The Shasta courier., 1855-12-22
The New York Free Love system.

Mr.. O. ]. Victor, of the Sandusky (Oho) Reg
ister, having during recent visit to New YORK.
attended Free Love meeting, writes as follows:
"On Broadway is a room occupying the
whole fourth story Of a large building, where
gather the professors and disciples of the Free
Lovers These persons abrogate the marriage
laws. and deny their binding force. They pro-
pose. as the only true marriage. that persons ol
both sexes shall come together from affinities,
that is, they will live together as man and
wife when their spiritual nature assure Them
that they are fitted for one another, and shall
only live together as long their natures are
harmonious when This harmony ceases, the
parties are at liberty 10 choose other associa-
tions. and bed and board with the opposite sex
if it p. ases. This is the sum and substance OF
the whole institution, regard IT as tfey may
and its fruits may be easily guessed.
"We entered the room at O'Clock. At one
end of the large saloon was an ante-clamDer,
carpeied nicely and fitted up with sofas, tables,
&c, A company of men and women-lnclu-
ding several persons whose names would not
look well in print. but who onght TO be known
neverheess-wcre gathered around table,
RI citing French 10 Professor Bachelor, The
somewhat noted French Socialist and conjueator
of Albert Brisbane and Stephen Pearl Andrews
After short time the lessons are over, when
commenced the usual hilarity of the evening.
The attendance became constantly greater
chiefly of Young men and women. The cxer-
ciscs consisting OF Pron,enadinS-the men clasp
ing the women around the waist, and talking
apart in low tones This earnest of the
assimilation o.! SOUL SO beautifully sci forth by
these impractcable abstractionisls; and IT was
also an earnest of such sin this pen cannot
record without a sense of humiliation for poor,
perverse human nature.
=. The promenading and reasoning together
goes on for "a while. when music strikes up and
the floor is filed with dancers. ALL then, looks
well enCugh TO the careless observer; but let
watchlu eye be kept, aud see the pressing of
hands That is going on, the leeriDg ot eyes, the
encircDg of waists by gemilemens arms; and
there is little room for doubt of the character
of the affinity which would bring souls har-
monously together We looked on in utter
astonishment, and could but turn in indisna-
ton to the apostles of such gross deception.
to protest against its enormiiy.
''In lady present we found willing COM
municant and facts enough were given us to
aulhorise The inierposiiion of the strong hand Of
the law 10 break up the gatherings. Young
women, beautiful and accomplished. were
pointed out to us having given themselves up
TO the embraces of certain young men. for whom
they had an affinity" whiethe whole brother
hood looked on approvnsly, and seemed TO re-
gard ii as entirely proper.
lone beautiful French girl present. looked
worn and exhausted; it was told us by our lady
informant that, six weeks ago NIadamoiselle
was as blooming and loveable creature as eAer
graccd any parlor; that she had become
thoroughly indoctrina,ed with the Free Love
principles tn become rathfnl disciple. and,
oil consequence she had become the mistress
of four or five of the spiritual minded, y and was
now but wreck Of what was pure woman
few weeks since This, we assured, was
but of many instances; and yet the Club
was increasing, drawing within it many people
OF intelligence aud virtue, who thus blindly sold
themselves to The Devil, in the pursuit of an alb
straclion which is but impuriiy in lis reduction
to practice"