NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Grew, Mary Philadelphia, June 3, 1871 My dear Friends I agree with you that it is a good thing for our Cause that The Tribune has published the main points of difference between the two societies; but I wish it had a better spirit toward our Cause. I have not much more faith in that journal than I have in the N. Y. Nation, which is none at all.... Our Committee have published a card in two of our daily papers, repudiating the social theories of Woodhull & Glaflin's Journal; and this card contains the Resolution adopted in New York....It surprises me that any of our friends can sympathize with Mrs. Woodhull's theories of marriage, however much they may sympathize with her as a suffering woman, who was the victim of a bad husband. Cordially yours Mary Grew (Enclosures in Envelope marked "Clippings.") I.P.B. Germantown, June 30th 1867 My Dear Friend, Your letter of the 11th inst. was delayed in reaching me, as it was not addressed to Germantown, but simply Phila. It was brought to me by a person into whose hands it fell, after being sent out to Frankford. I usually get letters thus addressed, by means of the advertised list. Yet this delay was not sufficient to account for the interval between your letter & my reply. That is to be explained only by the fact that with a less than usual supply of strength, I have been unusually busy, during the last few weeks. My father's tract on the Sabbath I have always regarded as one of the best, if not the best, of his essays; and among the best tracts ever written upon that subject. I wish I could put hundreds of the copies in circulation. At the time immediately following my father's death, I disposed of a large quantity of his tracts on various theological subjects, in accordance with his direction. They were distributed among certain friends of his, who print & circulate such writings. Of course, I reserved some copies of each, for my own use & distribution. Of these, I have a few of "The Sabbath" remaining, more than half of which I send to your address, by the mail which carries this. You are very welcome to them; and I am very glad to be able to put a few of them at your service. If I were able to do so, I should be glad to reprint the tract. The stereotype plates were, I think, given to Mr. Henry L. Hastings, of Boston, who prints & sells publications of this sort. He used to have an office, connected with a bookstore, [somewhere in born hill] or printing office, kept by Mr. Miles Grant, 167 Hanover St. Boston. If you can find Mr. Hastings, please say to him that if he has any of my father's tracts on "The Sabbath" remaining of those which I sent him, I should be much obliged to him if he will give you some of them. He may have reprinted an edition of his own, from the plates. You are doing a good work, in endeavoring to eliminate Judaism from the Christianity of this age. There is many a battle for religious freedom to be fought, yet, even in Massachusetts, though she is far in advance of Pennsylvania. The recent decision of your master in Chancery, relative to Francis Jackson's legacy to the Anti-Slavery cause, is not very creditable to the public sentiment of the State. If it is a fair representation of the morality of the people, old Massachusetts still needs lessons on the elements of justice. But, God be thanked! The human race is moving forward, with great strides, & we have abundant reason for daily thanksgiving, & confident hope. I expect to be in Boston, late in the summer, or early in September, & shall endeavor to see you. I trust that the pamphlets will reach you safely. Cordially, your friend, Mary Grew. Mr. Charles K. Whipple. Mrs. M. C. Williams has succeeded her late husband as President of the State National Bank of Raleigh, N. C. [* 1879? *] Dear Friend, I enclose this scrap of news for the Journal; as you may not have seen it. I think it is the first instance of the kind; & as such is another encouraging sign of the times. How abundant, & how constantly increasing such signs are! I have been sick, for weeks; & am still quite feeble. I am waiting for more strength to write something about certain movements here, which I want to send you. Yrs. truly, Mary Grew. Mary Grew The Mary Grew 116 N. 11st St. Phil. March 11, 1873 Dear Mr. Blackwell, I send you these slips from "The Press," thinking that you may like to print them in the Journal. If you think it worth while to do so; you will, of course, credit them to The Press. I don't know who "Sterling" is, & his article is