Blackwell Family                     Foster, Abby Kelley
Lucy StoneNew York Post office box 299 Jan 24 - 1867

My dear Mrs. Foster
         I sit down to write you with a feeling of despair which never came to me before where a principle is involved.
        We have just returned from Philadelphia, where we went to assist in forming an Equal Suffrage association.  Geo. Thompson was there, and said "he did not think it would make any practical difference whether the women voted or not." Edward M Davis said "he sympathized with the Equal Suffrage movement but he would take no position in it that involved work, all his work.  Should be for the Negro." Eight Colored men gathered around us during the receu. and said "they thought women were well enough represented by their husbands &c.."  Robert Purvis alone, of them all, said "he should be ashamed to ask suffrage for himself and not at the same time ask for it for women, and he marveled at the patience of women, who were silent as to their own claim. While the great mass of the Negroes for whom they worked would give them influence like a dead weight against the equality of women with them." --  Lucretia Mott, clear eyed as ever gave her voice, and her money for universal justice.
      But you, and Phillips + Garrison, and the brave workers, who for thirty years, have said "let justice be done if the heavens fall," now smitten by a strange blindness, believe that the nation's peril can be averted, if it can be induced to accept the poor half loaf of justice for the Negro, poisoned by its lack of justice for every woman in the land - as if the application of a universal principle to a single class, could suffice for the necessity of this Love!
     The broad principle of universal justice put into the foundation of our Temple of Liberty is the only thing that can save it. -- They who today, stand, saying "this is the Negroes hour," are just in the position of those mistaken men, who after the war of the revolution, said, "Dont let us meddle with slavery. It is a bad thing and willdie of itself. But the business of this hour is to get a union" They got the Union and we know the results.
       Now, as then, those who hold the life of the nation in their hands, do not see, that the path of justice, is the only path of peace and safety. --They will not even ask for it, and we shall go on, drifting among breakers with no pilot to guide, where the animated eye sees the clear channel in which we might ride in safety. 
       [?], it is a terrible mistake you are all making! "Not an ear in court or market, for the low foreboding cry. "Of those Crises, God's stern winnowers, from whose feet earth's chaff must fly "Never shows the choice momentous, till the judgement hath passed by."  There is no other name given, by which this country can be saved, but that of woman - the Nation does not know it, and will not learn, Greeley says , "dont stir [?] question." -- Oliver Johnson sits in Theodore Tiltons chair, and snubs Mrs. Starton and every one of us, not even offering our replies to Taylor Lewis - during a whole year, till very lately, has the anti Slavery Standard thought it necessary to apologise, if it gave an item looking toward justice for Woman - The "World" refuses to publish anything, because "its position would be misunderstood." So we get no access to the public ear - Susan Anthony gets no money from the Norey Fund, for her work in N.Y. - [but]The Greeks abroad are remembered, and I [?] them, and there "Isles" will be saved, [but] "The Greeks at our door," are forgotten.  But the penalty for that forgetting, is not for Woman alone, or for this country alone, but also for that great multitude whose longing eyes, are turned from all shores to our own, for an example of a government, which derives its just power from the consent of the governed. 
      They alas will be disappointed, as shall we.
      But the mills of God grind very slow, and as we sow, so must we reap.
      There is a [?] for the hem of your garment, and all good wishes for you and yours, but the tears are in my eyes, and a nail goes through my heart akin to that which I should feel if I saw my little daughter drawing before my eyes with no power to help her.
       Very truly,
       Lucy STone(Sucy Stone to Abby Kelley Foster)
     New York, Jan. 24, 1867
My Dear Mrs. Foster,
     I sit down to write you with a feeling
of despair which never came to me before where
a principle is involved.
     We have just returned from Philadelphia
where we went to assist in forming an Equal
Suffrage Association. George Thompson was
there and said, "he did not think it would
make any practical difference whether the
women voted or not." Edward M. Dairs said,
he sympathised with the Equal Suffrage
movement, but he could take no position
in it that involved work, all his work should
be for the negro." Eight colored men gathered
around us during the recess, and said
they thought women were well enough represented
by their husbands." etc. Robert
Purvis alone, of them all, said, "he
should be ashamed to ask suffrage for
himself and not at the same time ask
it for women, who were silent as to their
own claim. While the great mass of the negroes
for whom they worked, would give their
influence like a dead weight against the
equality of women with them." Lucretia
Molt, clear-eyed as ever, gave her voice
and her money for universal justice.
     But you, and Phillips, and Garrison,
and the brave workers, who for thirty years
have said, "Let justice be done, if the 
heavens fall," now smitten by a strange
blindness, believe that the Nation's peril can
be averted if it can be induced to accept
the poor half-loaf, if justice for the negro,
poisoned by its lack of justice for every
woman in the land. As if the application
of a universal principle of a single class
could suffice for the necessity of the
hour!
     The broad principle of universal justice
put into the foundation of our Temple of
Liberty, is the only thing that can save
it. They who today, stand saying, "Thisis the negro's hour," are just in the position
of those mistaken men, who, after the
War of the Revolution said, "Don't let us
meddle with slavery. It is a bad thing, 
and will die of itself. But the business of 
this hour is to get Union." They got 
the union, and we know the results.
     Now, as then, those who hold the life of
the Nation in their hands, do not see that the
path of justice is the only path of peace and
safety. They will not even ask for it, and we
shall go on drifting among breakers, with no
pilot to guide, where the annointed eye sees
the clear channel in which we might ride
in safety.
     Oh, Abby, it is a terrible mistake you
are all making!
"Not an ear in court or market, for the low forbidding cry,
Of those crises, God's stern winnowers, from whose feet earth's
          chaff must fly.
Never shows the choice momentous, 'till the judgment hath passed by."
     There is no other name given, by which
this country can be saved, but that of women. The
Nation does not know it, and will not learn.
Greeley says, "Don't stir your question." Oliver
Johnson sits in Theodore Tillm's chair and snubs
Ms. Stauton, and every one of us, not even
opening our replies to Tyler Lewis. During the
whole year, until very lately, has the Anti-
Slavery Standard thought it necessary to apologize,
if it gave an item looking toward
justice for woman. The World refuses to 
publish anything, "because its position would 
be misunderstood." So we get no access
to the public ear. Susan Anthony gets no
money from the Honey fund for her work
in New York. The Greeks abroad are remembered,
and I hope they, and their 
Isles will be saved, but "the Greeks at our
door" are forgotten. But the penalty for that
forgetting is not for woman alone, or for
this country alone, but alas, for the great
multitude whose longing eyes were turned 
from all shores to our own, for an

example of a government which derives its
just powers from the consent of the governed.
They also, will be disappointed as shall we.
     But the wills of God grund very slow, and
 as we sow, so must we reap.
Here is a kiss for the hem of your garment,
and all good wishes for you and
yours, but the tears are in my eyes, and a
nail goes through my heart akin to that
which I should feel if I saw my little
daughter drowning before my eyes, with no
power to help her.
     Very truly,
          Lucy Stone