New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-08-01
The Observer on .Fourieri-m'-The Buffalo

seem to be to show that though Their material IS
spent, their venom is inexhaustible- In dishonest
dexterty of quotation the Observer certainly sur
passes its ally, but the spirit is Identical Inc io'
lowing is fair specimen Of the Observers new
article:
When III. evidence was produced by the Editor OF The
Buffalo Commercial that the passage eds siiTdty a'
lated uord for uoG, from one OF Fourier oook7 I!
which he is treating OF the blessed ana oeautlu su u
things which VIII prevail when MS system / ESTABLISH
ed then The Tribune Editor -ar- that he mas HerT seen
he book Nothing the profisacy oil Fourerls could
furnish parallel 10 t= Frst lie denies that Fourier
ever propounded any such thcoTy and when Is pro
duced admits that he has never seen the book which ne
defends -
The Buffalo Commercial in ike spirit says:
1--WE might be excused from farther exposing con-
fcssed ignorance but II may be well enough 10 put this
matter ri sht thoroughly. The work OF Fourier. from
which we quoted j. Theoretical. or speculative
than are all hi= other works The whole made up OF
theories and his plan of Association i nothing but
theory wnicb the editor Of The Tribune aud orner7
striving carry into practice The gross sensuaiy OF
the theory exposed l. what Fourier contemplated
and intended the natural sequence of The adoption Of
his preceding theories 1t IL the final rereatioH by the
master OF the bliu state into which his disciples shall!
enter
Now We have never seen the work OF which these
brethren speak so confidently. and Of course never
undertook to defend it. All our readers know this.
as also that we never denied that the passage they
quoted was fairly translated from some portions Of
Fouriers writings But what We did say was true,
and we have now the means OF proving II 10 the
satisfaction Of the most prejudiced The book
quoted by our adversaries is the Theory OF the
-Four Movements not q final revelation, but the
first published OF Fourers WORKS. 1t is contained
in the complete edition OF those works recently
issued i'll Paris and friend has translated tor us
the Editor Preface to the edition. from which we
copy the more material portion Its as follows;
Il very false idea commonly entertained OF the
Theory oil the -Four Movements people imas1ne from
the title that this book s an Exposition OF ouTlers doc
trinc and Of his social system n - no s1f1f hing The
reader viii be duly Of this fact from peruSa! OF
the very lrst page.
The Editor goes on to speak OF this book as
crude incomplete and imperfect mere fragment
of the authors conception, 4 dazzling and marvel
Gus eruption, producing on the Intelligence the
effect OF startling exhibition OF magic OF gigan
tic phantasmsgorn. &c. He continues;
The perrsal of the Theory Of the -Four Mocaaeats
proved 10 be productive OF so many erroneous Judg
ent- tina. Fourier had resolved 10 suppress the work
entirely He mentions tin ills SUBSEQUENT WORKS
even when quoting passages from IT, For long time ne
sbztained from speaking OF II and was only on
his Welding 10 our urgent entreaes Iliat we learned
him that large portion OF tnc cannon was sun
living in the warehouse OF the bookseller Brunot Liable
WHERE. in fact we found it. He remarked The Theory
uas M, complete acha pabishfd tho; book 1t coRirRs
mann errors and moreover IS not rettTtpdrsd well!
dicostcl work; it's fH of crtTardgGHceS. &c &c And
whenever we spoke to him OF issuing second EDITION
of il he always repeated that The book rod hare 10 be az
most entirely re'cdst
There. honest reader is the account given of
tins identical book by Fourier himselt, as well rs
by his warmest French admirers They reprint II
in an edition Of his complete works, but caution
the public against receiving it as true exposition
of ms matured system showing that he himself
consigned it to oblivion, declared it incomplete, full
al errors and extravaeances, and objected 10 It's
being reprinted until it should be entirely recast.
Vet it is from this book that the enemies OF Social
Reform have wrenChed few passages, and repro
duced them day after day, insisting not only that
they are the final revelation OF his own views,
but that all who accept his idea of Industrial Or
ranization are bound to accept and be judged by
them! Yes two or three passages from this work
twenty years since condemned and discarded by
Fourier himself are paraded over and again
in the Courier Express, Observer, &c. to exhibit
the shocking immortality Of The Tribune though
we never saw that work nor published any
thing like the passages objected to Is tins fair
dealing Does it evince an earnest regard Tor
truth Judge
One single item OF evidence on this point IL
nil that We care to produce. for really the matter
seems too plain to waste words upon Some OF
our readers Will recollect that General Conven-
ton of Associationists the ony ever assembled
III tins City was held in Clinton Hall on the lth,
ltil and 9th days OF April, lsii at which Conven-
ton nearly all the active and prominent advocates
OF the doctrine OF Industrial Association We're
present. That Convention after thorough dellbe-
ration, unanimously
Resolved 9TH That the NAME which in this first An
nua Convention al ;he Friends Of Association, based
upon the Truths Of Social Science GjScorrea hg Charles
Ionrifr ndOp, for ourselves, recommend 10 those
who throughout the country would cooperate with
aud by which desire 20 be always publicly dcs2.
mated, l. IHE AsSocfTioNisrs or THE United
STATES OF AMERICA We do not call ourselves -Four
ifri>f, tor the two following 1T. Charles
Fourier often and earnestly protested IN advance
against giving the name OF any individual man 70 the
social S.if,cs winch he humbly believed 10 b.. and
yor,uy laugh, a. discovery ot E,aHdi LIcs Of Diriqe
iu<fice established ana made known hy tile CREATOR
I'd Wine we honor the masnauilnity. consntnin"te
ability and devotedness OF this good aud wise man, and
gratefully acknowledge belle; that lie iias been the
means under Providence. of giving 10 hi fellow men
clue which may lead out from our ectual Scientific
and Social labyrinth yet we do not receive all the parts
scEoo, are dcnouluat.d OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Four
Ter gives them observation-disclosures we do not III
all respects understand his meanin2-and because
there are parts which iqdiriduGig we REJECT and W.
hold ourselves only free but IA duty bound 20 seek
and obey TRrH raYcre Teredld tn the Uord of God Tie
Reason cfHtmaqny and die order ot Mature
Here We cheerlnlly leave the whole matter 10
the Judgment OF the candid and unprecedented Ii
they choose believe that our own deliberate and
solemn declarations oil our views ana objects are
false. and that our enemies skillial and unscrupu
lous mampulations OF certain extracts from book
which we have never read but which We prove
that It's author himself condemned and discarded
to be taken conclusive evidence Of our sent
ments instead. they are welcome to their opinions
Did We not know the strength OF Prejudice against
any suggestion OF Reforms which tend TO abase
the proud and to diminish the gains and The luxu-
RES OF crafty Ideness we could not condescend TO
offer any defence against charges SO palpably ma
lcvoent and grossly absurd.
After all. We afford to trust much TO the love