Year: 1869

Sociai ana Religious vagaries OF western
New York.


We published yesterday, from our special
correspondent, a full account of the twenty
first anniversary of the "Friends of Human
Progress" at Waterloo, Seneca county, New


York. The platform of these people is ex-
pressed in the title they give themseves-the
friends of human progress-and no one can
complain that it is not comprehensive or broad
enough. In fact it is too broad to be specific
and comprehensive enough to embrace all the
isms of the day. The ''Friends of Human
Progress" do not appear to have any particular
organization for social, communist, or cooper
ative purposes as regards labor or property,
but seem to be idealists only, composed Of men
and women of various opinions and isms, who
meet together periodically to ventilate their
theories On this occasion there were about
one hundred and fifty, white, black and
gray, and of both sexes. Some of
the names are familiar as connected
with abolitionism in times past, with
the womens rights movements, with Spirit
ualism, and with other vagaries, and con-
spicuousy among them was that of Fred
Douglass. There was a great deal of flowery
talk about progress, humanity, new age, and
new philosophy and religion, but no ideas or
definite object. AS it is at the gatherings of
the Spiritualsts, the talk was mere rhapsody,
stringing together big sounding words without
thought or meaning The only practical
common sense address was that of Fred
Douglass, in which he sarcastcally and
humorously touches up the spiritualism of a
Mr.. Mills But it was evident that the hifa-
lutin trash Of this Mills and his Spiritualistic
notions were favorably received by the
assembly. 1t is utterly impossible to bring
such set of people down to the level of
common sense, or to any clear ideas, even
upon the theories they pretend to advocate.


One remarkable fact is again brought be-
fore us in this gathering of these idealists and
fanatics, and that is, that Western New York
is the birthplace, home and refuge of the
widest theories and Of all the isms that spring
up to agitate society. Abolitionism,
which has cost so much blood,
brought upon us such stupendous debt and
jeopardized our republican institutions, grew
up to be mighty power there Mormonism
and its author, Joe Smith, were born there.
John Brown was from that region. Commun-
ism at Oneida, on Lake Erie and at other
points springs into life and fourishes only in
that part of New York. Bloomerism sprung
up there. 1t was at Rochester that the Fox
family commenced their knockings and laid the
foundation Of modern Spiritualsm. Indeed,
there is hardly phase Of socialism, COM
munism, religious fanatcism, political theory or
agitation or of infidelity that is not either born
or receives its growth in Western New York.
This is a curious fact, and the philosophy or
reason of it is a matter of interesting specula
tion 1t has been said that this peculiar state
of things may be attributed to the Welsh char
acter of a great portion of the population, a
great many Welsh people having settled there
originally. But there is q large New England
know that the Welsh were not more supersti.
tious, theoretic and dogmatic than the Puritans
Western New York is rich country naturally,
is central, and when once certain isms were
started there one followed another as natural
consequence until that region has become the
hotbed of them all, and of every new one that
springs up The only way to treat them is to
let them alone, unless they become dangerous
to the morals or peace of society, and they
will die out in time through the progress of
intelligence and march Of higher civilization.