Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-10-30
HOW FREE LOVE WORKS.

The following, from the New York Tribune, will
give SONS idea of the workings of the free love doc
,rinc:
They repudinte the present system Of marriage de-
nv the right of society the State 10 Interfere in any
wnv with the subject further than it may rghtfullJ
interfere with any civil contract, and contend that
marriage may be limited life partnership at the
option Of the man and woman, who are the sole and
righ,fu judges Of the time and manner OF it's begin
ming aud termination. Que of their favorte doRnas
it, TINT has the right to choose the father OF
her own child. This theory has, understand, been
reduced to practice TO great extent in this city. One
young man whose name We withhold had great diff
Guilty in converting his wife To the new theory, but
finally succeeded and was rather cressfnen when
he discovered, few months later, that his wife WAS
"attrncted" in another direction than to himself. He
look the matter philosophicay, however and by the
infable law OF pass Onal attraction, finally discov
cred his true partner III tho person of another mans
wife, and the four mated, said to DO living
lovingly under the snme roof.
Another case ID that of woman Of fine talents and
accomplishments, and rather pretty withal who
tunlly believes in the theory and whose worsor
half being the right one selected the father of her
child short time since, in the person of very
.pectable young married gentleman, aud is now liv
inr on very short commons III al attic whore she is
very much uunoticed by the fraternity of Frec-Iuv-
ers aud Leaguers. Instead OF sustaining her as they
ought if they arc in earnest, the leading and
respectable portion Of them, at east, shrug their
shoulders and say they sorry this lady took the
course she did; they think il WAS very umwisn and
premature; that society is quite ready for the re-
ception and experimental illustrations OF their ideas,
willie they go gu preaching the theory which they
condemn this zesious advocate for reducing to prac
tice The father of tho child who is said to be abun
dainty able to support her, declines doing ON the
plea that such assistance would leave the lady free,
but put her in bonds &c. Ii is due to her say that
rho ID very hereic and in reply 10 letter of condo
ence quite indignant at expressions of pity and
sympathy for her condition She understands, she
says, very we'll what she i. about. She knew before
hand what she was taking upon herself This was tho
way by which society 10 be reformed and puri.
bed, ana she WINS willinS-nny, even proud-tO benr
her iu shhre OF the burden and disgrace il the world
choose TO Gull 1t NO. attending such reformation.
In lady present we found a willing commandment,
and facts enough We're given us to authorize tho in.
terpostlon oil the strong hand of the law tn break up
The gatherings. 1"unc women, beautiful and accom-.
p.ishsd, were pointed /" usras having given them
selves up to embraces of Vsr,n;n vopnc mon Gnr
whom they had an "ailni,y," while IN. who'll bro.
thcrhood looked on approviuyly and ,..mod p, ~
gard It as entirely proper. One beautiful Frenrh
girl present looked worn and exhausted II w,. ,L,
10 us by our inforlnau; tina! SIR weeks aro N,Jnn;
selle was blooming and !oveabe creature n. rwar
graced any parlor-that she had become 80 ,horou.h
" indoctrnatcd with the free love principles as t., be-
come truthful disoiple-and, as d consequence, sb.
had become the mistress Of four or five OF the .su;
ritual minded" and but wreck of whit
pure woman few weeks since! This, are
assured, but Of many instances; md yet the
"club" was rapidly increasing, drawing within it
many peon,o Of intelligence aud virtue who thus
bpdly sold themselves the devil in the pursuit of
abstraction which is but impurity itself in its re-
dcctiOn to practice.