Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1852-02-17
Anew RelislSus sect Of poIygalaists.

Il
! progress of polygamy among Ihe Mornons o
Utah, but their ptaefices seem to be ProPriety u
! self, compared 10 those which prevail em0Dg q
society, which calls itself = Perleedonlsis, a0t
4 claims 10 be religious and christian 2 he Pfcu
liaEity OF the sVsIem ofIe Pefectionists, Is thai
| all laws, both human and divine that are design
edtO regulate the mSffag fe4aliOD, are set aside
and denounced, while tie unrestEainedi indal'
gepceiot the human passions ls Rfaetlseds moi
merely sthe means 10 present enlOym yment, but as
means ot grace or help % h0ltne$S. y ne founder
5ofthe society is5a graduate Of q New England
College student In archaeological sefnInaEies,
and now the editor of,a paper, pgblLshed IN New
| York, TO sustain and advocate his doctrines.
The centre of this Sect is In the Town OF Leuox,
Madison County. ~. y. where about $50 men,
women and chldRnsliTe tOgelheE in one hOuse,
with no distinction Of properly family, authors
ty. Each one does what seems good in his
own eyes. The Bible is their nominal eonsti-
tuition, and how cnrionsly they uaust follow its
teaching, is evident from the faet thar they Isa-
vow all separate or individual rights in "proper-
ty, wives or children: Literally, they have 'sall
these things common. !" But the sect is By 90
means confined to Oneida and Madison Counties.
In New York aud Brooklyn, and in Newark, New
Jersey, and in many other places, there are
groups of practicai members.
The New York Observer, in a notice of the
Propogandists, says: q p - p. e. r.
In Utah among the Mormons, the distinction
non-ntetventioii insisted upon eVenat The peril o:
life. But in the Oneida Association, and in the
boarding houses established on similar principles
in this vicinity these distinctions utterly abOl
ished, and the freest lieentiousness practised at
the highest developments Of holiness. We have
been furnishedwith large number of certificates
signed by females of this community, stating thar
at first they were fearful they were not doing
right, but the longer they have practised on the
system here pursued, the boiler they are sure they
grow. On the principle we suppose that where
there is no law there is no tfansgression, they
have abrogated all authority but inclination, and
they never sin, because they never do anything
but what they like. The reader may be amused
at the practical operation of the association at
Lenox, as I'VE find it detailed in one of their re-
ports.
The children are trained in general nursery.
and 'tit is found to be altogether more comfort
able task to take careof SIX in the new way. than
it had been to wait on, one in ordinary. ciTcnIn
Stances" "The only drawback on the operation
was the temporary distress OF the mothers in Civ,
ing mp their little to the care Of Others which
made occasion fGr some melo dramatic scenes :;
but the wounds were soon healed, and the mo-
theirs learned to value their own freedom and op-
portuDity of education, and the improved condi-
ton Of their children, more than the luxury of
sickly maternal tenderness" This is the Ian
guage of the report.
The way they sleep is curious. One large
is encompassed by a sort of square tent; so that
one stove warns the whole space, and '' as the
principles and habits of the Association are more
gregarious than usual, the sacrifice OF privacy is
small affair. .nz =ssti5,s. sst5sE3
The women found that much time was spent
in dressing their hair, they looked into PauIs'
theory long hair, and saysllis reports the dis
covery was made that tPaul's7language expressly
points out the object for which women should
wearlong hair, and that object is not ornament
but a covering. In this light il was immcd ate-
lV manifest that the long hair of women, as IL was
usually worn, coiled and combed upward to the
top of the head, instead of answering to Paul's
object of covering. actually the back part
of the head more thanlhe short hais OF men,
This mode of reasoning was carried on till the
'tbolder women" cut off their hair and wore il on
their necks girls do, and soon the practice be-
came general. In the'next place the women laid
aside their usual dress, and substituted short
frock and pantalOons, which was found to be al
together more convenient. The report says:-
'' The women say they are far more free and COM
Portable in this dress than in long gowns, the men
think that it improves their looks, and some in
sist that it is entirely more modest than the COM
mon dress" This is plainly the germ of Bloom
eriSnl. 5gE Ti~ i's3fsi = ~ III
The religious exercises of this Association con-
sist of public meetings, when each one is called
on to relate his own experience, or to make such
exhortations on reflections as IS are on the mind
waiting for vent" Different evenings are set
apart for different purposes; one for music, one
for dancing, one for Bible reading, sc. The re-
ligious inf1uenceis said to be wonderful on those
who have iOinedthe Association. All who come
in while in al upconverted state are declared to
have been conyerted, and one man who was
confirmed lnnatic has been entirely cured The
Annual Report sets forth a theory of pTomiscu-
GUS intercourse of the sexes, as compatible with
the highest state of holiness on earth, so loaih-
some in its details, SO shocking to all the sensi-
eVhE
We cannot defle' the columns of our paper with
their recital. It must be sufficient to say, that
the doctrine is taught and the attempt is made TO
defend it from Scripture, that unbridled licen.
tionsness is the Jaw of heaven, the perfection Of
human happiness and liberalization Of the high
est style os divine virtue. siii - s.tg zs2z .-
There is no shrinking from the boldest and
frankest avowal Of this faith and practice On
this point these Oneida Associationists are hon.
oraby contrasted with the Foureties of this city,
who refuse to be held responsible for the cOnFe.
ouenees TO which their doctrines inevitably lead.
The Report holds such language as this: "Ya
riety is, in the nature Of things, as beautiful and
useful in love as in eating and Drinking. Again,
tits held that It is very we'll, and oftentimes Of
great advantage TO bring about special pairing,
that is marriage ofconVenIence, but, says the re-
port, this should be no barrier to the eDjoyment
of others.
g The fact that man loves peaches best, is
no reason why be should not. on suitable oeca-
sions, eat apples and cherries" We are able to
give only the yaguest and most distant intima-
tioHs Of what is set forth in these pages, and we
are now fearful that we are trespassing on de-
cency IN these quotations.
Hon. Daniel Webster has, consented TO deliver
an Address in New York onthe 23dof February,
when Washington birthday is to be commence
raied-the 22d falling on Sunday
j,f5s -+------------ -S7-7--s7-- -
John H. Cook, Esq, cashier offhe Farmers'
Rank of Virginia, died at Richmond, on Friday
week. q hse 50
EscAPEp FROM PRIsox- On Thursday even-
! ing. Mr. Starke, the Iailor At Richmond. Va.
was seized and thrown dow y by several of The
prisoners, who subsequently fastened him 10 a
| cell. and then efecied tIleir own escape from
prison. There names are, Hunter. MnrPhy,
Beach, Holmes. Martin. Croman and Syeleh.