New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-01-29
Association Discussed mo. IA.


y , II ] u
iesses 20 discuss sufficiently the doctrine q Crcum
stances and their influence on human character by
strange oversight however il omits 70 state hat hist
doctrine IT, The omission Is remarkable because the
question il important II circumstances or that ar
rangement Of them which constitutes Society be the
actual Of existing evils then those evils may po-s
bly, be removed by changing that Arrangement But II
evil has another and far different origin, then u must
clearly have another and far different remedy for
the remedy in any case must not only modify the con
ditiOn but the essential cause Of the evil u y
designed to cure We regret therefore. that The Tn
5Uns does not tel which II these opposite views i
entertsins.
We find in it, article expressions which might WAT
rant the inference that The Trburss doctrine re
CARDS circumstances az the oduS Of existing evil Bal
the only points distinctly stated that the ignorance
soueor and general wrecEedness Of the degraded poor
subject them temptations from which others are com
parativey free and that change in their condition
Is very desirable, on moral as well as on pnysieal
grounds We cannot understand why The Tribune
Oh oud labor so hard 10 prove what We expressly con
ceded ST the very outset Of this discussion unless s
object be excite Odium instead Of answering arsu
nent The existence Of misery, and the necessity OF
relieving H. not in controversy for we have never
doubted either Ii is only upon the rnfay % b gpptq
that The Tribune and ourselves are 81 variance lnst
paper insists that Association is the only agency by
which the poor can be relieved that he ignorant TIE
vicious and the degraded cannot be reclaimed unless
the virtunus the wise and the rch establish with them
community Of Interests and OF lie that 10 ofnents psf
the whole must be changed thst 20 furnish some wiz
Il
toqether under common roof that the whole IabTlc
of existing Institutions, with eli ts hsbs Of acuon snd
Of thought must be swept away and new SOcey taKe
its place in which al must be subject 10 common Gus
torns a common educstion common labor and common
modes Of life in all respects. This ns fundamental 20
sition we deny. We deny the necessity, the wisdom
and the possibility OF removing existing e'l Dy sucn
process We would not thus destroy the good m order
possibly 10 amend the bad. II IS not the method OF
wisdom or benevoence it finds no support in common
sense or sober Judgment The Tribune promised 10
l.srfs tna f.rNr rf
relieving the poor but thus far has not even attempted
to fulfil its promise 10 has asserted end Illustrated IN
every possible variety of forms the existence OF evils
and the necessity Of removing them and has drawn fan
cy pictures Of the state Of things when that removal
shall have been effected But it, proof that Association
and nothing but that accomplish H. Is TO come here
after If il come at all.
We on the contrary have sought TO show, l. that As
ISOLATION can be established that established
il could never endure and that II IL permanent
IL established il would increase tenold the evils u Is De
signed 10 cure. In our last article we urged that
q The inner ent vices and weaknesses Of human nature,
would render impossible such community o. Interest and
Of life as The Tribune advocates. While men continue
vicious OF imperfect, while they are governed or innn-
epced BY pre dice passion, self seeking IN any OF s
FORMS they combine 10 carry iorw ard such com
mum " as that proposed.~
Now. in regard 10 this point Tie Tribune has express
Is admit Cd, that an
Association ofindolent or Of persons could
not endure irihosf moral rangorflaoH Of ~ men tr5
They must have sgirf bresihed into them BEFORE
they comprehend and acl upon he Vial pH1cpes Of
social unity"
Now this Is distinct and emphatic admission the
part of tn Tribune That individual reformation must
Jrcceds and lay the Foundation for Social Reform hsi
individual men must become yiraOus before Associs-
ton can become poss ole that just go fast az men pe
come unselfsh, yirtuous, morally ransiorIned Asso
citation may become possible but ne ias,er; ana mat
when all men have been thus transformed and msde
yr.uous then Association may become genefa but mol
before Now this most evidently makes Association mo
rsgh OF virtue not its means or producing cdHf Asso
citation may possibly J0ucU but Il cannot possibly pc
ccdr the individual reform OF those who are TO De US
members The argument starting rom me IrDhhe .
own premises seems 10 us cOeent md conclusive and
it completely demonstrate the utter wofthesshess oil
Association regarded as for rfmorH9 ezisf'RS
erus.
