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Palmetto Leaves and Egalitarianism
Harriet Beecher Stowe has a historical link to the politics of slavery. Through her regionalist work Palmetto Leaves she gives an artful yet impassioned plea for the education and equality of freedmen.
In the work she examines life and state-building in Florida. Her personal style of describing events and purpose through the everyday events of her surroundings come out in the book. Stowe preaches an early minimalist ideal of taking personal and collective responsibility for ones life, surroundings and desires are also expressed.
Stowe foreshadows her topic of interest, the fair treatment of freed slaves, in the first chapter with her plea for the welfare of a desperate stray dog. Using the language of the Bill of Rights she expresses not knowing if the poor stray dog from the steamer wanders with, "...no rights to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness." (Stowe, p. 10) With this sentiment and language Stowe is telling her reader that we all must feel some concern and responsibility toward our fellow man, black or white, rich or poor.
She then goes on to tell of the assumed responsibility of a group of Christian women to raise money for the shelter of ownerless dogs, feeling that this is a Christian duty, "...to give such a refuge, till they find old masters or new, seems only a part of Christian civilization." (Stowe, p. 11) Her expression of civic pride is repeated frequently in the daily trails and tribulations of the story. The issues of, who will provide labor and who will pull together to build a homey, pick'nicky sort of community...
(pgs. 16-19) Stowe makes use of these analogies as she goes on to discuss the need for such examples when going about to build programs and services for a new colony. She gives warning to newcomers to not expect to live in luxury and that the finery of life should not be expected. Though the hospitality and community feel is present individual people must take care of their own needs, expect simple outcomes and involve themselves in community building with civic duty and egalitarianism.
Assisted by the Freedman's Bureau the church/school was erected and services were held on Sundays while a separate school for whites and blacks was offered during the week. Stowe laments the difficulty of keeping the money available to pay a teacher and then sadly reports that the building was burned down. Describing all these difficulties with a stiff upper lip as the community comes together to rebuild. With the narrative of this work Stowe is discussing the personal sacrifices and commitments that must be borne to maintain even the most minimal services for children, both white and black. (pg. 20-25) The civilizing force that can be seen in many historical works by women of this era can be seen here.
Stowe moves on to talk about the preconceived notions about Florida that lead all tourists to believe that…
The things that Stowe leaves out are those more modern ideas of a true egalitarian state where these Negro men were not judged as if they were children just leaving preschool and setting out for the first time on their walk home, though a different tone would be hard to find in this time. To many people Stowe's attitude was progressive for even judging the men as human. Stowe's work fits into the time as continued segregation leaves blacks and whites, especially those who are wealthy enough to own winter homes separate from one another and very unlikely to learn any intimate details about the lives of the other.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Palmetto Leaves. Boston, James R. Osgood & Co. 1873. Florida
Heritage Collection. 02 May 2003. http://fulltext.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=fhp&idno=NF00000034&format=pdf.
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