The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-06-09
Tie French soeisiists..~si. si.nenianis.n.

Tie French soeieiisis@Ss. sisaenianis.n
In accordance with oty design Of giving al &C.
count of the movements which have been made in
france upon the subject of social reform, we pro.
coed to-day to give an account of a sect which
made some noise in its day, and which has exerted
no inconsiderable influence over public opinion to
this hour-the sect of tke ST.. SIMoNIANs.
The founder of this sect was The Count Saint.
Simon, a reputed descendant OF. Charlemagne
and the sole representative of the noble and once
powerfui house Of Saint-Simon. A volunteer with
Lafayette, he fought under Washington in behalf
of American liberty during our revolutionary war
holding the rank of Colonel when but twenty three
years OF age. He returned to France was deprived
of his rank by the revolution Of 1883; underwent
various vicissitudes Of life and fortune-parly vol
untary for the avowed purpose of becoming ac-
quanted with every phase of human existence, and
partly involuntary, brought about by the selfish
ness and frauds of others; and at last took up the
task Of changing society and reforming the world
In 1879 Saint-Simon published his hfst WORK
that attracted any degree Of attention 1t Is enti-
tied Para6ole 1t was an attack upon men and
things in general and particularly upon the reign
ing family. the nobility and the idle rich. 1t Sc
cured him the honor OF a judicial prosecution and
the triumph of an acquittal. Following this came
his works on the :. Reorganization OF European
Society on Industry, Politics, on the industrial
Systenf ETC., etc. and finally 1.-The New CHRIS
tianity'' During his life Saint Simon made some
noise and but few disciples-atter his DEATH IN 1928,
his followers organized themselves into school or
!. church for the propagation of his principles and
the practice of his precepts. The system of which
he was the founder proiessed to rest wholly upon
the moral teachings of the New Testament-and
the great temporal end which he proposed was, that
every man should hold a position according to his
capacity, and enjoy wealth in proportion to his la
bors, or in the words of the sect" chacUn scion
Sa cdpdcne, a chGque cdpdcste scion ses @uUres.'
We have not time 10 trace the progress OF the new
Sect nor to enter into the particulars Of its history
1t reached its point of greatest popularity shortly
after the revolution Of 1880, when great portion
of the French people We're half mad after the new
doctrines and the hopes of speedy and indefinite
amelioration which they held out. About this time
some disturbances took place among the worhmen
in the manufacturing departments, and the teach
ings OF the -Slmonans, Were denounced IN
the Chamber ofDeputies, by NJ. Dupin and others,
as the cause of these outbreaks. 1t was upon this
occasion that the leaders of the g church, address
sed to the Chamber an exposition OF the tenets held
by it, from which we take the following extracts:
g Yes without doubt the Simonans profess in rela
ton the future OF property, and the future OF woman
nected with peculiar and entirely new views on relgon
power liberty and short upon all the great problems which
this day agltae In so disordery and violent manner the
whole Europe but 1t does not by any means follow that
these ideas those which are attributed to them
BY system OF the Community OF goods. an equal pa
ton among all the members OF society," is Universally un-
derstood well ct the means Of production as Of Inc fruits
partition OF property, and would constitute IN their eyes
greater violence and more revolving injustice than the
unequal partition which prmltveiy effected by conquest
anhe force OF arms For they believe IN the natural ine
quality OF men, and regard this inequality as IN itself the
basis of association the indispensable condition OF all social
ORDER They reject The system OF the community OF goods be-
would be manifest violation OF the fist OF those
moral laws which their to teach, and which
claims that for the future each shall be placed according to
bis capacity and be rewarded according to his works But
in of this law they demand the abolition OF ali
the privileges of birth without exception and conse-
quenty the destruction Of hehip the greatest of these
privileges that which, at this day, cOmpIetend them
ALL and the effect OF which to leave to chance the partition
social privileges among the small number who can lay
claim them. and to condemn the most numerous class to
depavy ignorance and misery. They demand that all the
instruments OF labor the lands and the capital nowlmonop
ozed by particular propeors, shan be used and employed
by association and heracay such manner that the task
OF each shall be the expression OF his capacity, and his
wealth the measure OF his labor.
1.-The Saintmonlans make attack upou the constitu
OF property except in SO tar sanctions tor some OF
the mpous privilege of ideness, that to say, OF living
upon The labor OF others and it abadons
chance of birth the social classification OF individuals
Christianity has rescued women from seryude, but ii
has condemned them inferior station, and every where
Throughout Christian Europe we yet behold them un er reI
gious political and civil ntediction The
their defnye entanchisepent, their complete
emancipation but without pretending to abolish the holy
law OF marriage proclaimed by Christianity" etc,
From this extract, the reader may gather the gem
eral views Of this sect. From a condition of great
and influence it finally dwindled away,
owing to divisions among the leaders, pecnniary
embarrassments of the association, and the fllnda
mental errors of its internal organization and its
government; for the 6 Church, how
leyeng in its social doctrines, was essentially
despotic in It's political organization. In 1882
Saint Simonian, as a distinct sect, disappeared
from the earth. But its effects have not disappear
ed. The questions relative to property and labor,
which it discussed, and the discussion of which it
forced upon others, have ever since been the most
important topics for human thought and utterance
The sect was dissolved, but the men who COM
posed it were men of no ordinary character and
reach Of thought-they have attained emine nee in
every department of literature and philosophy:
they have been and leaders in the liberal pro-
LESSONS, in politics and the arts Buchez, the Pres
dent of the Convention, Garnet, the Minister OF
Public Instruction, and other leading men OF the
day, were Saint Simonans, and they have not yet
those hopes Of human improvement
which the system held out. The ideas of the sect
upon the subject of inheritances are not unworthy
Of attention in every country, and among thinking
men that attention has been bestowed. M'Cul-
loch in his excellent treatise taxation has given
particular consideration to the policy of heavily
taxing egaoes and inheritances, particularly when
they descend to collaterals, perhaps wholly I'M
known to the person whose property they inherit,
or it may be, even, his enemies when living. The
propriety Of such tax, taking it does from pro-
perry, which he who accumulated can no longer
enjoy. and to which he who is to possess it has
none but accidental claims-for the purpose Of re-
lievng the burdens necessarily imposed upon the
industry of country, may well be considered even
in our own State 1t has the advantage at least of
all other taxes that it furnishes to the gov
eminent without taking it from the possession of
any of the people.
But with the good or bad features Of Saint
bayr fo do ic moi prr