days till my return to "home, sweet home." HBB*](over) beautiful dear water, farming a large stream on the summit of the ridge - which is carried by ditches & sluiceways over the entire property. Twenty acres of what irrigated last year yielded 25 bushels to the acre, while similar wheat not irrigated yielded only 5 bushels. There is a school election here today & the women have nominated a ticket. But as the "Capital Committee" have kept the election a secret in order to ensure the choice of men who will, if elected, divert the School bonds to defraying the expenses of the Capital fight, I fear the odds will be against the women, who very properly oppose this misappropriation of trust funds. I received here today Alices letter of Sept 16, for which I am much obliged, for I have heard nothing from home for several days. She says nothing about going to the Vineyard or about having gone there, but refers to [Lucy?] Anthony as having been ill. So I fear that the 10 days holiday has fallen through. I go this afternoon to Brookings, where I am to speak tonight, and the Watertown tomorrow. My last meeting will be at Elk Point on Sept 30, & from there I expect to make a bee-line for home, unless I stop two days on the way for meetings at Minneapolis and St Paul, if Mrs Ripley writes wishing me to do so. Do not think me indifferent to returning home when I say that I wish I could spend next month in this State. Altho the battle seems hopeless against the indifference & opposition - with three parties struggling for success, all ignoring us, & with the Capitol fight between Huron and Pierre complicating the issues, - yet, so long as the result is undecided, it seems a pity not to keep up the fight. I see that Mississippi has gone back on woman suffrage. Perhaps it is best so. Force and Fraud are too rampant down there to affiliate with [*more civilized methods. The Kentucky Constl Convn ought now to be tried. The figures for Kentucky should be copied from my magazine article manuscript*] [*and reprinted in the WJ & WC next week - Copies of it should be sent to every member of the*] wish to stay till election but "charity begins at home". I am glad you are printing my Southern article Be sure and accompany it or incorporate in it the Statistical table which Simonds has electrotyped at a cost of $3 for setting up and electrotyping - Simonds has it and he must look it up and put it in. It is itself the gist of the whole article. I am surly that Mr May feels grieved at my position, which is simply this - The white people of the South have subjugated the blacks politically by force & fraud & neither Mr May nor I can help it. It is far better and wiser to substitute a legal extension of suffrage to the educated women, or the property holding women white and black If thereby they can temporarily establish a higher degree of intelligence in their political system and diminish the power of semi barbarous illiteracy, the result will be good. Every intelligent woman has a better right to vote than any ignorant person man or woman, becvause the essence of suffrage is rational choice. I will write you again tomorrow. I think of Alice as having a little quiet visit to the Vineyard today. Good by darling dee. Ever your own HBBBrookings, [Sheridan] S.D. Sept 23 1890 Dearest Lucikin I spoke here last night to about 30 voters and an audience of 125 in the ME Church. There had been insufficient notice, the lady who is president of the County organization having been out of town - The place is prosperous, - this county alone having good crops of all those which I have visited. The men are said to be generally opposed to W.S. I took a vote at my meeting; no one rose in opposition and a large majority rose in favor. But that proves nothing. I go at 10am to Watertown, where I expect a good meeting. Yesterday I got here a letter from Cub Saying that she was to go to the Vineyard yesterday (Monday). On the envelope was a line from you saying that you were well. I am getting more and more impatient to reach home as the time of returning approaches. The lovely weather continues. I never saw such a succesion of splendid sunny days & cool, clear, cloudless nights - the air is a luxury to breathe. I really believe this trip would have cured your rheumatism had you felt able to come. If you were here, I should SOUTH DAKOTA EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION. [H.B.B.] Sioux Falls Sept 25 90 PHILENA EVERETT JOHNSON, PRESIDENT IRENE G. ADAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE. ELIZABETH MURRAY WARDALL, SUPERINTENDENT PRESS WORK. EMMA SMITH DEVOE, STATE LECTURER. WILL F. BAILEY, SECRETARY. SARAH A. RICHARDS, TREASURER. ELIZABETH M. HAMMER, SUPT. ORATORICAL CONTEST. En rot. Madison to Sioux Falls, [HURON] South Dakota, Sept 25 1890 Dearest Lucikin Since I last wrote you, I have spoken