very poor; & certainly not worth printing if it were not for the sake of publishing the reply. "Graybeard," as you perhaps know if one of the staff of The Press, who has a certain amount of control of the paper; at least to the extent of writing in it what he pleases. The discussions in our State Convention have, of course, brought the subject of Woman Suffrage before the people & into our newspapers, in an unusual degree, in which we rejoice. Cordially Yrs, Mary Grew. [* Grew *] 116 N. 11th St. Phila. Oct. 19th, 1870 Dear Friend, Thanks for your letter which was duly received, and which I handed to Dr. Thomas. It contained some interesting facts which I shall remember, whether he uses them or not. He has corrected some of his statements by yours. I also received your Circular, and delayed my response until I could acknowledge also the receipt of your reply to my letter. I regard Cleveland as the most eligible place for the Annual Meeting of the Am. Woman Suffrage Association. I think that you will have a larger and more enthusiastic gathering there, where the Socy was so auspiciously organized, [*Mary Grew*] than you can have elsewhere. If I have a vote in the question, it goes, decidedly, for Cleveland. Mrs. Eliza S. Turner, of Chadd's Ford, Pa. tells me that she did not receive her copy of the Woman's Journal containing the reports of the Conventions in Mass. It was the issue of Oct. 8th. The week is very much; and I cannot spare mine for her, as I have promised to lend it to two or three persons. How good the Journal is! It should be extensively circulated. I anticipate with much pleasure your presence at our Annual Meeting here. Cordially Yours, Mary Grew Mrs. Lucy Stone [*The enclosed notices of Mrs. Drexell's will be worth a place in the Journal. Her sons are wealthy bankers of this city. I though might*] [*Mary Grew About Woodhull & Claflin*] 116 N 11th St. Phil. [M] June 3d.. 1871 My Dear Friends, That for both of your letters, and for the newspaper slips which I enclose. I have a copy of The Tribune containing them. I agree with you that it is a good thing for our cause that The Tribune has published the main points of difference between the tow societies; but I wish it had a better spirit towards our cause. I have not much more faith in that journal than I have in the N.Y. Nation, which is none at all. The package of papers [of] which you mention as sent to me have not come to hand, unless they were those sent through your clerk at the Journal office. We sent five copies of the Journal of May 22nd; and two of May 13th; and wrote me that there were no more to be spared. Since that time our Committee have published a card in two of our daily papers, repudiating the social theories of W. & P.’s Journal; and this card contains the resolution adopted in N.Y.; so that I am furnished with copies of it. I send with this, a copy of “The Phila. Post”, containing our card and the Post’s editorial notice of it. It surprises me that any of our friends can sympathize with Mrs. W.’s theories of marriage, however much they may sympathize with her as a suffering woman, who was the victim of a bad husband. In my short interview with her in N.Y. she impressed me as a woman better than [the] her theories. But I do not know her well. Cordially Yrs. Mary Grew. To Henry B. Blackwell & Lucy Stone. 116 N. 11th St. Phila Feb. 8th 1872 My Dear Friend, Can you find a place in the next Journal for the accompanying letter? I wish you were here to attend the State Convention, & listen to the debates, sometimes. They are doing much good to our cause; we think. Mr. Wildman will send your an account of Bishop Simpson's address last evening; I presume; therefore I have not mentioned it in my letter. [?] Please send me twelve copies of the Journal in which you print my Letter; and I will remit the payment for them with the amt. due for the Journal for this year. Please direct the papers to 116 N. 11th St. With kind regards to Mr. Blackwell, I am Cordially Yrs. Mary Grew. Lucy Stone. Mary Grew. 116 N. 11th St. 116 N. 11th St. Phila. Feb. 20th 1873 Dear Lucy Home, Please find enclosed $3.25 in payment for the current year's subscription for my copy of the Journal & for the twelve copies of last week's issue which came daily to hand. I am sorry to learn from your letter to Mrs. Hallowell, that the financial condition of the Journal is so low; but I hope that supplies will come. It is too valuable an agency in the cause to be spared now. We think of making a strong effort to put an agent into our field