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The most colorful and important peace organization to rise from the the Civil War was the Universal Peace Union (UPU). This militant band grew out of reaction against compromising tactics which the American Peace Society adopted during the Civil War. The new movement was launched at Providence, Rhode Island in 1866. Taking leading parts were Joshua P. Blanshard, Adin Ballou, Henry C. Wright, Alfred H. Love, and Lucretia Mott.
The UPU labored to remove the causes of war, to discountenance all resorts to deadly force . . . "never acquiescing in present wrongs." They tolerated no compromise with the principles of love and nonviolence. Specifically they preached immediate disarmament and worked for a general treaty among nations, arbitration, and unconditional submission to an international tribunal.
The UPU denounced imperialism, compulsory military training, memorials and war demonstrations, war taxes, capital punishment, the spread of white imperialism in Africa, the exclusion of Asian immigration and the continued denial of rights to native Americans. Because of their work Pennsylvania laws were relaxed in their application to conscientious objectors. The UPU was active in promoting the rights of women. Many women served equally with men on all executive committees and working committees. Women made up at least 50 per cent of the membership of UPU and they were active in the organization's agenda. Early in its career the UPU believed that peace might be obtained in industry through arbitration. In 1880 members helped settle a dispute between the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Reading Railroad management. Alfred Love was the arbitrator in this action.
The UPU opposed the aggressive policy of the Grant administration toward Santo Domingo and Cuba. In 1896 they implored the Spanish government to grant autonomy to the Cubans, to withdraw troops and remove oppressive taxes. Alfred Love, the president, sent an ill-fated letter to the Queen Regent of Spain. The UPU worked equally hard to influence Washington. Though as war clouds gathered other peace organizations were undecided, or accepted war as inevitable, the UPU was determined to prevent war. The ill-fated letter was intercepted, and published in garbled form. It unleashed a storm of passion against the UPU, headquartered in Philadelphia. The office was thrown out of Independence Hall, precious mementos were ruthlessly scattered and Alfred Love was burned in effigy.
The UPU held its annual meetings at Mystic Grove, Connecticut for many years. At the first meetings only about sixty people were present. However, in the 1880s and the 1890s the number of attendees soared to close to 10,000.
In the course of time more than forty branch peace societies were affiliated with the UPU.
Officers and those associated with the UPU include: Hannah L. Bailey; Joshua P. Blanshard; Arabella Carter; Amanda Deyo; Mary Frost Ormsby Evans; Belva A. Lockwood; Alfred H. Love; Lucretia Mott; Lydia Schofield; and C.F. Stollmeyer.
The Records of the UPU consist of organizational correspondence, minutes, financial records, publications, and memorabilia. The diaries of president Alfred H. Love and also included in the collection. Photographs of UPU members and officers may be found in the SCPC Photograph Collection. Important information about UPU activities may be found in the periodicals published by the UPU between 1867 and 1913. These periodicals have been microfilmed. The originals may be found in the SCPC Periodicals Collection.
The Records of the UPU are arranged into three series. Series I. includes all organizational and administrative files. Series II contains the diaries of Alfred H. Love. Series III consists of materials about Mary Frost Ormsby Evans and materials about the UPU collected by her.
The microfilm of the UPU records consists of eighteen reels of
film. The first six contain the various periodicals of the UPU,
published 1867-1913. Correspondence and organizational records may be
found on Reels 7 through 11. Reels 11-18 contain the diaries UPU
president Alfred H. Love. Reel 19 contains other material collected
by Love and some material by and about Mary Frost Ormsby Evans. The
memorabilia collected by Evans was not filmed.
