The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-02-05
NEW YORK HERALD.



tion in Morals Politics and Religion-its
Auostlcs-its Aims--its Progress-lts Ten
denotes.
On the first page OF this day paper our readers
will find an authentic and somewhat extended re-
presentation OF movement, which far exceeds IN
magnitude, boldness, and success-any thing ever
yet exhibited, since the first attempt was made 10
reform the world The immensely Of this move
ment-its omprehensveness-its apparent success,
altogether surpass any thing either in Germany,
France, or England. We all know very well that
all the magnificent projects of Robert Dale Owen,
supported as they were by great and acknowledged
talent and great pecunary means, came TO nothing.
The labors-the persevering labors of Charles Fou-
rier himself, even soil apparently genial, in an
eminent degree, have been reproductive and in
Germany the Communists have, as we have seen
from the recent accounts from Europe, altogether
failed in effecting permanent footing. But the
present movement in this country appears to be a
very different thing.
About fifteen years ago, very remarkable at
tempt made to effect a somewhat similar
social revolution in this country Il was supported
by great deal OF talent, and very considerable
expenditure Of money ; but it never approached to
any thing like the strength and vlgor-the marked
success OF the present movement. Every one re-
members the time when Fanny Wright came TO
this city, accompanied by large number OF re-
formers of the same creed Many, also, Will re-
collect her extraordinary lectures given in the
Park Theatre, at Washington Hall, and we be-
lieve also at Tammany Hall. The attempts then
made to form % communities in various parts OF
the country, were seconded by the outlay OF a
great deal of money, and the eoquence Of Fanny
herself And Fanny's rhetorical powers must be
well recollected in Tammany Hall; for she was
the first to denounce the banks, andjparsons, and
lawyers, and brokers in the most unsparing man.
ncr. Crowds followed the phllosophic reformer in
petticoats. Her notions were talked about, and
laughed at and half believed. Newspapers, advo-
eating her doctrines, started up, and fired away
furiously against the old social economy Wild,
unshaved, crazy men, in the country villages, COM
menced lecturing in Fanny's wake but, after Il
few years. struggling, the whole movement came
to nothing, and every thing connected with It was
forgotten. Fanny Wright abandoned her own
notons-found clever Frenchman, who promised
to make fond, affectionate husband; and for HIM
she recanted all her ideas about freedom from
marriage ties; and she is now very happy and
contented wife and mother, living, we believe, at
Cincinnati and sometimes visiting Paris, attend
ing all the while to the education of an only
daughter, who is represented to be what her
mother was-a very intellectual girl.
That movement was certainly one of the strangest
things we had seen in this country. 1t fastened IT,
self also on the Jackson party with some degree OF
force And we believe it was about that time that
Robert Dale Owen, now the distinguished member
of Congress- from Indiana, first made his appear
ance in this city, and spent some money for the
purpose OF aiding the new social reform. But ne
married very pretty young woman in New York.
and went out west to take possession OF some pro-
perty he had there, and IS now one of the ablest
members from the west at present in Washington.
But, as we have already remarked, all this move
ment came to nothing.
II was not till after years, that any thing like
success dawned upon the efforts Of the new school
Of reformers. The rainbow of promise did not hang
out its glttering promise in the clouds until Albert
Brisbane and Horace Greeley-two very remarka-
bic young men-devoted enthuslasts-somewhat
eccentrc-rather careless of their dress-took hold
of those notions of Fourier, connected them inge-
niously with the political movements of the day, or
the fortunes rather of the strong political party at
tached to Mr.. Clay, and have finally met with a
tide Of success almost astounding, even to them
selves and which apparently threatens the uproo-
ing of the whole social edtce-potics- morals
religion-property-marr thing
Il is very true that Albert Brisbane and Horace
Greeley do not go openly so far some other dis
ciples But so is it always with new revelations.
The zeal of young converts Is proverbia, and they
uniformly 60 TO extremes which the more cautious
and prudent apostles endeavor TO avoid. The zeal
of St. Peter prompted him to draw the sword from
the scabbard and cut off the ear of the Roman
sentinel, but his Master rebuked him for his mpru
dence and violence. These two apostles of the
new movement, however-one OF them from the
verdant mountains of Vermont, and the other from
the blooming vales of the Genesee rver-have
united their forces together, and in conjunction
with the influence of political organization, they
are producing complete social revolution through
out the country; and by means of the support ans
aid Of the party attached to Mr.. Clay, will give
impulse to those principes-revealed in all their
breadth and profundity on our first page-whch
will astonish every body in less than ten years.
Brisbane travelled for some time in Europe-got
acquainted with Fourier-eagerly embraced his
doctrines--and burning with zeal to dffuse them,
returned to this country, just in time to connect
himself with similar enthusiast from Vermont, in
the person of Horace Greeley, the philosopher, who
had been wandering amid the mists of transcen-
dentalism and Caryslesm, and was just prepared
to seize on the splendid visionary creed Of
Fourier Since then, the two youthful enthusiasts
have been at it night and day. with their coats off,
and their necks freed from cravat and shirt-coar
They are daily becoming more and more enamor
ed Of the divine philosophy, to whom they have
plshted eternal fidelity, and with unsurpassed dill.
gence and energy they are laboring to reform the
world--to change the destiny of man-to restore
the lost nobility of our nature-to make every DO.
dy rich and happy-to elect Mr.. Clay--and at once
to introduce the millennium with all its ranscendan
and perennial glory.
Some of the disciples, as we have limited, ar,
going rather ahead Of the apostles. And to coun
teract this in some measure, Horace and ALDER
have commenced series of lectures in this cit
for the nurpose Of putting martingae on the yea