When YOU persist IN eiing me that reform mus be
effected By some other agency Than a "ch Assoc
oilers that pgency IL Chrsanty-yOu compel me To T.
rre tbst csnno render myself Ineligible 10 you. To
NY mind Association is TIE TapHb4e dic'ht OF NhusahN
-ihe body whereof True Religion Is the Soul
Now here is distinct equivOcstion; an evasion OF
our point-tAscied by adroit change in the mean
ing of the word Te0ra as We had used H. OuI posllo
was thus set forth in our last article
The personal reform Of individual men must las y eH
plicily admitted by The Tribune pTeesde Assoelai9n
THAr reform wiz Of ndYdual men must be effected ~
other agency Than that which Association onefs'
That agency Is Christianity
The Tribune quotes II thus
"When you persist In telling me hat rJ0fm mus' be r.
fected by some oiher agency &c
This is bubble upon the word nothing or less
We used H. and defined il meaning the personal re-
formation of individuals - The Tribune quotes
meaning Social reform The exposure OF the trek Of
course destroys It's effect and the argument loses none
of its force II still remains true that personal reform
must yrffde social reform ana That Association must
follow and depend upon not precede and produce. the
moral transformation OF its individual members
Then OF course il follows also harhis transformation
must be produced by some outside agency-somethins
out Of Association Tke Tribune ntmaies that the
ample and opportunity afforded by those who are hiie a
for Association would mould others into the same cor
formiiy. Nothing known Of human character nothing
in world around warrants the HscTr
ton of such renovsting power 70 example and oppoi
tunity Some yield to them II is true, when they Sc
cond ether agencies but far more reject them and oi'
low their incnatiOns IL Is not because they DC
long 10 Shaker establishment that Shakers are Vria
Gus but because they have within them Viruous primer
pies and their virtue gives 10 the establishments WI
success it has SO with Association something ou y,
must produce that personal reform essenus
10 its success When that reform mas been sheeasu ~
all men all may combine IN ssVoison ~ -
before or in other words, when Chrlshshliy snAI
Rave hrou ght about the Millennium then Association may
nossbly become general but not TIL Then
But saws The Tribune, Christianity commands tne
rich TO relieve the poor -Assoeiauoh ~
tate OF Christisny and men II they oe Cnilsl'An.
must be Associstionists No" here the premises sie
true, but they do not warrant tne conc nc
ARGUMENT illustrates The TribEHes haoitlsi assumption
of the very point dispute namely that Association l.
the only means by which the poor can De renewed ~
assumes that no man beriend the poor unless De
espouse Association The best test Of true oeneVolence
Il it, practice not precep Jet US look FOR whstil aos
NOT what IL processes And bringing the matter to tins
standard we have no hesitation IN asserting taat ue
members of any one OF our City Churches Do more every
yesr for the practical relief Of poverty ana suffering
than Apy phalanx that existed There are ID our
midst hun dreds OF female sewing societies eAcu q
which clothes more nskedness and feeds more hunger
than any Association that was ever formed ineIe
are individuals in every ward poor Pious mum
bic men snd women, who never dreamed OF se'uhs
themselves up as professional phianinropsts VINO DC
more in visiting the sick in seeking out ana reeFih.
The Door in encouraging the respondent and meois a.
inc The condition of the degraded and the destitute
Than wss ever done by any Asociaronst from rs hfs
sno.tle down 10 the humbesi OF his deuded followers
And one OF those three individuals Vlhied ~ hAe 4
Thf Tr5EHss article the selfish, srAspns aespises
the poor has expended more money and seeotn ps1e.
more actual good in aiding the poor IN pro'aus 'o
Them food clothing education and sound instruction
,ors ana religious and al the blessings Of whieh ine,
stand In need than has been effected BY the sa'oess
Association in half century throughout me "otiS
Hundreds of thousands Of dollars have De,h eA
by the Asocistonis in proPsgaiirs their ms.ss % os
neyoleuce and in making benevolent eNPet'iile
vet where Is the practical good they have aeeotn '.s
"a Where are the starving whom they nave iso rs
naked they have clothed the degraded they nave $50
,he vicious they have reclaimed, the poor whom 20 an
rsv they have assisted and blessed ne ffig"'
.rcers a, practical Christianity as nllnsi wreiele'
boyel. with BJles and Tras, while bread ana eiosAi.
,,3 health are needed Does the iaunt come "lin SO
900 from system which theories over star suoh
e., doas nor led il which scous 10 give bread ans
7 nd Cd II