here; but do not say anything publicly about this, at present, if you please. We may not succeed; it is so difficult to raise money. Our State Convention is helping the cause of Woman Suffrage, although many of its members have no idea of doing so; and would be very much astonished if they should be told of it. This is a peculiarly advantageous hour for pressing our claims in this State; & if we had money enough to put three or four good agents into the field, most effective work might be done during the next six months. But though we cannot do this, we shall use diligently all the means we have of agitating the subject in the community. There is, certainly, great reason for encouragement in the rapid progress which our cause is making in nearly every part of the country. I trust that the Massachusetts Republicans will prove true to their pledges. But I did not intend to write a letter; only to enclose the money. Cordially Yours, Mary Grew. Mary Grew 116 N. 11th St. Phila. April 5th, 1875 Dear Lucy Stone, One of the Corporaters & Managers of the Woman's Association in this city, called on me this morning & asked me to procure for that Institution the correction of a mistake in the Woman's Journal of March 27th. In an article entitled Physiology for Women, which appeared in the Women's Journal of 27th also giving an account of work & a course of Lectures inaugurated by "The Woman's Association for the Promotion of Physiological and Hygienic Knowledge"; The name of the Ass'n is incorrectly printed as "The Woman's Suffrage Ass'n for, etc. The two Associations are entirely distinct, though some women are members of both. The Manager who called on me, & some of her co-laborers are very desirous that the error should be corrected in your next issue. Some of their members are not interested in Woman Suffrage; & those who are, naturally desire that each society should be credited with its own work. I will thank you to say to Mr. Blackwell that ever since I rec’d his letter in Feb’y I have been hoping to be able to comply with his request to furnish him some account of our Suffrage Meetings, for the Journal. I have been so miserably out of health; that I could not attempt it; & I have asked one or two others to do it. Yet it has not been done; & I suppose I shall make a desperate attempt at it, soon, if no one else does it. There is so much to be done that one cannot help wishing for vigorous health, to enable the hand to keep pace with the will. Cordially Yours, Mary Grew Mary Grew 116 N. 11th St. Phila. Oct. 8th, 1872 Dear Lucy, I received your letter of Sept. 18th; and should be very glad to do something in the aid of The Journal, if I could. Possibly some special effort might be made at our Annual Meeting, of the Penna Socy. I want to talk with you, about our Meeting; & about yours; or rather, I should say, our American Socy. Annual Meeting. I presume that the latter will not be held here; and if not, we shall want help from some of you, for ours. You know that Penna is very weak compared with Massachusetts, in material for Woman Suffrage Meetings, or work. I should write more at length; but it is possible that I may have an opportunity of talking with you (which is much better) during this month. It is just possible that I may go to Boston as a delegate to the Nat. Unitarian Conference, which is to be held on the 22d [next?] & the following days. If I should go, I shall see you, I trust; & we can talk over matters. I send a slip from one of our newspapers, containing some Resolutions passed. at our last Ex. Com. Meeting. Please give them a place in the Journal. I do not think that Mrs. Hallowell is "disgusted" or offended by the publication of her private notes; though it is annoying to her, I believe. She has been very busy, of late; & that is probably the reason why she does not write oftener. In haste, Yrs. truly, Mary Grew Don't say that I am going to the Conference, or to Boston; for I may not go. 116 N. 11th St. Phil. April 1st 1870 Mr. Charles K. Whipple, Dear Sir, You will confer a favor upon a friend of mine, and, consequently, upon me, if you will inform me where the following books can be obtained. “A Brief Genealogy of the Whipple Family. Compiled for Oliver M. Whipple, Esq. of Lowell, Mass. By John A. Boutelle, of Woburn. 1857.” “Memoranda relating to the Lane, Reyner [Rugner] and Whipple Families. Wm. H. Whitmore, Boston, 1857” S. G. Drake. 