The Trial of Susan B. Anthony

I grew up in Holcomb, NY in Ontario County.  On paydays my family made our weekly trip to Canandaigua to get groceries and other necessary items.  Before the bypass was built, the road into Canandaigua went straight to the Ontario County Courthouse.  I was familiar with the historic yellow  edifice, but as a child I had no idea the heinous injustice perpetrated within its walls.  I have long known that it was the site of the Susan B. Anthony trial, but until I read the book "The Trial of Susan B.  Anthony"  which contained the transcript of the trial, I didn't realize just how far reaching the injustice was. 

Susan and thirteen other women cast their ballots on Nov. 5, 1872 for several positions including that of Congressman.  Three election officials, who were also arrested and convicted, approved and accepted their ballots.  The women in no way tried to disguise the fact that they were women.   With the advice of her  attorney, Judge Selden, Anthony believed that the 14th amendment to the Constitution gave her the right to vote.  On June 17th and 18th, 1873 she was tried, convicted, and fined $100 because she exercised what she believed to be her right to the elective franchise.  But the atrocity doesn't end there.  If that wasn't bad enough, the very justice system that was supposed to protect her failed. 

At that time period the states were charged with determining who could vote and who could not, as long as they didn't violate the Constitution.  That is why until the 19th amendment was passed the decision to grant women the right to vote was determined by the different states.  This trial, however, was held in a Federal Court by a Federal judge.  Breach of justice #1:  she was tried in a Federal Court for a disputable State infraction.

Twenty jurors were selected, all of them men.  Certainly not a jury of her peers.  However, the 2nd real breach of justice here is that the judge, Ward Hunt, would not let the jury deliberate or speak and instead directed the jury to find Ms. Anthony guilty.  In fact, the judge's decision was made and written prior to the trial, breach of justice #3. 

Breach of justice #4 occurred when Anthony's attorney filed an appeal.  Who did the appeal go to?  You guessed it, Judge Hunt, the same closed minded person who convicted her.  The appeal was denied. 

Anthony was fined $100, the equivalent of about $2000 today.  She refused to pay it, and it is still being carried on the books.  One newspaper editorial summed it up succinctly when he wrote, "If it is a mere question of who has got the best of it, Miss Anthony is still ahead; she has voted and the American Constitution has survived the shock.  Fining her one hundred dollars does not rub out the fact that fourteen women voted, and went home, and the world jogged on as before.⁽¹⁾

⁽¹⁾County Post, Washington Co., N.Y., June 27, 1873, in HWS 2:944.

Trial of Susan B. Anthony, with an Introduction by Lynn Sherr.  Trial of Susan B. Anthony

In Christ There is No North or South

The first Civil War Reenactment that I attended was on a Sunday morning.  My husband , son and my son's  friend  were talking to some soldiers from the 77th Pennsylvania  when some of the soldiers looked at their watch and realized that church was about to start.  They grabbed their folding stools and took off at a run to get there before the service started.  We followed, albeit at a slower pace.  What I observed when I arrived touched me.

The service was led by a Confederate officer.  In attendance were soldiers and civilians from both sides, as well as some spectators.  Chairs were being brought out to accommodate everyone.  Then the worship began,  Civil War style.  The songs, the preaching, and the testimony were all consistent with the time period, but no one was reenacting.  This was real.  There we sat and worshiped together...North and South, 19th century and modern.  It reminded me of the song, "In Christ there is no East or West.  In Him no North or South."  This song was written in 1908, well after the "Late Unpleasantness," but sums up the emotions that I feel during these open air services. 

During the Civil War revival broke out.  It has been said that there are no atheists in fox holes.  Men who faced hardships and death on a daily basis leaned on God for comfort and  support.  Both sides prayed and worshiped the same God.  Both sides asked for God's blessing and for victory.  Someone once asked Abraham Lincoln if he thought that God was on their side.  Lincoln responded, "Sir, my concern is not whether  God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." 

God is not a God of North or South, God is a God for all.  There is no better illustration than to see representatives of both sides in corporate worship.

In Christ now meet both East and West,

In Him meet North and south;

All Christly souls are one in him

Throughout the whole wide earth.¹

^1" In Christ There Is No East or West" by William Dunkerley.

Built To Last

Last week my 11 year old washing machine went south and I had to call for a repair man to come out.  In the process of deciding whether to fix it or buy a new one, I asked the repair man if it would last another 11 years if the expensive repairs were done.  His response was, "no, they just aren't built like they used to be.  They aren't built to last."  That got me to thinking about 19th century things.  I have a sewing machine that was built in 1898.  I have used it for the last 20 years, and it will probably last another 100 years.  Last year I bought a modern electric sewing machine.  My treadle, though, is still the one that I use for primary sewing jobs.  It will handle heavy fabrics much better than my modern one.  It is also more reliable with less breakdowns and when something does go wrong with it I can fix it myself.   

How about the light bulb?  I have a hard time keeping light bulbs stocked in my house including the expensive curly ones that are supposed to last several times longer than the incandescent bulbs but don't.  Compare that with the original Edison bulbs.  There are several of those still burning, some of which have been doing so for over 100 years. 

And then there is the automobile.  I remember a time when you could work on your own vehicle.  Today they all have computers, which make them expensive and hard to fix, and you can't even play Spider Solitaire on them.  In fact, many if not most of the items that we use every day contain computers of one kind or another.  (Oh no, the computer in my coffee pot just crashed and I couldn't get my caffeine fix today.)

