The New York herald., 1845-02-20

in that book, which appeared TO us to be identical
with those formerly promulgated by Fanny Wright
in this country. /. seems, however, that II was in
Cincinnati and not in this city that Fanny Wright
announced the opinions which we regarded as iden-
tined with those promulgated in the book to which
we had reference. Bat our passing remarks have
elected very curious illustration of the captious
ness-the sensitlveness-the querulousness, which
Distinguish all these social philosophers in the
form OF a letter from Fanny Wright herself Here
II ISL
To THE EDIroR OF THE HERALD =
SIR:-
My attention has been called to an editorial in your
Herald OF yesterday the l7h in which you pleased
to make free with my name in manner-I will not say
unbecomng gentleman that character being at the
present. but unbecoming the conductor Of public
press, such as public press wont in these days to be-
In reference to work. of which know the name only
from your advertisement Of it, in connexion with which,
rem the context suppose to be meant Tor mne' appears
"I is called Woman in the 10Th century, and extracts
which hayeseen in OF the papers on the subject
marriage and other matters OF social intercourse it
would Seem to be merely renewal OF some Of the opin
ions. rather free and easy than otherwise which were
formerly promulgated and taught by Fanny Wright in the
Park Theatre in this city and in the Hall OF Science The
author OF Woman in the 0th century, appears to think
the present system Of marrying and giving in marriage,
very unphilosophcai She alludes with great deal Of
eeag to tn ssrag the East but those establish
filed with females whether she means that the
Western sysfe should recognize seraglos OF men,
cannot clearly seAamL the wildness and enthusiasm
Of her sentiments So goes the new philosophy"
Now sir, have in the of my public life,
to comment upon any OF the gross and
aeral misrepresentation and msstatements Of which
have been made tn SUBJECT But here is statement not
general but formal and precise made in accordance
with your own knowledge. feel myself called upon,
therefore, fatty contradict it. Inever, "either in the
hall Of science" in the Park theatre" any
where else n this city," have expressed any opinions at
all either free and easy" or otherwise ION the system
of mar uN pi vi in
have never advocated any where, nor in any manner,
he alteration amendment, abrogation Of any laws
laws whatsoever So far from this the only sentiment
expressed in public the subject Of marriageand
%aSs IN put to ne m
'on clergyman-was to this effect -
Marriage is not in itself subject of enquiry 1t can
but be considered under the head OF law under the
head OF morals IL under the frs hesitate not to say
that regard 1t as erroneous and as utterly worthless as
Ill the rest of legal system II under the second that
regard it equally inefficient with all the dogmas OF
,ur Jew Christian bible and our Sunday preaching.
Having motived my opinion in both cases more than
can now do here's observed pointedly, distinctly and
more than once that as little advocated the annumen
OF marriage laws as did our lws or the recovery Of
eb or for the repression of thieves That the whole
made part OF our existing scheme of see civilization
ma that the whole IN my opinion bad better stand and
ti together That should do my most to prepare for
ts fall not by aiding the dsorganiz and demoraliLa
ton OF society but by endeav ring inspire woman with
iigny aud self respect, and mena thing yet more diff
;ult--with honor That with regard To my ultimate
respecting the sexas conceived that the doors
thrown wide open to BOTH and to each individual
'mong both, to earn his and her owns and to hold ai
aud her And farther that with respect to childre
he State should institute contract with the parents o
their support, which would be something more to the
for holding them coupled in chains like dogs if for no
other purpose than to constrain their hating loathing
ormentng or may be, absolute eating OF each other
up'hs at least, metaphoricaly, in their worldly sub
stance.
Such the substance sir. of my observations made
ia Cincinnati in the summer Of lsas. With these both
the and the audience EXPRESSED themselves
satisfied and edited. This did not prevent however the
same clergyman from publishing some time sfterward
his signature in Boston most scandalous and
outrageous alsehoocs respecting the whole occurrence
and the tone and tenor of my observations and which
and fasehoods in the columns of hreling press from
that time to this.
desire therefore, be understood since you sir have
chosen TO force out upon subject which sppears in
Decd to be no longer premature to handle desire to be
understood es in way ambitious to enghten the pub
lie the subject any mode or modes Of marriage nor
that general of the intercourse Of the
What the does for the regulation and elevation OF the
oher may be in our brothes houses
private assignation Judicial conrts and le
gislatve records in the habits of the chr san clergy
whether presbyterian methodist episcopal or whatever
equally In the habits of legislators and other III
cias rendered by the Heralds columns; and uni
the world What would see the public enlightened
upon the necessity Of seeing every secured in the
free exercise of bis and her faculties and in the due
reward OF his and her own exerons and in the rghtful
possession Of his and her dis nct property Let
make honest men and honest women, by which, in
both cases mean those who know how to earn, and
who do earn their own living, who live within the
strict limits of their possessons and thall have
ne difficulty about the sexes or about any thing else
But just and proper that until women rendered
t for something in mind and body than kept mis-
that should be forced keep them. Under
male government such they ought to be fed clothed and
protected well under given circumstances, may be
possibiMs LEA and this however satravagant silly or tire
drink to the dregs the cup their misery to make
the iron OF their injustice eat into the SOUL To judge
by the state ofsociey it Is eating at the present pretty
fast; end when shall find that slavery is losing
game between the sexes between the colors we may
begin to look for aoolon but for reformation
justice and universal emancipation.
feel my self entitled, sir, to demand the insertion in
full ofths letter in the Herald. 1t will not fill many
clerical documents with which you have favored
US: AT any rate, demand il o: my right
ing the seurrity and brutality from which neither sex
character afford protection desrous of shielding
the foreign name borne by my family from their Effects
For myself know well, as have ever known, how to
bear these and worse for the which have espous
ed. FRANCES WRIGHT.
We give this letter verbatim ct liter atm, in or
der that the world may see the temper with which
the new philosophy so literally endows its disci.
PIES Every reader must be at once struck by the
singularly peevish and fretful tone which charac-
terizes this epistle from beginning to end. And
why What has so provoked the ire of the fail
philosopher? Why, a single reference to hel
teachings, on a certain point, the accuracy Of
which she herself admits to the very letter -
In every thing that we have said Of Fanny
Wright, we have always been very tender and re
gardfu of her character, both as a woman and as q
teacher, and nothing has ever been uttered by us
disrespcctful of herself personally. to our reco.
lection. But when we point out the general ten
dency Of these new philosophical doctrines, o
which she was one OF the great promulgators in
this country, and which the Fourierites, and So
ciasts, and Transce ndentalists, are only follow
ing up she loses all that sweetness of temper anC
imiabity which should characterize a philoso
,her, and gives us a practical view of the bad eff
fecs OF the new philosophy, even on the minds
and tempers Of its disciples. In this very let
Ter Fanny Wright admits, to greater extent thar
We attributed to her, those opinions on the presen
relative position of the sexes and the great con