When President Jackson proposed moving the Cherokee Indians against their will out of Georgia, in violation of earlier treaties and government promises, David Child's Massachusetts Journal began virulently attacking Jackson's positions and actions.
Lydia Maria Child, around that same time, published another novel, The First Settlers. In this book, the white main characters identified more with the Indians of early America than with the Puritan settlers. One notable interchange in the book holds up as models for leadership two women rulers: Queen Isabella of Spain and her contemporary, Queen Anacaona, Carib Indian ruler. Her positive treatment of Native American religion and her vision of a multiracial democracy caused little controversy -- mostly because she was able to give the book little promotion and attention after publication. David's political writings at the Journal had resulted in many cancelled subscriptions and a libel trial against David. He ended up spending time in prison on this offense, though his conviction was later overturned by a higher court.
David's decreasing income led Lydia Maria Child to look to increase her own. In 1829, she published an advice book directed at the new American middle-class wife and mother: The Frugal Housewife. Unlike earlier English and American advice and "cookery" books which were directed to the educated wealthy, this book assumed as its audience a lower-income American wife. Child did not assume that the housewife had a household of servants. Her focus on plain living while saving money and time focused on the needs of a far larger audience.
With increasing financial difficulties, Maria took on a teaching position as well as continuing her own writing and publishing the Miscellany. She also wrote and published, both in 1831, The Mother's Book and The Little Girl's Own Book, more advice books with economy tips and even games.
David's political circle, which included William Lloyd Garrison, and its anti-slavery sentiments, drew her into consideration of the subject of slavery. She wrote more of her children's stories on the subject of slavery.
