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Dr. (afterwards Sir John)
Bowring, a Member of Parliament as well as of the
Convention, confirmed his support of woman's rights in the latter place by inviting
Mr. Garrison to breakfast on the 19th of June.
Bradburn was also there, and among their fellow-guests were
1 Judge Jeremie, the eminent West Indian friend of the slave, and
F. A. Isambert, equally distinguished for his anti-slavery services in the
French colonies.
2 To
Bowring the woman question was ‘of singular interest,’ as he wrote to
Mr. Garrison on November 9, 1840: ‘How often have I regretted,’ he continued,
that this3 subject was launched with so little combination—so little preparation—so little knowledge of the manner in which it had been entangled by the fears of some and the follies of others.
But bear up!—for the coming of those women will form an era in the future history of philanthropic daring.
They made a deep if not a wide impression, and have created apostles if as yet they have not multitudes of followers.
The experiment was well worth making.
It honored America—it will instruct England.
If in some matters of high civilization you are behind, in this matter of courageous benevolence how far are you before us!
My grateful affections are with them and you.
In a like spirit,
Harriet Martineau wrote to
Mrs. Chapman:
Garrison was quite right, I think, to sit in the gallery of4 the Convention.
I conclude you think so. It has done much, I am persuaded.
You will live to see a great enlargement of our scope of usefulness, I trust; but, what with the vices of some women and the fears of others, it will be hard work to assert our liberty.
I will, however, till I die—and so will you —and so make it easier for some few to follow. . . . The information brought out at the Convention will do good, I have no doubt; but the knowledge we have obtained of the obvious deficiencies of the members, in the very principles they came to advocate, will surely do more. ... I feel in my soul the honor of the appointment of delegate.
You know5
