Page:Heroines of freethought (IA cu31924031228699).pdf/215

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FRANCES WRIGHT D'ARUSMONT
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Her wealth, family connections, and literary reputation gave her the entree to the best society of the gay city. Among others, General Lafayette distinguished by his special and marked friendship this girlish authoress, whose enthusiastic admiration of the new republic was only equaled by his own. Enthusiastic in the cause of republicanism as she was, she yet conducted herself with such rare moderation and good sense as to win and retain the warm friendship of many distinguished French Royalists, whose views upon all topics were diametrically opposed to her own.

It was part of the programme she had marked out for herself in life to make America the chief field of her labors for humanity, and she returned here in 1824. The strange anomaly of negro slavery being advocated, as well as merely allowed, in a country ostensibly sworn to cherish and protect the true liberty of mankind, surprised and shocked this woman, who believed sincerely that “all men are born free and