NAWSA          GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE          Jones, J. Elizabeth

Salem, [*O, ?*]   July 1, 1847
My Dear friend Lucy:
    I have long had it in contemplation
to write you... I feel that I know you pretty well,
that we have many views and feelings in common
with each other.  I hope we shall have the pleasure
of a personal acquaintance ere long.....
    I have heard repeatedly that you were rather
inclined to lecture on Woman's Rights.  Allow me
to offer a suggestion on that point, and you
can take it for what it is worth.  Is it not better
to go forward and take our rights, show our
independence, establish our equality, make the
world feel that we are not intellectually inferior,
rather than tarry to discuss the question. ----
I believe that the Grimke's, L. Mott, A. Kelley, P. S.
Wright and others who have been in the lecturing
field have done more to establish Woman's Rights
than they could have done by a direct agitation
of the question. ----  I want you to enter
the field and fully commit yourself to
lecturing before you see your friends.  Had


I not entered in before consulting my friends,
and witnessing their deep hostility to the place,
and seeing the alienation of acquaintances at
the prospect even, and feeling the scorn and
ridicule of the work; very likely my great love
of approbation would have deterred me from
entering it at all.
    I know nothing of your organization, but
I know these considerations would influence any
person to some extent. ---
    Affectionately
    J. Elizabeth Jones

Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.