our household slept, abigail had the time to focus her mind and your thoughts directed to the formic philadelphia and to her husband. this was a moment to consider issues that were important to her. and so she initiated another seditious topic. i long to hear that you have declared independence she wrote, and by the way in the new code of laws, which i suppose it will be necessary for you to make, i decide you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them then your ancestors. do not put such unlimited power into the hands of husbands. this was an audacious move. again, as she sat, her thoughts carried her to a territory that was more revolutionary than any american, a male or female, had wandered in the course of the rebellious considerations. slavery was the light specter that the delegates avoided, but the idea of the rights of women was so contrary to anyone's imagination, much less an expression in the halls of congress, that the issue would have been considered amusing rather than alarming. but abigail was serious, very serious. remember all men would be tyrants if the