History of American Socialisms Part 18

John Allen, 2 Stephen Pearl Andrews, 1 Albert Brisbane, 56 Geo. H. Calvert, 1 Wm. E. Channing, 1 Wm. F. Channing, 1 Wm. H. Channing, 39 Otis Clapp, 1 J. Freeman Clarke, 1 Joseph J. Cooke, 10 Christopher P. Cranch, 9 George W. Curtis, 10 Charles A. Dana, 248 Hugh Doherty, 11 A.J.H. Duganne, 3 John S. Dwight, 324 George G. Foster, 7 Edward Giles, 3 Parke G.o.dwin, 152 E.P. Grant, 4 Horace Greeley, 2 Frederic H. Hedge, 1 T.W. Higginson, 10 E. Ives, Jr., 3 Henry James, 32 Wm. H. Kimball, 1 Marx E. Lazarus, 52 James Russell Lowell, 2 Osborne Macdaniel, 47 Wm. H. Muller, 2 C. Neidhardt, 1 D.S. Oliphant, 1 John Orvis, 23 Jean M. Palisse, 16 E.W. Parkman, 1 Mary Spencer Pease, 1 J.H. Pulte, 1 George Ripley, 315 Samuel D. Robbins, 1 Lewis W. Ryckman, 5 J.A. Saxton, 1 James Sellers, 3 Francis G. Shaw, 131 Miss E.A. Starr, 5 W.W. Story, 14 Edmund Tweedy, 7 John G. Whittier, 1 J.J. Garth Wilkinson, 12

Most of these writers were in the prime of youth, and Socialism was their first love. It would be interesting to trace their several careers in after time, when acquaintance with "stern reality" put another face on their early dream, and turned them aside to other pursuits. Certain it is, that the socialistic revival, barren as it was in direct fruit, fertilized in many ways the genius of these men, and through them the intellect of the nation.

NATIONAL CONVENTION.

Report from _The Phalanx_ condensed.

Pursuant to a call published in the _Phalanx_ and other papers, a Convention of a.s.sociationists a.s.sembled on Thursday morning, the 4th of April, 1844, at Clinton Hall, in the city of New York.

The following gentlemen were appointed officers of the Convention:

_President_, George Ripley.

_Vice Presidents_,

A.B. Smolnikar, Parke G.o.dwin, Horace Greeley, Charles A. Dana, A. Brisbane, Alonzo M. Watson.

_Secretaries_,

Osborne Macdaniel, D.S. Oliphant.

_Committee on the Roll and Finance._

John Allen, James P. Decker, Nathan Comstock, Jr.

_Business Committee._

L.W. Ryckman, John Allen, Osborne Macdaniel, George Ripley, Horace Greeley, Albert Brisbane, Parke G.o.dwin, James Kay, Charles A. Dana, W.H. Channing, A.M. Watson, Solyman Brown.

Before proceeding to business, the secretary read letters addressed to the Convention by a number of societies and individuals in different parts of the United States. The style of these letters may be seen in a few brief extracts. E.P. Grant wrote:

"The day is speedily coming when justice will be done to Fourier and his doctrines; when monuments will rise from ten thousand hills, surmounted by his statue in colossal proportions, gazing upon a happy people, whose G.o.d will be truly the Lord, because they will live in spontaneous obedience to his eternal laws."

John White and others wrote:

"We behold in the science of a.s.sociated industry, a new social edifice, of matchless and indescribable beauty, and true architectural symmetry! Surely, it must be no other than that 'house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens;' for its foundation is justice, and the superstructure, praise; in every department of which dwell peace and smiling plenty, and whose walls are every where inscribed with manifold representations of that highest Divine attribute--love."

H.H. Van Amringe wrote:

"Certainly all creation is a reflex of the mind of the Deity, and we cannot hesitate to believe that all the works of Divine wisdom are connected, as Fourier teaches, by laws of groups and series of groups.

To discover these, as observers of nature discover and combine the harmonies of astronomy, geology, botany and chemistry, should be our aim; and this n.o.ble and heavenly employment, while it banishes want and misery from our present life--destroying the spiritual death and h.e.l.l which now reign--will, under the Providence of the most High, open to us admission into the Kingdom of the Messiah, that the will of our Father may be done on earth as it is done in heaven."

