The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-04-21
socialism

We have been in receipt for some time
past, Of the ".lmcricaR .S0ctAtist," a publica
ton issued under the auspices Of the Oneida
Community Of Socialists, ncGr Oneida, n. y
We find in it occasionally some queer read
ing. Doctrines which il is almost i'm possible
to state without indelicgcy, are promulgated
and defended with an ingenuity OF uttcranct
that i, really surprising when one comes tc
take IN thelcal meaning. In general way the
following may be given rs the substance oi
the creed Of The Oneida Communists:
/. GOD is dual, male and female, and ere
alton is an act OF Gods faith.
,. The Institution of marriage, which
assigns one man 10 one woman, does not ex
lst IN the community ofpertect people which
they call the kingdom of heaven. Complex
marriage takes the place of simple, and all
believers are members one OF another.
3. 4 community Of goods is essential 10
the oneness OF believers and there is no dis
tincuon between community IN person and
IN property. This unity abOllshes all separ.
ateness into families, and makes freedom the
great principle of social relations.
4. Shame was the consequence of the fail
and is irrational and Fictitious: therefore il
holy, enjoy perfect freedom.
There is another community Of the same
faith at Wallngford, Conn, and all over
New England the converts are said TO be
numerous and rapidly on the increase. In
deed rapid accessions to this peculiar belief
are said to follow always in the wake of re-
ligious REVEALS, as one Of the most subtle de-
vices Of the devil to pervert and corrupt the
new converts, to whom this pretense of per,
fcctonism is apt to be peculiarly alluring y
convention of the New England Socialists, or
Free Lovers, as they may be called in plain
English, was held two weeks ago IN Boston,
attended by several hundred delegates from
all parts Of New England. There were
mstresses and misses, and masculine Gle.
ments young and old present-short-harc
women and long haired mcn-yoIths and
madens-magrlcd and single-all in one
sweet middle. The speeches and resolutions
were so loud, that on the last evening of the
session gang Of "roushsn attended the meet
ing to have,some tun. They became as in
decent in their way as the association was in
its style, and the proceedings could not pro,
coed until body OF police was called in as
moderators. Under such official protection
the New England Free Lovers concluded
their regular business and dispersed"
1t is to be noted, however, that while the
Oneida and Walllngtord communists claim
to be earnest Christians and to base their doc
trlnes strictly on teachings which they pre-.
were in this Boston conventicle many who
reject all scripture and religion as supersti-
lion and mummery, and claim that the Com
munlsm they advocate is the "ccnter and core
of science" divorced from creeds and divini-
ties of mans invention.
1t must be a source of peculiar satisfaction
to Henry Ward Beecher to find himself rec.
ognized by this organ of the Oneida socialists,
above referred to, as one fully in sympathy
with them and sharing their belief; and his
late triumphant lecture tour through the west
is pointed to as an evidence that the doctrine
has firm hold on popular sympathy every.
where. The rush to hear Bcecher at Cleve.
land, Chicago and elsewhere, and the honors
paid him at St. Paul, Madison, and Sprinfed,
are cited as evidence Of this. Says the Inner.
icdn Socialists: Surely it is not possible that
anybody believes in Beechers entire inno-
cense of heart ,respass. Are not the people,
Gin this outburst of enthusiasm) condoning
the encroachments of religious love on mat
territory? Is there not in this a
squint to church famIlism,-whlch is one
prOmlsinG fnaillre of Socialism 9n