The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-08

of them very right intelligent looking girl fabout
twenty five, vino mas been brought up among these
people, and who, like vestal virgin as she probably
Is has devoted her life to what she considers sacred
| cause. They seemed very well informed upon mat
ters going on in the world and were particularly in
terested in the spiritual rappingsand tppings They
think that these things are tending to Shakerlsm
and expect ere long to receive large accessons from
the ranks OF the Spritualsts. So it is not at all
likely that future visiter here will the Hon
Judge Edmonds, and Mr.. Talmadge, with their coats
Of and their hair brushed back, sweating, and puff
| ing, and shaking, in the wild excitement of the
Shaker dance. Yours, b. IT, b.
SHAKER VILLAGE,
NEW LEBANON, June 2, 1853.
Property of the Shakrs-7heir annual Income
The Seed and Herb Organisation Of
Labor Their Ideas of Marriage-Love -Ansong
the SAakers--Decrea,s Of Population, &c.
The property of this society is all held in COM
mon the real estate being in the hands Of trustees,
who are appointed by the ministry--the property
being sntaed to the Of the society to all future
time. The real estate belonging to the New Leba.
non Society is about eight thou sand acres, stua.
ted in this State, and the line in Massachusetts,.
The real estate and all other property must be worth
nearly million of dollars The property is held by
the trustees under special act Of the Legislature,
which also provides that society shall be allow
ed to make annual profit Of over 5000. In 1851
an attempt was made by parties jealous of the
success of the Shakers to impose more stringent
regulations but the Legislature considering such &C
ton behind the spirit Of the age not only refused
to pass them but increased the allowed income from
five to twenty-five thousand dollars per annum. The
Shakers neglect no opportunity to purchase land
in this vicinity, and that account have created
some i'll feeling among their immediate neighbors.
| visited, this morning, some Of tie workshops of
the society. No people in the world thrifty
and Industrious as a body, than are the Shakers.
The men are engaged in farming, gardening and
horticulture, making tubs, broomhandes, &C.; while
the sisters weave with handlooms most of the cloth
used for making outside garments, making palmleaf
hats baskets, &c. Their shops are like their houses
models Of neatness and good order. No litter, no
dirt chips, shavings allowed to rest upon the
floors or benches; but fast as they are made are
removed.
At the head Of each branch of labor is an over.
seer, appointed by the deacons in each family. He
has the general superintendent OF that department,
and that it is properly conducted. All property
being in common, the members Of the society Of
course buy nothing in the way Of clothing; but it is
the duty of the head of the tailoring department in
each family to see that none OF the brethren lack for
clothing of the shoemaker that they have shoes and
SO on; and thus everything goes on tremendously,
having the general supervision. They have here
a large tannery, several sawmiIs, and black
smith shop, where great deal Of work is
See and rops
eral large gardens, kept in the most beautiful
order, are appropriated for raising these and the
Shakers roots and herbs and seeds have acquired
worldwide reputation. The seeds are put up 10
little papers, and then into boxes-about $40 worth
in box. They have recently received large orders
from California. All labor, from the highest to the
lowest The elders in the family where am stop
ping have charge Of the kitchen garden, and in
wedding, and in rainy weather in indoor 0ccupa-
tons. By the report made by the society in 1850,
the following statistics OF property and products Of
labor appear, and interesting, they show the
results Of this combined labor They have not ma
terially changed since that time.
PRoPERTY.-Horses, So cows, 10 oxen, so:
other cattle, l9l sheep, lOSl Value Of live stock,
s25 GOO.
PRoDucTs.-Meal and plaster, 1857; leather,
$2500 garden seeds, s., 500 botani cal roots and
herbs, $l6,5O0 brooms, $50 chairs, $3.50 palm
hats tubs baskets &C., 81 800. This, with the sale
of fruit &c. will make the annual income Of the So
cety about $40 900.
1t would seem that with the thorough organization
Of this society much more money would be made,
but must be remembered that the Shakers entirely
eschew speculation Of every kind and that all their
profits come from actual manual labor, by which the
wealth OF the world is SO much increased. They
seem more like community of bees than Of men,
and seem to delight in what others endeavor to get
rid of-manual labor They do not however work
very hard-about nine or ten hours per day being
about the average.
The great distinguishing feature of this sect is its
anti-marriage principles and the desire to deaden
the affections which naturally spring up between the
sexes, and which are considered by the Shakers as
giving evidence OF a carnal worldly nature. All the
little gaantres between the sexes are, Of course,
forbidden, and the women instead Of trying to show
their charms do their best to hide them under their
STRAIGHT and close muSD IL
very strange to witness the relations Of the in
this ommunity-strange that now, in this blooming
spring time, the time when the Arcadian shepherd
esses were most sweetly wooed by the shepherd
SWANS, the golden season of love, when birds are
carolng their sweet songs to their mates-when all
natureihas put on her wedding garment--herea COM
munity should exist where youths and maidens meet
daily and hourly, and between whom no loveword
passes, and whose breasts heave no fond signs for
each other. Why,
Sure the shovel and tongs to each other belongs.
And the rabbits and hares 60 together in psirs,
And even the bears in sweet couples agree,
While the mute little FISH, though they can't speak they
Och hone widow Macree
Strange too, it is to see collection like this of
" families in which the sweet voices of little chill
dren give ecboing welcome to the tired father
he returns from bis daily toll, or beguile with their
innocent prattie the mothers hours Of care. No
fond wife sympatbizes with the husbands sorrows,
no strong in his strength folds to his bosom the
delicate being whom he has promised at the holy
altar to love and cherish through life till death.
Here the children are orphaned, and the fond de.
lights which gather around the hearthstone and the
family altar are unknown.
And then, too, there does seem something noble,
something to be praised, in this degenerate world,
that men and women giving up all the world love
best home, family, wealth, and worldly prospects,
should live here free from the strife and turmoil of
common lfe--live as the Essences did, in accordance
with their principles and faith, a pure and virgin
life, dedicated 10 God.
This would be a sterile soil one would think for the
kindly gentle affections to grow in; and yet even
here the carnal nature does OF times assert its
power and remove from the fold some of the lambs.
The glance Of bright eye does sometimes have its
effect upon the CONCEALED heart and almost deadened
worldly affections. Last spring two couple, male
and female, got opportunity to converse together,
and projected plan for an eopement. 1t got wind,
however, and was frustrated; but tho brethren find
ing that the hearts Of these young people were
turned to "wordly things carried them away; and
the same day they pledged their faith to each other