And so on. After the reading of the letters, Wm. H. Channing, on behalf of the business committee, introduced a series of resolutions, prefacing them with a speech in the following vein:

"It is but giving voice to what is working in the hearts of those now present, and of thousands whose sympathies are at this moment with us over our whole land, to say this is a religious meeting. Our end is to do G.o.d's will, not our own; to obey the command of Providence, not to follow the leadings of human fancies. We stand to-day, as we believe, amid the dawn of a new era of humanity; and as from a Pisgah look down upon a promised land."

The resolutions (occupying nearly two pages of the _Phalanx_) commence with a long preamble of four _Whereases_ about the designs of G.o.d in regard to universal unity, the call of Christendom and especially of the United States to forward these designs, the dreadful state of the world, &c., &c. The third resolution proposes a.s.sociation on Fourier's principles of Joint-stockism, Guaranteeism, Combined Industry, Series and Groups, &c., as the panacea of human woes. The fourth resolution protests against "rash and fragmentary attempts," and advises a.s.sociationists not to undertake practical operations till they have secured the right sort of men and women and plenty of capital. The fifth resolution recommends that a.s.sociationists concentrate their efforts on experiments already commenced, in preference to undertaking new enterprises. The sixth resolution betrays a little distrust of Fourier, and an inclination to keep a certain independence of him--a symptom that the Brook Farm and Unitarian element prevailed in the business committee. They say:

"We do not receive all the parts of his theories which in the publications of the Fourier school are denominated 'conjectural,'

because Fourier gives them as speculations, because we do not in all respects understand his meaning, and because there are parts which individually we reject; and we hold ourselves not only free, but in duty bound, to seek and obey truth wherever revealed, in the word of G.o.d, the reason of humanity, and the order of nature. For these reasons we do not call ourselves Fourierists; but desire to be always publicly designated as the a.s.sociationists of the United States of America."

It must be borne in mind, in order to understand this _caveat_, that the courtship between the Ma.s.sachusetts Socialists and the Brisbane propagandists, though very warm, had not yet proceeded to coalescence.

Brook Farm was not yet a "Phalanx," The _Harbinger_ was yet _in futuro_. And Fourier's lat.i.tudinarian speculations about marriage and s.e.xual matters, made a difficulty for men of Puritan blood, that was not yet disposed of. In fact this difficulty always made a jar in the family of American Fourierists, and probably helped on their disasters and hastened their dissolution.

The seventh resolution proposes that measures be taken for forming a National Confederation of a.s.sociations. The eighth resolution expresses a wish for concert of action with the a.s.sociationists of Europe, and says:

"For this end we hereby appoint Albert Brisbane, representative from this body, to confer with them as to the best modes of mutual cooperation. And we a.s.sure our brethren in Europe that the disinterestedness, ability and perseverance with which our representative has devoted himself to the promulgation of the doctrine of a.s.sociation in the United States, ent.i.tle him to their most cordial confidence. Through him we extend to them, with joy and trust, the right hand of fellowship; and may heaven soon bless all nations with a compact of perpetual peace."

The ninth and last resolution appoints the following gentlemen as an executive committee to edit the _Phalanx_, and to do many other things for carrying into effect the objects of the Convention:

Horace Greeley, Parke G.o.dwin, James P. Decker, Frederick Grain, Albert Brisbane, Wm. H Channing, Edward Giles, Chas. J. Hempel, Osborne Macdaniel, Rufus Dawes, D.S. Oliphant, Pierre Maroncelli, of the City of New York.

Solyman Brown, Leraysville Phalanx, Bradford County, Pennsylvania.

George Ripley, Brook Farm a.s.sociation, West Roxbury, Ma.s.sachusetts.

Alonzo M. Watson, Jefferson County Industrial a.s.sociation, New York.

E.P. Grant, Ohio Phalanx, Belmont County, Ohio.