50 cts I have designated them as “books”. They may be pamphlets. My friend, Mr. Robert Cashman, of this city, who is related to the Whipple family, as is, also, his wife, is very desirous to obtain these books. If he can ascertain where they can be found, he can purchase them through one of our booksellers; but, thus far, he has not been able to ascertain this. I thought it probable you might know whether they were attainable or not. If, as I hope, you are coming to our Commemorative Meeting in New York, you can save yourself the trouble of writing a letter, by giving me the such information as you have, then & there. I hope I shall not put you to much trouble. Have we not reason for mutual congratulation in the Proclamation of the 19th Amendment! Now, if Mr. Garrison could but find it in his heart to accept the invitation given [offered] to all friends of the cause, to come & give thanks with us, over the completion of this great work of his & our lives, how thankful we should be! But whether he will unite with us or not, the cause has triumphed and & we rejoice. Please present my kind regards to Mrs. Whipple. Cordially, Your friend, Mary Grew Mary Grew to Anna Warren Weston copy Boston Publishing Mar 17, 1849 p 68 A2 24 Phila Female Anti Slav Soc. have been discussing the expediency of employing Miss Lucy Stone in this city, for a few weeks. Our idea is to have a course of lectures for women, in the city &, also, social meetings for Conference, etc. We want to rouse to some degree of anti-sl. vitality, the women of Phila. if it is possible. [Org, 1867 -A-S- New E branch of the Am Freedman's Union Commission. Kansas 1862 Emancipation League] [Entire first page crossed out] [Stanton 119 -20 -21 -22 - [St ?] 123 - Stone 124 125 126 Eliz Stuart Ward 1844 - 1911 Anne Whitney 1821 - 1915 Wm L Garrison Edmund Quincy Maria W. Chapman Edmund Jackson Wm I. Bowditch Samuel May Jr. Chas K Whipple Special trustees in the 4th art. of will of Fannie Jackson Feb 1862 L M Child - rep of the Right [of] Way the Safe Way - Jackson fund 1862 181 printed by Honey fund Anna E. Dickerson - agent for An Sl- under Jackson Fund 1862] Miss Mary Grew of Philadelphia Mary Grew Rec March 29/90 1312 Filbert St Phil. March 28th 1890 My Dear Friend, If a wearisome illness had not drawn largely upon my strength, I should have written before this to congratulate you & Mr. & Miss Blackwell upon the grand success of the first Meeting of the National American W. Suff. Ass'n. I had no expectation of being able to attend it, I was not, therefore, disappointed; though I could not help regretting my enforced absence. Much more did I regret your absence for the Meeting lost thereby. All accounts of the happily accomplished .union came to me rose-colored Miss Lucy Anthony returned full of joyous enthusiasm. The says that the representatives of the "American" Socy were "angelic" in their attitude towards the other side: I rejoice that, henceforward, there are not to be two sides or parties; but all one in a grand cause. As to the arrangement of offices, I think we may be satisfied; for you & Miss Blackwell hold what I regard as the two most important & powerful of the offices of an Assn. I recd a copy of the Journal, mailed at the Dorchester P.O., containing Mr. Foulke's speech, with certain passages marked with pen strokes. I inferred that you sent it, to draw my attention to them. I read them with much satisfaction & gratitude to him for uttering, then & there, some much needed truth, which will, I trust, serve as an antidote to some passages of Mrs. Stanton's speech. I do not fear that the Nat. Am. Assn will officially countenance the introduction into its work, of efforts to regulate divorce, or to revise the bible; or make an onslaught on the church; but I regretted that at this first meeting, a prominent officer should, by implication at least, suggest the bringing in of extraneous matters, upon which Suffragists may hold bitterly diverse opinions & with which, as Suffragists, we have nothing to do. Quite as great an indiscretion was committed by the pub- lication, in the Woman's Tribune, of the statement concerning the causes of division. How could anyone wish to revive that subject in the hour of the happy re-union? Mr. Blackwell's reply & explanation were needed, & were, I trust, quite as widely extended as was the false & foolish statement. More widely, probably. He did the cause good service thereby. We were sorry not to see him & Miss Blackwell on their [?ward?] way. This letter should have begun, not ended with an utterance of joy & thanksgiving for the news which this morning's paper brings, of the admission to the Union, of Wyoming, by the