The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-02
Fourierite Doctrines-Thelr Tendency.

In another column will be found remark able
communication from Mr.. A. Brisbane, extracted
from the Tribune of Tuesday. We regard this
document as peculiarly interesting, as Calculating
with greater boldness and frankness than has vet
been attempte d, the views and wishes of those
philosophers who regard Fourier as second Ma
homet and who would introduce into this, and
other countries, a system even more despotic ano
tyranncaI, body and SOUL than that originated
by the great mussu man humbug. And further, we
regard 1t as somewhat important, at the present
moment, when the disciple and mouth-piece OF
Mr.. Brisbane, In this city, is a candidate before
the people for their sufirages to make him mem.
Der OF the House of Representatives of the United
States.
Il Will be seen that Mr.. Brisbane claims, with
much confidence, that the bulk of the German
population is infected with the eprosy OF Fourier
SIN, and that ASSOCIATION and republcanism, de-
mocracy and lnfdety, advance step by step.
Now we, who have travelled over broad Germany,
fsom north TO south, and from east to west, and
who have closely studied the character of its
people, deny this altogether. The Germans are
eminenty practical In their notions, as may even
be observed by those who have daily inter-
course with them In this country ALI our
observations, when amongst them, tended to
produce the conviction that in all Europe
there Is no people SO likely TO make so near an
approach to our own system, both social and po-
itcal, as the Germans and the truth of this
belief recent events have most forcby demon
srated. The tumultuous roar OF the French reyo.
lutlon-the Incidents, of character important TO
AL christendom, that daily, In quick succession.
trod each on the heels of the other, from the
flight of Louis Philippe to the elevation of Ca
vaignac-dIverted the thoughts and the gaze of the
wonder-stluck world from what was all this time
taking place in Germany. Well, during this time
the people of that country had been phlegmat, cal
ly and quietly mobbing their ministers, kicking
out their kings, upsettIng throne in one place,
erecting republic in another, and when the
world looked again, there was confederation of
German States, almost completely assimllating to
our own They have been approximatng more
and more closely ever since, and the day is not
distant when the whole of that once grand en-
pire, ancient Germanla, shall form noble band
OF republics on the model OF our own The Ger
mans have too much practical good sense to be led
away from their true interests by the folly of com.
munlsm, or atheism, or socialism Mr. Brisbane.
then, ISLANDERS the people OF Germany, when he re-
presents them as largely leavened with Fourierism.
and predisposed to atheism and immortality: and.
indeed, II would appear that this misrepresen-
tation is not without a motive, for, in the
same breath, he breaks into absolute worship OF
the English arlstocracy and calls it "the ennobling
and saving principle OF that country" 1t is no
matter OF surprise that there should be strong
sympathy between the English anstocracy and
such men as Mr. Greeley and Mr. Brisbane. who
preach new systems Tor the purpose of obtaining
over their disciples and yotaries that absol ute mas
terry and dominance which is he object of sucb
mems ambition.
The tendency OF all such doctrines ia m ,de s,,;.
kingly apparent from the letter to which we ag,;,
refer our readers. Mr.. Brisbane denounces com
merce as "the vilest of all pursuits" calculated TO
make men "cowards and cheats" "gross, de-
graded and poverty STRICKEN" and as thoroughly
corruphng and perverting the human heart" We
have SAID Mr.. Brisbane speaks boldly, and il
Will be acknowledged thatit re luires much bold
ness TO utter, so grayey, ebsurdties so monstrous
TO community such as the people of the United |
States Commercially il is III life blood of our |
system; yelling out from the great heart of our |
Union TO the exTemltes, and returning from the
back again TO the heart in beautiful
and harmonious circulation. The artisan sells his
labor for pnce, and buys his neeessaries for a
proe-is 1t not commerce The agrlcultunst
buys the implements Of labor and sells the product
OF his land and of the swea, of his brow for price
lis II not commerce9 The lawyer buys his
legal learning, and, sowing II in the soil of his
own mind, and maturing it to a perfect growth,
sells il again TO his client for pnce-isi not COM
merce ? And so we might go on, enumerating
every condition and class Of beings, forming our