A
Mother’s Day Proclamation
 |
| From Wikipedia |
This proclamation was
written by Julia Ward Howe, in 1870. She also wrote “The Battle Hymn of the
Republic” in 1861, which glorified the Civil War. The feeling at the time was
that war was glorious and would end in a few weeks. Four years later, after
almost a million were killed in battle, Howe had a change of heart, and wrote
the following proclamation. Kudos to Maine
Boats, Homes and Harbors for bringing these moving words to my attention.
Arise then…women of this
day!
Arise, all women who
have hearts!
Whether your baptism be
of water or of tears!
Say firmly: “We will not
have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not
come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caress and applause.
Our sons shall not be
taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been
able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one
country,
Will be too tender of
those of another country
To allow our sons to be
trained to injure theirs.”
From the bosom of a
devastated Earth a voice goes up with Our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is
not the balance of justice.”
Blood does not wipe out
dishonor,
Nor violence indicate
possession
As men have often
forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women not leave all
that may be left of home
For a great and earnest
day of counsel…
Whereby the great human
family can live in peace…
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