“Brother Garrison was here last Sixth Day and spent two hours with us.  He gave us a most delightful account of recent things in Boston, which I will try to tell thee of.  “When the abolitionists found how their petitions were treated in Congress, they sent in, from all parts of Massachusetts, petitions to the legislature, requesting it to issue a protest against such contempt of the people’s wishes and rights.  The legislature was amazed at the number and respectability of these petitions, and appointed a committee to take them under consideration.  Abolitionists then asked for a hearing before that committee, not in the lobby, but in the Hall of Representatives.  The request was granted, and though the day was exceedingly stormy, a good number were out.  A young lawyer of Boston first spoke an hour and a half; H.B.  Stanton followed, and completely astonished the audience, but could not get through by dark, and asked for another meeting.  The next afternoon an overflowing audience greeted him; he spoke three hours, and did not yet finish.  Another meeting was appointed for the next evening, and he says he thinks hundreds went away because they could not get in.  Stanton spoke one hour and a quarter, and then broke down from the greatness of the effort, added to the unceasing labors of the winter.  A profound silence reigned through the crowded hall.  Not one moved to depart.  At last a member of the committee arose, and asked if there was any other abolitionist present who wished to speak.  Stanton said he believed not, as they now had the views of the Anti-Slavery Society.  The committee were not satisfied; and one of them said if there was any abolitionist who wished to follow Mr. Stanton, they would gladly hear all he had to say, but all declined.  Brother Garrison said such was the desire to hear more on this subject, that he came directly to New York to get Weld to go and speak before them, but his throat is still so much affected that it will be impossible for him to do so.  Isn’t this cheering news?  Here are seven hundred men in the Massachusetts legislature, who, if they can be moved to protest against the unconstitutional proceedings of Congress, will shake this nation to its centre, and rock it in a revolutionary storm that must either sink it or save it.”

After closing their meetings in New York, the sisters held similar ones in Newark, Bloomfield, and other places in New Jersey, in all of which Sarah was as active and enthusiastic as Angelina, and from this time we hear no more of the gloom and despondency which had saddened so many of the best years of her life.  But, identified completely with her sister’s work, she was busy, contented and satisfied of the Lord’s goodness and mercy.

These meetings had all been quiet and undisturbed in every way, owing of course, to the fact that only women attended, but the newspapers had not spared them.  Ridicule, sarcasm, and pity were liberally bestowed upon the “deluded ladies” by the press generally, and the Richmond Whig published several editorials about “those fanatical women, the Misses Grimke.”  But writing against them was the extent of the opposition at that time, and this affected them very little.