in Watertown to a small meeting at a "Social" in the Baptist Church, Judge Thomas having mistaken the date & failed to get up my meeting. Thence I came by rail to Lake Preston & thence 40 miles by buggy through a beautiful farming country with luxuriant crops to Madison. Here I had a small meeting last night at the Court House, but had a fine opportunity to address a German Baptist Convention of ministers about 75 in number. I made a very brief speech appealing to them as Germans and as Baptists to help the W.S. Amendment. It was well received, as most of themcould understand English and I spoke deliberately--At the close of the morning session I distributed to each man as he went out a copy of Jesus Christ the Emancipator of Women. So I hope this will break a hole in the German opposition in the only way possible viz: through the ministers. They are a sturdy self-respecting, honest simple-hearted people, these German Baptists--far more liberal than the Lutherans, who having been a State church, are [prosinptros?] and narrow. I have just had a letter from Sioux Falls, announcing no meeting on a/c of an Independent Rally tonight & fear of an opposition. I will try to get up a street meeting with a band if possible, + will advise you tomorrow of the result. I am so glad to be on my way home + am hoping not to have to go to Minneapolis--having had no letter from Mrs. Ripley as yet. I had a letter from Alice today at Madison, but none from you for several days. Ever yours HBB [*P.S. I write + mail this letter on the cars, on my way from Madison to Sioux Falls.*] Blunt So Dak Sept 2/90 Dear Lucy I hope to hear from you at Pierre. I am well This is probably one of the healthiest countries in the world + the air is a delight to breathe, so fresh, dry, + elastic. It would be good for you rheumatism. I should try to cut these meetings short + come home as soon as I can get away. Love to you + Alice H B BlackwellWhile waiting in this clean and comfortable hotel a long, rainy day, after a failure to get out a meeting last night, in this dried up, dying town, I take advantage of our enforced leisure to add to the few hasty lines which I wrote you this morning. Judging from our own observation + experience I dont believe we shall get one third of the votes next November + indeed shall be surprised if we get one fifth of them. The great majority of the men do not believe in Woman Suffrage, + do not take the trouble to go to the meetings or to give the matter any serious thought. They are very busy trying to earn a living under hard conditions. This country has been boomed in the most reckless way. Thousands of families have come here with [*Miss Anthony is doing her very best. But our woman speakers all make the mistake of seeming to censure men and of using sarcasm instead of a little harmless, good-natured [taffy?]. Especially they speak sharply of foreigners + every time they do, the opponents use the fact to solidify the foreign voters. If only our women would not follow Mrs. Stanton's foolish counsel + would use womanly conciliation we should be much more successful. As it is I fear we rouse more opponents than we make converts. But I dont say this to anyone but you. I speak well of everything + everybody + work to win Ever affy yours, Henry B. Blackwell*]little or no means, hoping by a successful crop to live while "proving up" their pre-emptions or homesteads or tree claims. In most cases they have been met by a series of short crops, often by repeated absolute failures--they have become discouraged, have borrowed what they could get from loan companies on farm mortgages without any intention of paying either principal or interest + have used the money to get away. We are now in the midst of the collapse of that boom. Houses are empty-- thousands of claims are deserted and the towns are slowly dying out. The men who have stock--horses, cattle + sheep + who cut hay + have succeeded in getting some wheat--are doing well. The eastern half of the State is growing, but west of Huron lands and even houses are almost unsaleable. To get a people so situated to give money, time or [?] to woman suffrage is a hopeless undertaking-- I shall work along till I meet Miss Anthony at Aberdeen Sept 16 + 17 + then I shall try to put my own efforts wholly into a canvass by mail in the systematic circulation of suffrage leaflets from Boston. I shall try to get, in every county I visit, a correct list of the names and addresses of voters + then go home + mail to them at pound rates just three leaflets apiece in an envelope. It is the only way to reach them +, though laborious, the cheapest. I am very anxious to hear how your rheumatism is coming on--I hope [*the cooler weather will help it. Anyhow, I feel that I ought to be with you + Alice--The climate here for health + enjoyment is superb at this season.*]