Letters From Michigan: Number XIV

Locks, bars. bolts, manacles, fetters uarlike weapons, prisons, court-houses and tribunals 'of justice, remind us of dispositkm that exists in mankind to in vade the rights of each óther, either by overt attacks upon thein, or by such manifestation of selfishness as destroy the Uappiness of olhers in sécuring tha of the individual. In one of these ways the disposition lias been display èd by th entire human race. It ís easy, indeed to declaim against manrs deravity, anc to be eloquent respecting the dignity o human nature, &c; yet it is obsorvabl that such declaimers are careful to bolt their doors against midnight intruders, and they compare their bank bilis with the descriptions of the Counterfeit Detector, with as mucb nrïnuteness as the avowed believers in man's total depravity. This inclination, or rather determination to tramplc on the rights of others to secure our own sellish purposes, has been characteristie of men generally in évery age. It has existed through one hundred and fitty successive generations, in all conditions of society, the most refincd and tïie most savage. Two remedies have been applied for this distressing state of things. The first is a rigid cnforcement ofmujiicipal law, minutely defining every ofience,and bringing the offence to condign punisliment. This is accomplished by physical force, and is necessarily very imperfect in its resul ts,inasmuch as a vast fimount of wrong must necessarily escape punishment. and the innocent sometimes suffer instead of the guilty. Thesecond methodof preventing crime is by an appeal to the sense of moral obligation in each individual, by teaching each person to regard the rights of others, because such regard is required by the sanctions of religión. This plan appeals to principies of action entirely different fróm the other. Tlie motives to right action are internal. On the prevalence of this in the world. the Lopes of philanthropists and Chrislians for the extinction of wrong and injustice are chiefly bascd. Butthere is a third preventative of all crime and moral vil, which has recently been discovered, and which professes to regenérate man to a great extent or entirely, by taking away the temptation to wrong moral acts. This sect are known as Fourierists. They hold that all crimes and misdemea nors are the resultofcircumstanees - of the present wrong organizatjon of society, and they contend that if man were placed in different circumstancas, crime and the ten thousand discords of social life would cease to a great extent. if not entirely. Aceordingly, they are organizing their associations in many States. We have onejustcommenced in Michigan, of the future progress of which I will appriseyou. The futility of this scheme as an absolute preventative of crime and vice. must be apparent to every refleeting man. - The temptations and conveniences for committing wrongs on our felknv.men are multiplied in proportion to the extent of our intercourse with them. Hence,in cities, every Jcind of vice growswith more luxuriance than in the country. Now the Fourierists propose to put two thousand persons in one house, and thus afford the most ampie opportunities for the prevalence of every social vice. That the social virtues may also flourish proportionately.I will admit. But is to be supposed thaf any circumstances can be contrived by which nnger, malice, hatred,revenge, peevishness, discontent, fraud, avarice, licentiousness, gluttony, intemperance, pride, selfish ambition, and many other viceswill be entirely excluded from those walls? VVhen you take in human beings, you take in all these elements of eyil: and any plan of action by which the entire and permanent cessation óf all violations of moral rectitude migh-t be secured within the walls of a single association would be a discovery of more importance than any which has yet been achieved by man. The most extravagant opinions respecting the proper social state of mankind may be found among the advocates of associalion; and where they at once cut loosc from the truthsof Revelation, there is no knowing the extent of folly and wickedness to which they may attain. - The most stnking instance of this that I have seen, is found in a statement of the principies of an association at Skeneateles. called the "Communlty," drawn up by John A. Collins, formerly a notedAbolitionist of the Garrison school, and assented to every individual in the Comraunity, except fivc. After some general considerations, Mr. Collins proceeds: "Without going into detail of the principies upon which this Community is to bc established, I will state briefly a few oí the fundamental