Series I
Reels 13.1-13.6 (see after Series III) Reel 13.7 Box 1 Correspondence (misc., special) 1867-1911 Correspondence, 1876-1922 Correspondence, Amanda Deyo (a vice-president and
business manager of the UPU), 1906-1912 Correspondence, re: C.F. Stollmeyer, 1938 Correspondence, n.d. Box 2 Minutes (with correspondence) November 2, 1891-December 3, 1900 Reel 13.8 January 7, 1901-December 4, 1911 January 2, 1912-October 8, 1920 Box 3 Membership blanks, medals, etc. Mystic Grove appeal Box 4 Financial records Reel 13.9 (starts with ledger number 2) Membership records, 1893-1896-1900-1920 Box 5 Miscellaneous papers Independence hall rooms (contributions for
furnishings) Spanish War activities and removal from Independence hall
rooms Material on a bill to establish a Department of Peace
(1915) UPU inventory (1866-1920) Manuscripts (of Henning Melander) Two scrapbooks, clippings, 1863-1910 Reel 13.10 (starts with scrapbook number 2) Box 6 Photographs and pictures (officers, members, and friends
of the UPU) [originals moved to SCPC Photograph
Collection Material about the peace bell (Columbian Liberty Bell,
1893) and related material Box 7 Peacemaker Mailing lists, 1895-1898 Reel 13.11 UPU Visitors book, 1897-1923 Box 8 Material about peace flags, (history, miscellaneous
designs, correspondence, general) mostly from UPU files
Series II
Alfred H. Love, President
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Reel 13.11 (cont'd) |
Box 9 |
Diaries, Volumes 2-5 (Vol. 1 is missing) |
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(March 7, 1846-November 5, 1854 and "Index" [by date only] to diaries Vols. 1-25) |
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Reel 13.12 |
Box 10 |
Diaries, v. 6-9 |
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(Nov. 6, 1854-Dec. 17, 1862) |
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Reel 13.13 |
Box 11 |
Diaries, v. 10-12 |
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(Dec. 18, 1862-Nov 12, 1869) |
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Reel 13.14 |
Box 12 |
Diaries, v. 13-16 |
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(Nov. 13, 1869-Oct. 13, 1881) |
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Reel 13.15 |
(starts with Vol. 15--Dec. 12, 1875) |
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Box 13 |
Diaries, v. 17-19 |
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(Oct. 14, 1892-Mar. 6, 1892) |
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Reel 13.16 |
(starts with v. 18--March 19, 1885 ) |
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Box 14 |
Diaries, v. 20-23 |
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Reel 13.17 |
(Mar. 7, 1892-Mar. 20, 1905) |
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(starts with v. 21--October 9, 1895) |
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Reel 13.18 |
Box 15 |
Diaries, v. 24-25 |
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(Mar. 21, 1905-June 15, 1912) |
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Reel 13.19 |
Box 16 |
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Personal papers, memorial letters, etc. |
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Memorials, 1913 |
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Nobel Peace Prize |
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Personal History |
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PA Prison Society |
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Mystic Grove |
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W.H. Allen & Co. |
Mrs. Mary Frost Ormsby Evans Reel 13.19 (cont'd) Box 17 Personal papers Correspondence with Alfred Love Photos, clippings (Material Not Filmed) [Larger items shelved in SCPC Memorabilia
Collection] Photographs and pictures Membership books, 1885-1920 Alfred H. Love's briefcase Peace Bell, 1893 Alfred H. Love's high school diploma Grand Prize Award, Universal Exposition, 1900 Grand Prize Award, Universal Exposition, 1904 Various peace flags and banners of all sizes, some white
bordered American flags, rolled and flat. Two wooden signs (on display SCPC) One large wooden sign Article on Universal Peace Union and meetings at Mystic
river 7/21/34 (in folder in Box 3) (Acc. 89A-002-)
Universal Peace Union Periodicals Available on
Microfilm
Reel 13.1 Philadelphia Tribune (November 1867) Bond of Peace (Vols. 1-4, 1868-1871) Voice of Peace (Vols. 1-2, 1872-1874, first
series) Voice of Peace (Vol. 1-Vol. 3, No. 4, 1874-1876,
second series) Reel 13.2 Voice of Peace (Vol. 3, No. 5/6-Vol. 8, No. 12,
1876-1882) Leaflets of Peace for Children (Vol. 3, No. 13,
April 1882) The Peacemaker (Vol. 1, No. 1-Vol. 4, No. 12, July
1882-June 1886) Reel 13.3 The Peacemaker (Vol. 5, No. 1-Vol. 12, No. 12,
July 1886-June 1894) Fifth Universal Peace Congress Report, August 1893, to p.
89 Reel 13.4 Fifth Universal Peace Congress Report, August 1893, p. 90
to end The Peacemaker (Vol. 13, No. 1-Vol. 18, No. 3/4,
July 1894-September/October 1899) Reel 13.5 The Peacemaker (Vol. 18, No. 4-Vol. 24, No. 12,
November 1899-December 1905) Reel 13.6 The Peacemaker (Vol. 25, No. 1-Vol. 32, January
1906-Midsummer 1913)