John White, Cincinnati Phalanx, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Nathan Starks, North American Phalanx, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

On the second evening of the Convention, Parke G.o.dwin, on behalf of the business committee, reported a long address to the people of the United States. It is a powerful presentation of all the common-places of Fourierism: the defects of present society; organization of the townships into joint-stock companies; central unitary mansions and workshops; division of labor according to the law of groups and series; distribution of profit in the proportion of five-twelfths to labor, four-twelfths to capital, and three-twelfths to talent, &c. We quote the eloquent and pious conclusion, as a specimen of the whole:

"An important branch of the divine mission of our Savior Jesus Christ, was to establish the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth. He announced incessantly the practical reign of Divine wisdom and love among all men: and it was a chief aim of all his struggles and teachings to prepare the minds of men for this glorious consummation. He proclaimed the universal brotherhood of mankind; he insisted upon universal justice, and he predicted the triumphs of universal unity. 'Thou shall love,' he said,'the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy mind and all thy heart, and all thy soul, and thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' Again: 'If ye love not one another, how can ye be my disciples?' 'I have loved you, that you also may love one another.' 'Ye are all one, as I and my father are one.' Again: he taught us to ask in daily prayer of our Heavenly Father, 'Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' Aye, it must be done, actually executed in all the details of life! And again, in the same spirit his disciple said, 'Little children, love one another.'

'If you love not man, whom you have seen, how can you love G.o.d whom you have not seen?' And in regard to the form which this love should take, the apostle Paul says, 'As the body is one, so also is Christ. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,' &c. 'That there should be no schism (disunity) in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another; and if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.' 'Ye are members one of another.'

"These Divine truths must be translated into actual life. Our relations to each other as men, our business relations among others, must all be inst.i.tuted according to this law of highest wisdom and love. In a.s.sociation alone can we find the fulfillment of this duty; and therefore we again insist that a.s.sociation is the duty of every branch of the universal church.

Let its views of points of doctrines be what they may; let it hold to any creed as to the nature of man, or the attributes of G.o.d, or the offices of Christ; we say that it can not fully and practically embody the spirit of Christianity out of an organization like that which we have described. It may exhibit, with more or less fidelity, some tenet of a creed, or even some phase of virtue; but it can possess only a type and shadow of that universal unity which is the destiny of the church. But let the church adopt true a.s.sociative organization, and the blessings so long promised it will be fulfilled. Fourier, among the last words that he wrote, describing the triumph of universal a.s.sociation, exclaims, 'These are the days of mercy promised in the words of the Redeemer, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.' It is verily in harmony, in a.s.sociative unity, that G.o.d will manifest to us the immensity of his providence, and that the Savior will come according to his word, in 'all the glory of his Father:' it is the Kingdom of Heaven that comes to us in this terrestrial world; it is the reign of Christ; he has conquered evil. _Christus regnat, vincit, imperat._ Then will the Cross have accomplished its two-fold destiny, that of consolation during the reign of sin, and that of universal banner, when human reason shall have accomplished the task imposed upon it by the Creator. 'Seek ye first the Kingdom of G.o.d and his righteousness'--the harmony of the pa.s.sions in a.s.sociative unity. Then will the banner of the Cross display with glory its device, the augury of victory, _In Hoc Signo Vinces_; for then it will have conquered evil, conquered the gates of h.e.l.l, conquered false philosophy and national indigence and spurious civilization; _et portae inferi non prevalebunt_.

"To the free and Christian people of the United States, then, we commend the principle of a.s.sociation; we ask that it be fairly sifted; we do not shrink from the most thorough investigation.

The peculiar history of this nation convinces us that it has been prepared by Providence for the working out of glorious issues. Its position, its people, its free inst.i.tutions, all prepare it for the manifestation of a true social order. Its wealth of territory, its distance from the political influences of older and corrupter nations, and above all the general intelligence of its people, alike contribute to fit it for that n.o.ble union of freemen which we call a.s.sociation. That peculiar const.i.tution of government, which, for the first time in the world's career, was established by our Fathers; that signal fact of our national motto, _E Pluribus Unum_, many individuals united in one whole; that beautiful arrangement for combining the most perfect independence of the separate members with complete harmony and strength in the federal heart--is a rude outline and type of the more scientific and more beautiful arrangement which we would introduce into all the relations of man to man. We would give our theory of state rights an application to individual rights. We would bind trade to trade, neighborhood to neighborhood, man to man, by the ties of interest and affection which bind our larger aggregations called States; only we would make the ties holier and more indissoluble. There is nothing impossible in this; there is nothing unpractical! We, who are represented in this Convention have pledged our sleepless energies to its accomplishment. It may cost time, it may cost trouble, it may expose us to misconception and even to abuse; but it must be done. We know that we stand on sure and positive grounds; we know that a better time must come; we know that the hope and heart of humanity is with us--that justice, truth and goodness are with us; we feel that G.o.d is with us, and we do not fear the anger of man. _The future is ours--the future is ours._ Our practical plans may seem insignificant, but our moral aim is the grandest that ever elevated human thought. We want the love and wisdom of the Highest to make their daily abode with us; we wish to see all mankind happy and good; we desire to emanc.i.p.ate the human body and the human soul; we long for unity between man and man in true society, between man and nature by the cultivation of the earth, and between man and G.o.d, in universal joy and religion."

