Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 10.

[p. 95] despatches she succeeded in baffling their curiosity, and proceeded to her main object, which was to obtain from some of the U. S. Judges a habeas corpus act for the release of her husband. In part of her mission she had failed; all with one consent having found some excuse for evading her just demand. She is now impatiently waiting for an opportunity to return; and to the inquiry, what were her prospects? modestly but firmly replied, ‘Whether my husband lives or dies, his paper will be carried on; I shall edit it in his absence.’ She was brought here last evening by Mr. Andrew, a lawyer from Boston, who was to address our Fremont Club, and supposing that it might be attended here as in so many other places by the women, he had invited this lady to accompany him and tell her story, so that we had the benefit of hearing what she had expected to relate to the public. Her narrative was absolutely thrilling; she described one night in which she and her husband were watched by an armed band of ruffians, who not content with thrusting their heads into the room through an open window, finally broke open the door which was fastened on the inside, and marched round the bed. ‘I lifted myself up,’ said the six foot lady, ‘and bowed over my husband, determined that they should assail me first.’ Last autumn during the week that should have been devoted to gathering in the harvest and preparing for winter, these poor settlers were defending their lives and property against eight hundred Missourians who poured in upon them to control the election, and the consequent suffering during the long hard winter could hardly, she said, be imagined. This morning I have been perambulating our town inviting the good women and true to put their fingers to the work of preparing a box of warm garments to be forwarded to a Boston committee which pledges itself that whatever is committed to them for the benefit of the champions of liberty shall safely reach its destination. Our visitor was sanguine in the expectation that the present reign of iniquity will soon come to an end. I can only say, ‘God grant it may.’