, 1856-01-25
Free Love, or PassionaI Attraction in View YorE


ethics are various and conflicting. Every
phase of belief and unbelief; every eX-
treme opinion, finds, in that motley crowd,
exponents and supporters. Religion has
its pure-hearted votarics. Frce-thinkng
its daring disciples Communists, Spirilu-
alists, Trancendentalists, bold innovators
upon established customs, bold deliants up
on established laws-Woman'S Rights, Ne
groes' Rights, and the Rights of Beelze-
bub, the Prince Of Devils-all have their
cliques and their advocates in the CONNER
cial emporium of the United States of the
North. But the latest achievement is the
crowning mischief of the whole There is
now organized an association, which espou-
ses, under the alluring phrase of Passion
al Association" the doctrine of Free Love
1t numbers in its ranks persons of both
sexes, who assemble on stated evenings, in
certain apartments on Broadway, where
they indulge in dancing, in conversation,
in refreshments Of various kinds, and in
the worship of Reason
One of the editors Of the Saudusky Reg
lister, %. j. Victor, ESD, who has recent
ly witnessed the workings Of the damnable
system, writes to his paper, from n. York
city, as follows:
Among the latest and most significant
innovations in the social world may be
ranked the Free Lovesm. A visitor in
the city is not likely to learn much of this
last specimen of progress, except some one
Of the initiated shall open the way, by in
PRODUCTION to the Club" Such friend
we found, and what We heard and saw is
worthy Of record, if for nothing but its
moral. f
On Broadway is room occupying the
whole fourth story Of q large building,
where gather the professors and disciples
of the Free Lovers" These persons alb
rogate the marriage laws, and deny their
binding force, They propose, as the only
true marriage, that persons Of both sexes
shall come together from afIinities -
that is, they shall live together as man and
wife when their spiritual natures assure
them they arc fitted for one another, and
shah only live together as long as their
natures are harmonious, when this har-
mony ceases, the parties are ut liberty to
choose other associations, and bed and
board with others Of the opposite sex, if it
pleases. This is the sum and substance Of
the whole institution, regard it as we may,
and Its fruits may easily be guessed.
We entered the room at eight o'clock.
At one end Of the large saloon was an an
te-chamber, cnrpeted nicely and fitted up
with sofas, tables, &C. A company of men
and women-including several persons
,yboso nopoao .vouId NOT looly uyoIl Il, ,,r;nt
but who ought to be known nevertheless
were gathered around a table, reciting
French to Professor Bachelor, the some
what noted French Socialist, and coadjutor
of Albert Brisbane and Stephen Pearl An
drews. After short time the lessons were
over, when commenced the usual hilarity of
the evening. The attendance became con-
stantly greater-chiehy Of young men and
women. The exercises consisted of prom
enading;-the men clasping the women
around the waist, and talking apart in low
tones. This was in earnest Of the i" nssim-
ilation of SOUL" SO beautifully set forth by
these impractical abstractionists; and it al
SO was in earnest Of such o sin as this pen
cannot record, without a sense Of humilia-
ton for poor, perverse human nature.
The promenadng and reasoning to-
gether" goes on for a while, when music
strikes up, and the floor is filed with dane
ers. All then, looks well enough to the
careless observer; but let watchful eye
be kept, and see the pressing of hands that
is going on, the lecring Of eyes, and encirc-
ling Of waists by the gentlemen's arms, and
there is little room for doubt of the char
acter Of the affinity which would bring
souls harmoniously together" We looked
on it in utter astonishment, and could but
turn in Indignation to the apostles Of such
gross deception, to protest against its
enormity.
In lady present We found a willing COM
municant, and facts enough were given us
to authorize the interposition of the strong
hand of the law, to break up the gather
ings. Young women, beautiful and accom-
plshcd, were pointed out to us as having
given themselves up 10 the embrace Of GER
tain young men, for whom they had an
" affinity" while the whole brotherhood
looked on approVingly, and seemed to re-
gard it as entirely proper. One beautiful
French girl present, looked worn and ex-
hausted; it was told to us by our informant
that six weeks ago, Madamoiselle was as
blooming and. loveabe creature as ever
gruced o parlor-that she had become so
thoroughly indoctrinatcd with the Free
Love principles, as to become q truthful
c disciple-and, as a consequence, she had
J. become the mistress of four or five of the
spiritual minded" and was now but q
wreck Of what was pure woman q few
weeks since! This, We were assured, was
but one of many instances; and yet the
r, Club was rapidly increasing, drawing
q within 1t many people of intelligence and
i, Sirtue, who thus blindly sold themselves to
the devil, in the pursuit of an abstraction
which is but impurity itself, in its reduction
Of practice.
Now, it is fact, that these things are
N well known TO Parke Goodwin, to Horace
n l.. aca