Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-11-24
STORMY FREE LOVE MEETING.

STORMY FREE LOVE MEETING.
Mrs. Victoria G. Woodruff lectured at
ming, on the principles of Social Freedom"
The announcement of the lecture by generous
advertising brought together crowd of peo-
pie so that the hall was entirely filed. Theo-
dore Tilton introduced Mrs. Woodruff. The
lecture on free love proved to be free fight.
From the report in the Tribune we take the
following:
The lecturer began with rather tedious
sketch of the progress of individual freedom,
the battle for which began in the sixteenth
century. Coming down to the present. she
at once launched into her particular subject
with the pertinent inquiry, "Of what does
marriage consist? 1t is admitted to be a union
of the opposites in sex, but is it principle
of nature outside of all law, or is it law
outside of all nature? Where is the point
before reaching which it is not marriage, and
after reaching which it is marriage?" Since
law cannot change what nature has already
determined, she commended that it had nothing
to do with marriage any more than with love
itself. The individual affairs of two persons
are not the subject of interference by any
third party, and if one of them chooses to
separate no power outside Of the two ought to
prevent. Suppose a separation is desired be-
cause one of the two loves and is loved else
where. If the union be maintained by force,
at least two of them, probably all three, are
unhappy; but if they separate, only one is
rendered unhappy. So if the greatest good
of the greatest number is to rule, separation
is legitimate and desirable. 1t is better to
break a bad bargain than to keep it. She
wished marriage laws would be abrogated to-
morrow-there would be no chaos, but all
would turn into harmony and order. Thou
sands OF marriages now are but legaized
prostitution thousands of poor, unresisting
wives are yearly murdered, and stand in the
spirit-life, looking down upon the sickly
half-made-up children left behind, implorng
humanity to correct the abuses which now
defle it. She asserted positively that all
which is good and commendable now existing
would continue to exist if all marriage laws
were repealed Tomorrow.
Applause followed this bold declaration but
it was instantly succeeded by a perfect tenn
pest of Kisses from all parts of the house.
The applause again came out, and again the
misses contended for the mastery. A lumber
arose and left the hall. Mrs. Woodruff adj
vanced quickly to the extreme front of the
platform, and called to those who Kissed to
step up on the platform. Suddenly the pleas.
ant voice of Mrs. BROKER, her sister, who
sat in private box on the left, came cut
clearly as the lady herself arose and faced
the audience despite the remonstrances of her
friends who feared imprudence in her words.
MAY l speak to herr" she said. "Would
you" addressing the lecturer ''like to come
into this world without knowing who your
father or mother was?"
Shouts of appreciation greeted this sally,
when Mrs. Woodruff said, loudly, "There
are thousands of noble men and women in
the world to-day who never knew who their
father was" She proceeded vehemently with
her lecture. giving no chance to the lady in
the private box to interrupt again. The latter
still kept her place, although alone in the
box, for her friends rapidly deserted her, and
several times assayed to speak. Mrs. Wood
hull angrily shouted out her sentences until
she was fairly compelled to pause by the
boisterous demand of the audience for a
speech from her opponent. A policeman was
| summoned, and he attempted in vain to in
duce Mrs. BROKER to leave the box.
Finally, Theodore Tilton advanced and at
tempted to quell the excitement which had be-
come uproar. Cries of "Put him out" greet
ed him, the audience evncing a decided pref
erence for Mrs. BROKER. Mr.. T'ilton stated
that it was right enough that a lady should
epSdh- ATe. DtOOkeT ealu, II am Der
sister" Mr.. Tilton continued, 81 would
myself ask her to come down on the platform
and address you [Cries of Yes, yes for |
believe in free speech but Mrs. Woodruff
must be protected also in the exercise of that
right, and shall again introduce her.
Mrs. Woodruff then continued her speech,
now very excitedly and at race-horse speed, as
she feared that something would again inter-
pose. Free love, she said, would be an in
tegral part Of the religion of the future The
legitimate sequence Of Social Freedom, is
Free Love, or freedom of the affections.
land are you Free Lover?" eyes, am a
Free Lover! Loud Kisses. have an in
alienable, constitution and natural right to
love whom l may, to love as long or as short
period as ! can, to change that love every
day, if l please, renewed Kisses and with
that right neither you nor any law you can
frame have any right to interfere; and have
the further right to demand a free and I'M
restricted exercise of that right, and it is your
duty not only to accord it, but as commu-
nifty, to see that am protected in it. trust
that am fully understood, for / mean Just
that, and nothing less Why did Mrs. Fair
Kill Crlttenden? Free Love was not the in
otter. 1t was because she believed in the
spirit of the marriage law; that she had
better right to him than had Mrs. Crittenden,
10 whom the law had granted him; and,
father than give him up to her, to whom he
evidently desired to go, and where following
ms right 10 freedom he did go, she killed him.
III