After this address, Mr. Ripley of Brook Farm made a speech, and Mr.

Solyman Brown of the Leraysville Phalanx recited "a very beautiful pastoral, ent.i.tled, A Vision of the Future." Here occurred a little episode that brought our old friends of the Owenite wing of Socialism on the scene; not, however, altogether harmonically. The report says:

"A delegation of English Socialists, from a society in this city, presented itself. The gentlemen composing the delegation, demanded seats as members of the Convention. The call of the Convention was read, and they were asked if they could unite with the Convention according to the terms of the call, as 'friends of a.s.sociation based on the principles of Charles Fourier.' This they said they could not do, as they differed with the partisans of Fourier in fundamental principles, and particularly in regard to religion and property. They held to community of property, and did not accept our views of a Providential and Divine social order. They were informed that the objects of the Convention were of a special and business character, and that a controversy and discussion of principles could not be entered into. Their claim to sit as members of the Convention was therefore denied: but they were allowed freely to express their opinions, and treated with the utmost courtesy, without reply."

Many "admirable addresses" continued to be delivered; among which one of Mr. Channing's is mentioned, and one of Charles A. Dana's is reported in full. He spoke as the representative of Brook Farm. We cull a few broken paragraphs:

"As a member of the oldest a.s.sociation in the United States, I deem it my duty to make some remarks on the practical results of the system.

We have an a.s.sociation at Brook Farm, of which I now speak from my own experience. We have there abolished domestic servitude. This inst.i.tution of domestic servitude was one of the first considerations; it gave one of the first impulses to the movement at Brook Farm. It seemed that a continuance in the relations which it established, could not possibly be submitted to. It was a deadly sin--a thing to be escaped from. Accordingly it was escaped from, and we have now for three years lived at Brook Farm and have carried on all the business of life without it. At Brook Farm they are all servants of each other; no man is master. We do freely, from the love of it, with joy and thankfulness, those duties which are usually discharged by domestics.

The man who performs one of these duties--he who digs a ditch or executes any other repulsive work, is not at the foot of the social scale; he is at the head of it. Again we have in a.s.sociation established a natural system of education; a system of education which does justice to every one; where the children of the poor receive the integral development of all their faculties, as far as the means of a.s.sociation in its present condition will permit. Here we claim to have made an advance upon civilized society.

"Again, we are able already, not only to a.s.sign to manual labor its just rank and dignity in the scale of human occupations, but to insure to it its just reward. And here also, I think, we may humbly claim that we have made some advance upon civilized society. In the best society that has ever been in this world, with very small exceptions, labor has never had its just reward. Every where the gain is to the pocket of the employer. He makes the money. The laborer toils for him and is his servant. The interest of the laborer is not consulted in the arrangements of industry; but the whole tendency of industry is perpetually to disgrace the laborer, to grind him down and reduce his wages, and to render deceit and fraud almost necessary for him. And all for the benefit of whom? For the benefit of our excellent monopolists, our excellent companies, our excellent employers. The stream all runs into their pockets, and not one little rill is suffered to run into the pockets of those who do the work. Now in a.s.sociation already we have changed all this; we have established a true relation between labor and the people, whereby the labor is done, not entirely for the benefit of the capitalist, as it is in civilized society, but for the mutual benefit of the laborer and the capitalist.

We are able to distribute the results and advantages which accrue from labor in a joint ratio.