THE WOMEN'S MEMORIAL TO THE QUEEN.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
you kindly afford me a small space for the result of the attempt made by Englishwomen to record their protest in favour of Peace, and to co-operate, as far as their position allows, with those of their countrymen who desire to maintain the true honour and interests of England? I am sure you, Sir, who have ever so strenuously fought this battle of the right, will be the last to grudge us such an opportunity.
The Women's Memorial to the Queen on behalf of a Congress and Peace has just been presented by the Home Secretary to her Majesty. The chief promoters of it were Mies A. Shore, Miss C. A. Biggs, Miss H. Blackburn, Miss Albert, Mrs. Massey, Mrs. Tremenheere, and Miss Howard Taylor ; and it was drawn up almost word for word from the Eastern Question Memorial, for which the signatures of women in general were not invited. Ours contains 11,955 signatures, which might easily, had time allowed, been at least doubled, so warm, so wide-spread was the feeling it excited. Nearly the whole number of names was collected in nine days, a single notice in the Daily News and the Echo having pro- duced a flood of solicitations for copies of the memorial and offers of signatures, and of help in procuring them.
Out of scores of well-known and highly respected names, given with warm good-wishes for the cause, I cannot even pretend to select ; I can only mention as specimens Mrs. Grey and Miss Shir reff, Mrs. Garrett-Anderson, M.D., Mrs. Richmond Ritehis (Miss Thackeray), Miss Octavia Hill, Miss Helen Taylor, Madame Bodichon, Miss Edith Simcox, and Miss Edith Coleridge. These will show from what various circles of thought and work our supporters come. Miss Florence Nightingale signed the other almost identical memorial, and Miss Cobbe is on the Committee of the Declaration against War. Signatures came also cordially from the centres of education, from the heads of Girton College and Queen's College, in London, from the mistresses and teachers of high schools, and the College for Working-men and Women, from all the women doctors but one, from manufacturing towns and quiet villages in remote districts. London sends a very fair proportion of names, chiefly, of course, of cultivated people, of good social position, but from the large country towns, especially in the North, there seems to come up from all classes a.
very cry of mingled terror, indignation, anxious hope, and earnest resolution. The working-women have signed eagerly, and worked hard in the short time they had for collecting signatures. I must gratefully acknowledge the help we have had from clergymen of all denominations, and many worthy and intelligent tradesmen. Several ladies of rank have expressed their entire sympathy with the object of this memorial, but it is to be wished that their names might have appeared, in evidence of so honourable a feeling.
Events at this crisis so rapidly change faces, that what is now penned may, when it is published, scarcely appear appropriate to the state of things ; yet once for all, the promoters of this Memorial wish to state that their desire for peace does not mean such a peace as will rob Russia, and the provinces that she has striven to liberate of the just gains of all her sacrifices and victories, by restoring, in any degree whatsoever, the domination tner them of the Ottoman Power.—I am, Sir, &c.,
ARABELLA SHORE.
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