[88] Gerrit Smith's home was ever a charming resort for lovers of
liberty as well as lovers of Eve's daughters. In his leisure hours my
cousin had a turn for match-making, and his chief delight in this
direction was to promote unions between good Abolitionists and the
sons and daughters of conservative families. Here James G. Birney,
among others, wooed and won his wife. Here one would meet the first
families in the State, with Indians, Africans, slaveholders,
religionists of all sects, and representatives of all shades of
humanity, each class alike welcomed and honored, feasting, feting,
dancing--joining in all kinds of amusements and religious worship
together (the Indians excepted, as they generally came for provisions,
which, having secured, they departed). His house was one of the depots
of the underground railroad. One day Mr. Smith summoned all the young
girls then visiting there, saying he had a great secret to tell them
if they would sacredly pledge themselves not to divulge it. Having
done so, he led the way to the third story, ushered us into a large
room, and there stood a beautiful quadroon girl to receive us.
"Harriet," said Mr. Smith, "I want you to make good Abolitionists of
these girls by describing to them all you have suffered in slavery."
He then left the room, locking us in. Her narrative held us
spell-bound until the lengthening shadows of the twilight hour made
her departure safe for Canada. One remark she made impressed me
deeply. I told her of the laws for women such as we then lived under,
and remarked on the parallel condition of slaves and women. "Yes,"
said she, "but I am both. I am doubly damned in sex and color. Yea, in
class too, for I am poor and ignorant; none of you can ever touch the
depth of misery where I stand to-day." We had the satisfaction to see
Harriet dressed in Quaker costume, closely veiled, drive off in the
moonlight that evening, to find the liberty she could not enjoy in
this Republic, under the shadow of a monarch's throne.

CHAPTER XIV.

NEW YORK.

First Steps in New York--Woman's Temperance Convention, Albany,
January, 1852--New York Woman's State Temperance Society,
Rochester, April, 1852--Women before the Legislature pleading for
a Maine Law--Women rejected as Delegates to Men's State
Conventions at Albany and Syracuse, 1852; at the Brick Church
Meeting and World's Temperance Convention in New York,
1858--Horace Gre