THE NEW ABOLITIONISTS A NARRATIVE OF A YEAR'S WORK BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MISSION PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE BRITISH, CONTINENTAL, AND GENERAL FEDERATION PROSTITUTION DYER BROTHERS, 21, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, LONDON 1876 PREFACE. A WISH has from time to time been expressed by many friends, into whose hands some of Mrs. Butler's letters written during her journey abroad have come, that some collection should be made of these letters in such a form as that they might be placed in the hands of a wider circle of readers. In consequence of this wish, as many of these letters as could be obtained have been gathered together by the compilers of the following pages, and the writer's consent has been obtained to their publication. It has been found advisable to work them into the connected form of a narrative, which is here presented to the reader. Several letters, being more or less a repetition of others, have been omitted, but it has been thought desirable to leave a few containing allusions and references to other subjects than those involved immediately in the special work to which they refer, as tending to give more vividness to the narrative. Some chapters have been added, which it is hoped may serve to some extent to form a record down to the present date of the work of the Federation whose establishment was the immediate result of the events detailed in the earlier chapters. The following pages do not profess in any way to contain a development of the arguments against the system opposed by the Federation, but merely to give a record of events. All reference to the medical aspect of the question has been omitted, as it has been the object of the compilers to produce a narrative which might be generally read. MARCH, 1876. CHAPTER I. The Repeal Cause in Great Britain. Motives for undertaking a mission to foreign countries. Lull which succeeded the General Election. Depression of the Abolitionist workers. Faith surmounting depression. Conference at York. Paper read by Mr. Collingwood. Resolution of the Conference. Cor- respondence opened with continental friends. Letters from M. Humbert and Professor Hornung. "Friends' Association" prominent in the work. Meeting for prayer, in Birmingham. Sympathy of Great George Street Committee. Mrs. Butler goes to Paris. Conference at M. Decoppet's. M. Theodore Monod. Confer- ence called by the Committee of St. Lazare. M. Jules Simon, and M. Jules Favre. The "Bureau of Morals." Conference at Mr. Appia's. Visit to Lyons. Antibes. Letter to Mr. Stansfeld. Visit to Genoa. Signor Virgilio. Signor Guiseppe Nathan in- vited to join the work. Pisa. Rome. From Rome to Naples. Conference in Naples. Sympathy of friends. From Naples to Rome. Abolitionists in the Italian Parliament. Ministry of Grace and Justice." Conference at Signor Ribetti's. Letter of Madame Meuricoffe. From Rome to Florence. Letters Letter of Pro- meeting. Address Geneva. Père Hyacinthe, Mr. Hornung, Pastor Borel, Mr. war. Conference of women at Neuchâtel. Conference of men; Over the Jura to Dijon. Bitter cold. From Dijon to Paris. M. Humbert in Paris. Conflict with opponents. Mrs. Craven. Cardinal Manning. M. La Caze. French workmen. M. Louis Blanc. Lourcine Hospital. Prison of St. Lazare. Youthful prisoners. Tyrants and slaves change places. Crimes and miseries of Paris. Letter to Joseph Edmondson. Conference of gentlemen in Paris. M. Ed. de Préssensé presides. Mixed meeting in Paris. Opposition of an Advocate. Dr. Deprès. "Maison des Diaconesses." Mrs. Butler's return to England. Conference at the Westminster Palace Hotel. Conference held in Liverpool, March 19th. Constitution of the "British, Con- tinental and general Federation for the abolition of Government Regulation of prostitution." M. Humbert appointed Continental Correspondent for the Federation. Letters from Switzerland and telegrams from Rome and Paris, tendering adhesion to the Great increase of correspondence. Mrs. Butler's health gives way. |