House of Representatives. Surely, we may be confident of the Senate's vote; it is so strongly Republican. With one State for full Suffrage for women, we may renew our courage & strength. Mrs. Turner said, sometime ago, that she wanted to live to see that. I think she will. The influence of that one State will be powerful with others. We are working her to collect money for Dakota. Miss Anthony writes that the Suffragists there need arousing to the enthusiasm displayed by the workers for Prohibition. It is astonishing that Prohibitionists cannot see that by Woman Suffrage is their shortest, safest way to the end they propose. I send with this a humorous response to a toast at a Meeting of our Woman's Club, recently held, thinking that you may like it for the Journal. Mrs. Burleigh joins me in kind regards to you and Mr. Blackwell and Miss Blackwell. I trust that you have recovered your usual health. Cordially Yours Mary Grew Mrs. Lucy Stone. (Mary Grew to Lucy Stone) 1312 Filbert St. Philadelphia, Pa March 28, 1890 My Dear Friend: - - - - All accounts of the happily accomplished union came to me rose-colored. Miss Lucy Anthony returned full of joyous enthusiasm. She says that the representatives of the American Society were “angelic” in their attitude towards the other side. I rejoice that, henceforward there are not to be two sides or parties; but all one in a grand cause. As to the arrangement of offices, I think we may be satisfied; for you and Miss Blackwell hold what I regard as the two most important and powerful of the offices of an Association. I received a copy of the Journal, containing Mr. Foulke’s speech, with certain passages marked with pen-strokes. I inferred that you sent it, to draw my attention to them. I read them with much satisfaction and gratitude to him for uttering then and there some much needed words, which will, I trust, serve as an antidote to some passages of Mrs. Stanton’s speech. I do not fear that the National-American Association will officially countenance the introduction into its work of efforts to regulate divorce, or to revise the Bible, or make an onslaught on the church; but I regretted at this first meeting, a prominent officer should by implication at least, suggest the bringing in of extraneous matters, upon which suffragists may hold utterly diverse opinions; and with which, as suffragists we have nothing to do. Quite as great an indiscretion was committed by the publication, in the Woman's Tribune, of the statement concerning the causes of division. How could any one wish to revive that subject in the hour of the happy re-union? Mr. Blackwell's reply and explanation were needed, and were, I trust, quite as widely extended as was the false and polished statement. More widely, probably. Hee did the cause good service thereby. This letter should have begun and not ended, with an utterance of joy and thanksgiving for the news which this morning's paper brings, of the admission to the Union, of Wyoming, by the House of Representatives. Surely, we may be confident of the Senate's work; it is so strongly Republican. With one State for full suffrage for women, we may renew our courage and strength. - - The influence of that one State will be powerful with others. - - - Cordially yours Mary Greer Mary Grew Phila Rec Apr 4/87 1312 Filbert St. Phila. Apr. 1st/87 Dear Friend, Lucy Stone, On behalf of the Pennsylvania Women Suffrage Association, we express our hope that the American Woman Suffrage Association will decide to hold its next Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Our cause needs help in this State, where laborers & money are not so abundant as in some other parts of our country; & such a Meeting will doubtless, be an inspiration for good among us, & in neighbouring communities. Cordially, yrs. Mary Grew, Pres. Mary S. Hillborn, Recording Secretary Elizabath B. Justice Corresponding Secretary 1312 Filbert St. Philadelphia Apr. 1, 1887 Dear Friend Lucy Stone On behalf of the Pennsylvania Women Suffrage Association, we express our hope that the American Woman Suffrage Association will decide to hold its next Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Our cause needs help in this State, where laborers and money are not so abundant as in some other parts of our country; and such a Meeting will, doubtless, be an inspiration for good among us, and in neighboring communities. Cordially yours Mary Grew, president Mary S. Hillborn, Rec. Sec’y. Elizabeth B. Justice, Cor. Sec’y. To L. S. Mary Grew Norwood’s York, Maine Aug. 22d, 1883. Rec. “ 25, “ Dear Friend, It is my confident belief that the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in London, in 1840, was called by the British & Foreign A.