Letters of Lydia Maria Child, with a biographical introduction by John G. Whittier and an appendix by Wendell Phillips.

LE TTER,S. 85
South? It has decided that slaves may be brought
into the free States, like any other property. Such
a decision is in direct opposition to the decision of
the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. If the old
Commonwealth don't rise in her moral strength at
this attempt to lay the yoke on her, why, thein, indeed, the spirit of the Puritans and of'76 has died
out; and we must all drift together toward a military
despotism, with slave-holders for officers and foreigners for soldiers.
TO MRS. S. B. SHAW.
WAYLAND, October 27, 1856.
Your letter accompanying Mr. Curtis's oration
came safely to hand. The oration is eloquent, brilliant, manly, and every way admlirable. Among the
many good things which this crisis has brought forth,
I am inclined to pronounce it the best. How glad I
am to see Mr. Curtis looming up to such a lofty stature of manliness. This I attribute in part to the
crisis, so well adapted to call out all the manhood
there is in souls. I smiled to read that he had
warmed up N. P. W. to such a degree that he announced his intention to deposit his " virgin vote"
for Fremont. It was pleasant to learn that he had
anything " virgin " left to swear by. What a Rip!
to lie sleeping fifty years, dreaming of kid gloves,
embroidered vests, and perfumed handkerchiefs, taking it for granted that his country was all the while
going forward in a righteous and glorious career.
Is n't it too bad that such parasol-llolders should have
the right to vote, while earnest souls like you and me
must await the result in agonizing inaction? Things
look squally; don't they, dear? But while there is