iar with the circumstances as I
am, and equally competent to give a report of them.

Mr. Spelter (the editor of the "Burroak Banner") suggests that I must
be brief, if I wish my words to reach the ears of the millions for
whom they are designed; and I shall do my best to be so. If I were not
obliged to begin at the very beginning, and if the interests of Atlantic
had not been swallowed up, like those of other little States, in the
whirlpool of national politics, I should have much less to say. But if
Mr. George Fenian Brain and Mrs. Candy Station do not choose to inform
the public of either the course or the results of our struggle, am I to
blame? If I could have attended the convention in Boston, and had been
allowed to speak--and I am sure the distinguished Chairwoman would have
given me a chance--it would have been the best way, no doubt, to set our
case before the world.

I must first tell you how it was that we succeeded in forcing the men to
accept our claims, so much in advance of other States. We were indebted
for it chiefly to the skill and adroitness of Selina Whiston. The matter
had been agitated, it is true, for some years before, and as early as
1856, a bill, drawn up by Mrs. Whiston herself, had been introduced into
the Legislature, where it received three votes. Moreover, we had held
meetings in almost every election precinct in the State, and our Annual
Fair (to raise funds) at Gaston, while the Legislature was in session,
was always very brilliant and successful. So the people were not
entirely unprepared.

Although our State had gone for Fremont in 1856, by a small majority,
the Democrats afterwards elected their Governor; and both parties,
therefore, had hopes of success in 1860. The canvass began early, and
was very animated. Mrs. Whiston had already inaugurated the custom of
attending political meetings, and occasionally putting a question to the
stump orator--no matter of which party; of sometimes, indeed, taking the
stump herself, after the others had exhausted their wind. She was very
witty, as you know, and her stories were so good and so capitally told,
that neither Democrat nor Republican thought of leaving the ground while
she was upon the stand.

Now, it happened that our Congressional District was one of the closest.
It happened, also, that our candidate (I am a Republican, and so is Mr.
Strongitharm) was rather favorably inclined to the woman's cause. It
happened, thirdly--and this is