New-York tribune., 1879-03-29
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE ONEIDA COMMUNITY.


A CORRESPONDENT IS MOVED By PROFESSOR
MEARs's LETTER TO THE TRIBUNE TO RE-
PORT TIE PROCEEDINGS OF RECENT MEETING
NsYRACUsE-UTTERANCEs WHICH ARE NEITHER
CREDrTABLE NOR EFFICACIOUs.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The letter from Professor j. W..
Mears. published In THE TRIBUNE this morning, un-
pleasantly recalls q meeting held In Syracuse, on the
14th Of last February from which the representatives
of the press excluded, although ts proceedings
were reported in the daily papers at the time The tenn
per and conduct the meeting add the long list OF
proof to what Of intolerance even arrogance
fanatics any subject are led. As it appears. the
meeting consisted OF about fifty clergymen OF nearly all
denominations, and originated in the mind OF Professor
j. w. Mears, the author OF this mornings letter The
object Of the meeting the suppression Of what Is
known as the Oneida Community After the organiza-
ton had been accomplished, these reverend
gentlemen commenced their attack upon socf
ETY. founded by college alumnus "Who III
college was a bright student ard promised
TO be useful man." and who based his theory" on the
book which these dvines the interpreters Dur
ing the meeting Professor j. W Mears arose and said
81 may say that these people arc good citizens,
orderly and ceanly the manner in which they
conduct their homes -" person going through the
community nothing there to ohend,' ana how
such be the mothers OF excellent stock OF
men is one of the problems which students discuss"
II
verbally wicked calling should be associated, unless
professionally Of late is often the case, with such
pous mem told the meeting that the statutc-books
contained law which made the existence OF the com
munity q crime" A reverend editor Of Utah paper
upon an invitation to speak set forth the condition OF
the Mormon people, particularly the women, as some
thing pitiable" This, coming after the
personal petition OF the Mormon women 20
our National Congress not to change their status, com
pels me to doubt the yeracy of the reverend editor
That subject is too irrelevant to allow present consd
Grafton, but the objection Of the Mormon women TO
proposed change, offers contrast TO the clamorous
discomfort " women neither MOmOns nor OF the Oneida
Community, tue social position they occupy fact
so significant affords for thought and oppor-
tuny for criticism An especially reverend gentleman.
a bishop in fact, followed in this stye This is not an
isolated community # should be shown up IN the light
There s impure emanation. Young people go there
and with these impure thoughts and associations
ia their minds" And this after investigating COM
mittee in answer to the question: whether the
women ever leave their precincts" reported,
"Not much IL at ALL" The reverend gentleman
evidently was not cOnversan with his facts Another
reverend gentleman pronounced "ihe system !OuI
blot on ci'illzation aud read lelter rom some uC
ulent Congressman. expressing himself thus IL is
disgrace to the United states that Mormon delegate
should be admitted 10 Congress from Utah, ana IL sa
disgrace To New-York that such community as ms -
allowed to exist in the state" These gentlemen coHld
proftably read the lrtle poem OF Boora-BoOra-sa.
And so these reverend gentlemen from over Jealous
IN relieved
ances and another very and right reverend gentleman,
also Bishop, gave voice to such bgOtIy ana lnOler'
aucr as have caused the cruelty misery and martyraom
thai bring r. upon the Christian religion speak
iLg OF the Community this Bishop OF the CHRISTIAN
Church SAYS: sit is IN the hands or sagacous men
IF Tie Community stood alone, win sympathy HUm
the ont side public and with less sagaJOus leaders, y
might be overcome by popular uprising
Although the Bishop admits that such a course
Is impractlcabc, what docs the suggestion oI d
popular UPRISING mean Does it not always mean
raplne force and blOcdshed And lastly. another
reverend but also apparently bellgerent gentleman
Suggested I" The least we c0ud do would be to unu
viy IL pOssblp to suppress this evil as Hercules
said either find Il way make one y" Inat TINS
Christian should quote pagan authority IN expressing
his unchaTiablCness appears rather Ike enlecish'
NoW comes the prOtSsO" his letter VI today TOO
recent to need cllng. without word in defence OF
that II is very small number, unobtrusye Compaa-
lively unknown. orderly clcanly, law-aDldng, unsoHc
itng and not numerically increasing IN converts
think the actOn taken by the reverehd gentlemen upou
the lnsgation professor, Is an uncaled Tor ana
moddlesome interference which does begiu, To
again quote the professor, 70 look Ike "a
wanton crusade" / suggest that these CRUSADERS
employ themselves il rcpressing the scaudals
of eir own holy orders of wHich the whole world is
cognzant and with which the newspapers for years
uast have bec fairly terming Are they IN poSon 10
CRY shame with such q commentary as the prlntlnG "t
the aly report the tial OF most prominent dlNihe
IN the next column out to the letter OF the eminent
professors ---- -. .,.ot. ,,,
wrautabe action have brought the evil they complain
of into more prominence and publicity than, unmo'
jeste Il has ATTAINED Its thirty years existence.
Netc-l ork. March "a, 1879. X