I really enjoy the simplicity of 19th century things.  For example, where can you buy a modern cherry pitter?  I long to find a 19th century one in good useable condition.  I have a cherry tree in the back yard and removing the "stones" by hand is tedious.  There are some things that just can't be improved upon.  I would like to hear from my readers.  Are there 19th century things that you enjoy and still use today?  I look forward to hearing your comments. 

As a side note, when I went to the store to buy a new washer the salesman assured me that the new ones were built to last.  He told me that it would be the last washer that I would ever have to buy.  I don't know how old he thought I was, but we will see how long it lasts.

How To Make Free Fire Starters

These fire starters are NOT 19th century.  However, they were born out of necessity utilizing our forefathers' ingenuity and frugality.  I can't tell you how many reenactments I have been to where we were provided wood (sometimes green) but didn't have any tinder or kindling.  Usually there are at least a few trees around where we can forage for small sticks, but sometimes there is nothing, or it has been picked clean.  These firestarters will burn long enough to ignite logs, and the best part is that they are easy to make and FREE!!!

The ingredients: 

You will need some cardboard egg cartons, candle stubs, and some kind of filling:

I used sawdust for the filling, but you could also use dryer lint, or even animal or human hair.  I once kept the sheddings of my dog and used those.  There is an odor, though, when they are burned.  I like the sawdust the best.

Place the candles in a tin can and melt them by placing the tin can in a pan of boiling water.  NEVER put the tin can directly over a flame.  You could burn your house down! 

While the candles are melting, cut the lids off of the egg cartons.  In order to cut down on any mess, I take cookie sheets and line them with aluminum foil.  Place the egg cartons on the cookie sheets and fill the egg cups with your filling:

When the candles are melted, carefully pour the wax on top of your filling.  Use a hot pad to protect your hands:

I used a stick to poke the wax down in each cup and make sure that the wax penetrates the filling.

Let the wax cool and solidify:

To use, break 2 or 3 blocks off.  Set them under your logs and light the cardboard.  Soon you should have a nice toasty fire. 

Civil War Candle Light Tour

Several weeks ago we participated in a benefit Candle Light Tour at the farm of Arthur Street in Coweta.  This event has been growing every year, and it is exciting to see the growth.  This year the proceeds went to benefit the Wagoner County Disabled American Veterans. 

One of the biggest draws was the field hospital where the surgeons used moulage to simulate realistic wounds. The crowd was enthralled as  these medical "professionals" performed amputations, bullet removals, suturing and other surgical procedures.

Plans will soon begin for next year's event.  I hope that it will be bigger and better and that this event will keep growing.

* Photos by Photography by Hannah

Buena Vista Cake

I would like to share with my readers a recipe that I found in the Feb 1849 issue of Godey's Ladies Magazine.  The original appeared as follows:

Obviously it needed some modernising.  After all, how hot is a brisk oven?  After experimentation and cross referencing the quantities with references, I came up with this:

Buena Vista Cake

From Godey’s Lady’s Magazine

Feb 1849

©2011 Kim Gray

1 C. Sugar

2 Sticks butter

¼ C. Rosewater

3 Eggs

2 C. Flour

2 t. Nutmeg

1 t. Soda

1 t. Baking Powder

1 C. Buttermilk or Sour Milk

Pre-heat oven to 350^o  With a blender cream 1 C. Sugar and 2 Sticks of butter until light.  Add rosewater and eggs, beating well after the addition of each.  In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately bit by bit beating well after each addition.  Pour into a greased and lightly floured 13x9x2 inch pan.  Bake at 350^o for 35 minutes or until done.  When cool, lightly sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over the top or glaze with the glaze below.

Glaze

Pour one cup of powdered confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.  Add alternately rosewater and milk a few drops at a time until the consistency is slightly runny.  Dribble the glaze on the top of the cake and spread with a knife in such a way that the glaze runs down the sides.

Note:  I found that the cake was dryer when I used the buttermilk. 

This recipe is not super sweet like a lot of modern recipes are.  The rosewater and nutmeg give it a very unique flavor.  Try it and let me know what you think.

Close Encounter With A Dust Devil

 

     I am fascinated with weather.  One of the things that fascinate  me is dust devils; those little whirlwinds that dance across fields kicking up dust along the way.  They rarely cause any damage, and usually occur when the weather is good.  The first time that I saw one was when I was a young girl in Upstate New York.  I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it had quite a crowd encircling it, watching.  Since then I have seen dust devils on several occasions, once having two or three of them cross a field and pass right in front of my vehicle.  I wondered what it was like inside one of these vortices.  I determined that if I was ever given the opportunity I would like to experience the inside of a dust devil first hand.

      My opportunity arose at the Battle of Honey Springs in Rentiesville, OK one September several years ago.  I was reenacting as a civilian that weekend.  It was hot out and we were trying to keep from overheating.   I was sitting around in camp when I observed one of these funnels kick up and blow across the field.  I had to run to catch it, placing myself right in the middle of the vortex. 

     I forgot that I was wearing a hoop skirt.  The experience was hard to describe, but the effect was that of Marilyn Monroe’s windy grate experience.  Those whirling winds whisked my skirt up and threatened to embarrass me.   Maybe my billowing skirts changed the direction of the air flow but whatever the reason; it suddenly dissipated leaving me none the worse for the wear, and with yet another funny story about reenacting. 

Godey's June 1839

A Beautiful Surprise

While paging through my 1839 compilation of Godey's Lady's Book I came upon an unexpected surprise.  Tucked between the pages was a penciled drawing.  I don't know its exact age, but it is obviously very old. 

My Country

This is from Godey's March 1839