The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-10-13
THE AMERICAN COMMUNE

Il y
ciety, like the natural elements, after
a long calm, becomes surcharged with
noxious malaria and the most radical
remedies are often required to effect
its purgation. There are to be found
in all countries persons who are in
capable of quietly enduring the who'll
some restraints of well organized soci-
ETY.. They chafe and fret under all
rules imposed for the preservation of
law and order and cry out persecu-
tion when restrained by enlightened
public sentiment from running riot in
persuit of the fancied Elysian pictured
by their distempered imaginations as
the certain result of the triumph of
their wild theories. Never in the
record of the past did this licentious
spirit prevail throughout the civilized
world to the extent it does at this
time. In France it is known as the
Commune, and throughout Europe it
bears the title of international Soci-
ty." In this country it is rapidly de-
veloping. and attempting ITO organize
under the Woman's Rights standard.
We do not wish to be understood as
charging all who think they believe in
the womans rights movement with
entertaining the immoral veiws and
sentiments of the French Commune,
but we do say, and can prove from
their own lips that the leaders of the
movement are Communists and ene-
mics to Christian civilization.
Henri Rochfort was the leading
spirit of the Commune which recently
perpetrated in Paris horrors ut which
humanity stood aghast. While un-
der trial for his great crimes the Cos.
mopolitan Society of New York, the
organ of which is WooohrR G Clat-
1a's Weekly, held a meeting and
adopted among others the following
resolutions:
Resoired, That with all our hearts
We hope and pray that for the sake of
human nature the present French
government will not sacrifice on the
altar of human vengenee our brother
and co-worker, Henri Rochfort.
Resotped, That in him the cause OF
the people has had one OF its ablest,
most earnest and noblest Advocates
one who, throughout his life, has
braved death and spurned place and
power and fame in the service of liber-
ty and truth.
These resolutions were offered by a
woman named Frances Rose Mackin-
ley, and adopted with great enthusi-
asm. The recognition of Rochefort
as a co-worker" cannot be misunder-
stood; the abolition of the marriage
rite, of the Christian religion and of
social order, and the substitution in
their stead of Atheism, prostitution
and universal license without law are
all included in the endorsements
Have we written truly? Let that
pure-minded champion of woman's
rights, Mrs. Victoria c. Woodruff,
answer. We copy from her paper of
Aug. 9Th, 1871, as follows:
Let pharisaical self righteousness
howl as it will. marriage-the conse-
Grated, the ordained OF God-as it now
exists, is doomed. Some hold up their
hands in holy horror, and cry out, "Oh,
how can you speak so of that sacred
institution?r Sacred it might have
been once, but, like the old Jewish
tenn pie, it has become the habitation
Of al that is foul and unciean, the
ofall that is beastly and low.
smooth it over as you will, the fact
will loom up that marriage, as now ex-
sts, is rotten to the core, and stencil
% all pure-minded and truth-loying
people.
Need we say more to prove that
he leaders in the woman,s rights
are Communists and enc
mics to the best interests of humani-
"? We deal with principles, not
with individuals. We accord to Miss
Anthony and Mrs. Woodruff the
right to teach, and to all who wish to
10 so the right to echo their senti-
nents, but We claim the privilege of
stripping the gauze of sophistry from
heir clamor for the ballot and exhib-
ting them In their true character
Against an appeal, from a respectable
of the intelligent women of
he United States, for the ballot, we
nave no protest to offer. But when
women of the character of Mrs.
w oodhull and any number of her en-
iorsers, male or female, make such
IN appeal and shamcfully faunt in the
aces of an enlightened people the
banner of the French Commune, they
all decency and are neither
nor authorized to represent
he pure and noble wives, mothers
md daughters of this country.
1t is needless for the more timor-
'us among the would-be leaders in
his movement to deny their sympa-
ny with Mrs. Woodruff in her
Josmo-political theory. Miss An
hony, Mrs. Stanton, and every other
Idyocate who has attained distinction
n the cause, boldly proclaim the
anne doctrine. That it is de-
ioned to unsettle civilized society