- S. Society. John G. Whittier can, I am sure, confirm or correct this impression of mine. The call was a very widely extended one; unintentially so, probably; for it really included women. I send you two clippings from the Phila. Ledger. You can, perhaps, make good use of one of them; & the other, if [value?], shd. be contradicted. The Ledger is, in the main, friendly to woman suffrage & equality of rights. I presume that some reporter or paragrapher con-[contributed] [contributed] tributed this scrap. We are spending a large part of the summer in this charming retreat, wh. is no less attractive to us in this our fifth season, than it was in the first. I hope to see you as I pass through Boston on my return, wh. will probably be about the middle of September. Mrs. Burleigh’s 92 I dare say among other readers of the Journal, hope that your daughter’s admirable letters, describing her trip to the far West, will be published in book or pamphlet form. Miss Mary Forrester Hobart, who met you, last year, at Mrs. Cox’s, at the time of the Longwood Meeting, wishes to send her love to you. She says you won’t recollect her. She is a very fine woman. Did you hear of the death of little Harry Cox, Mr. & Mrs. Cox’s eldest son? A sore grief & loss to them! Mrs. Burleigh sends her kind regards to you & your family. Cordially yrs. Mary Grew. Mary Grew Aug. 20 Norwood York, Maine, Aug. 19th/90 Dear Friend, Your letter of the 25th ult. & your card of the 16th [mot?] were received. I have so little strength for writing or walking, or for any effort, that I delayed responding to the former. I did not write to Mrs. Blankenburg or Miss Julia Myers, suggesting an effort to raise more money for S. Dakota. Mrs. B. had left the city, for the summer before I did; & I presume that Miss Myers is in the country home. where. Another reason for not writing is that they both made great effort, in the Spring or early summer. to collect all that they could, to increase the contribution of our State Soc’y to that fund; & I do not believe they could obtain any more, especially at this season. Their family contributed quite liberally Possibly something may be done when we re-assemble in the fall. I agree with you that it would be an unwise expenditure of money to send any one from the East to Dakota to arrange meetings there. I thank you for the invitation to attend the Anniversary Meeting in Boston in October. It would give me pleasure to do so if my health would permit, which it will not, unfortunately for me. I am very slowly, recovering my strength; and I hope to be able to begin my homeward journey at the end of this month. With kind regards from us both to your trio (?) Yrs. cordially, Mary Grew Mrs Lucy Stone Mary Grew 1312 FILBERT STREET Philadelphia, Apr, 9th, 1884 Dear Mr. Blackwell, Your letter with Lucy's appended words, came to me this morning. I am very glad that it was not a day later; for I leave home tomorrow, to be absent a week or more. I have just written to Passmore WIlliamson and John R. Wildman, I shall write to two or three other persons, urging immediate attention to this matter of the money for Oregon. Mr. Wildman will, I am sure, send to you at once, such sums as he may have in his possession for this object. I shall send to him today, my check for the amt of my own and several donations which have been or will be paid to me. I am spending this morning in making arrangements to extend the circulation of our fut- Subscription paper; & I hope that the business of raising money will be accelerated thereby. But raising money for suffrage, here, is hard work. I introduced the subject too our New Century Club, as its last Meeting, reading a part of Lucy's statement. It was an innovation, no doubt, a startling one; but Mrs. Gurner approved it; & we both know that the Club has been unconsciously growing in the direction of Woman Suffrage, for some time. A little money was given to me; not much; but it was an important step to have the subject squarely brought before that body. If you should wish to communicate with us at any time, during the next ten days, please write to Mr. Wildman. I have really no strength to spare for such work; but this is an unusually important crisis. When I return home I will see what has been, & what further can be done. Yrs. cordially Mary Grew. Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.