principies, which I re gard as essen tial to be assented to by every applicant for admission. lst. Religión. - A disbelief in any special revelation of God to man, touching his will, and thereby binding upon any man as authority in any arbitrary sense - that all forms of worship should cease - that all religions of every age sml nafion, hnvo fheir origin in the samegreat falsehood, viz: God's special proy idences. That, while we admire tb precepts altributed toJesusof Nazeretl we do not regard thom as binding becaus uttered by bim, but because they are tra ii themselves, and best adapted to pro mote the happiness of the race - Th'ere fore, we regard the Sabbath asotherday - the organized Church as adapted t produce strife and contention, rather than }ove and peaCe - the clergy, an imposi tion - the Bible, as NO authority - mira cíes, as unphilosophical- and salvatioi from sin, or from punishinent in a futur world, through a crucified God, as a rem nant of heatherusm. 2d. Governmexts.- Adisbeliefin tb rightful existence of all governmentsbas ed upon physical force- that they are organized bands of banditti.whose author ity is to be disregárded. Therefore, we wiíl not vote under such governments, o petition to them, but to demand thera to disband - do no military duty - pay no personal or property taxes - sit upon no Juries - refuse to testify in courts of so called justice; and never appenl to the law fora redress of gricvances; but use all peaceful and moral means to secure their complete destruction. 3d. Property. - Thai thqre is to be no individual property, but all goods shal] )e held in common - that the idea of mine and thine, as regards the earth and its )roducts. now understoodin the xclusive sense, is to disregarded and set aside - herefore, when we unite, we will throw nto the common treasuryall the property which is regarded as belonging to us, and brever afteryield upoúr individual claim ind ownership in it- that no compensaion shall be demanded for our labor if we hould ever leave, 4lh. Marriage. - That we regard mariage asa true relation groving out of the ature of things- repudiating licentiousess, fornication, concubinage, adultery, igamy, and polygamy - that marriage is esigned for thé happiness of the parties. nd to promote love and virtue. That vhensuch parties have outlived their afections, and can cannot longer contribte toeach other's happiness, the sooner ie separation takes place the better, and uch separation shall not be a barrier to be parties in againuniting WITtI ANY ONE, when they shall coiïsider their hap)iness can be promoícd ihereby - that paén ts are in duty bound to edúcate their hildren in habits of virtue, and love, and ndustry, and that they are bound to unite vith the Community. 5th. Ëducatiox of - That be Community owes tb the children a uty to secure them a virtuous educaon, and watch over them with parental are. 6th. Dietics. - That a vegetable and ruit diet is essential to the health of the ody, and the purity of the mind, and the ïappiness of society - therefore, tfie kiling and ëating of animáis is essentially vrong, and should be removed as soon as )ossible together with the use of all narotics and stimulants. 7th. - That allapplicants shall, at the iscretion of theCommunity, be put upon probation oí three or six months. 8th. - Any personwho shall force himelf or herself upon the Community, who eceived no invitation from the Commuity, or who does not assent to the views bove enumêrated, shall not be treated or onsidered as a member of the Communiy - no work shall be asingned (to) him or er (if ) solicited, while, at the sanie time, e or she shall be regarded with the same indness as all or any other strangers - ïall be furnished with food and cloihing - that if at any time any one shall disent from any or all of the principies numerated above, he ought at once, in ustice to himself, to the Community, and o the world, to leave the Association. - ) these views we hereby affix our resective signatures." Jinecdole. - A collectcr of church rales in ingland, called upon a Quaker who kept a ry goods store, for the usual eum, the latter aid - "Fiiend, is it right that I shoul d pay vhen I never altend the established church?" 'The church is open to all,' answered the ollector, 'and you mighl have attended, if you ïad a mind to.' The Quaker paid the money, and on the exl day sent the collector a bilí for broadcloth. 'he man carne immediaïely, and in a passion sked the mcaninor of it; decluring he never ïad a single article from bis store. 'Oh!' said the quaker, rubbing his hands, the store was upen for thee, and thou mightst have had the cloth if thou hadst a mind o.'