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DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS
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Of all the social systems that have been successivel y devised J * e last 25 centunes , not one offers such a unity in its * 1 , tioos , 3 ^ comprehensiveness of cl laractei . > al dl C re exactness as that of Fourier . Ic is these Htie 8 » ^ titate bis theory , one or the completed systems of 8 pecul * . 2 , ever conceived by any human brain . Not only . Joes it > e with a wonderful clavrvoyance , tho development and effe cts o our passions and mctmcts ; but also in the starry ; , 1 ( la n « l the tour kingdoms of nature , there is not a movZ * t whereof it does not indicate the aim , nor a phbinenon whose bearing it does not disclose . It is at onee Ueat ly religions in its principle and iu its consequences n ( l nothing but the intellectual and moral depravity ,, f « iis ** d age , could have attached the stigma of atheism to ; lSystem thatemphatically vindicates the justice and the love ° But thoug h the abstract theory of Fourier seems calculated to ly * n * nA ^^ ntiinc * v » r » * svns % „• £ ? a J * wfc 5 H
( 1 ely almost all the severest sentimsnts of a conscientious an ,-] S } , jis practical application of it is far from bein « r equally itisf-ctory . Here we find it mutilated iu the high sphere of its social bearing , and tlie theory being lowered owiuo- to a til distrust to the petty proportions of an agricultural colony , loses at once , m the eyes of lofty minds , the fundamental lever of its attractive force , together with its magical iHietry . .
. . Here in practice , instead of entering the imposing and wondcrlul structure , when the soul is entranced at the sfaht of \ , mt harmonies , and sees all the delights of earth emer * in < r to it , as to a common centre by a thousand mysterious paths , — there remains nothing but a vulgar residence , in which man lives hut to make gold and becomes a money mill once more T his is but a repetition of the Diggings and a fall from Paniiliso . '
: There is a radical vice in a Utopia of this nature . It consists ' TJotsn much in the evident impossibility of moving the mass of men by petty instruments , as in its unfortunate effects ou the niiuils of those who advocate it . Fourier—when he pronounced " { lib preparatory novitiate of education , unnecesary for the candidates who wished to enter his phalanstery , and still more , » hen hrf made material interests the exclusive pivot of his p halanx , converted an exaggerated egotism into the mainspring of his disciples . This was a fatal error though calculated to
g ain over proselytes . 8 At the diggings it is natural to find self interest the God and the great master , of their votaries . Hut it was beneath the dignity « f true aoeinl science and the sublimity of many <» l ' lns ( j"iM . ' . oj » tion . s , thus to degrade it into slavery to a low materialism .
We are persuaded that Fourier had n <« t been guilty" of such saiallness , had he not been stimulated to it by the ambition he felt of uniting the glory of reaVziug his Utopia , to the palm of discovery . His freedom of thought became thus anchored to tiie prejudices of the age , and he was forced to mutilate and dock his system , iu order t' » adapt it to the proportions of a problematical experiment on a small scale . Thus bv
continually narrowing the meaning of the word social , he at last confiued it to such a limited compass , that it only tended to pvoloug indefinitely the sufferings of the labouring classes whose miseries he wished t <» remove . When once you make a false step in political jtnd social economy , the successi « n of calamities goes on in an increasing r . iti <» . This lame attempt to square an eccentric system with nstvived notions ended in stranding the theory in a crude and hydiviheaded mass r » f systems which bears the . name of snc ' iduin . From the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one
step , a »« l that step is taken from the stupendous theory to the paltry application of Fourier ' s system . W « are fur from thinking that his theory is correct , or that he has succeeded in accurately surveying the future lines for humanity to follow . Yet his ideal is rich and suggestive , and since Plato ' s republic , no grander Utopia had started from man ' s brain . We have seen that a future advance of humanity
must be predicated by the consistent reasoner , and we welcome all fruitful suggestions to help us on in our gropings after a belter world to come . For we are convinced that a deep prospective significance is contained in the memorable words of the prophet : when he shadows forth in a dun perspective , that city whereof the walls are salvation and its gates praise , and when li-i proclaims that " its officers shall be peace and its exactors li'ihteousiiKss . "
Inspiration has announced the destiny , human intelligence must prepare it . The materials are in our hands , and when there is a will there is a way . A Pionkeb .
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WOMAN'S WRONGS . A correspondent writing to the Times on the Woman ' s Convt- 'Miun recently held in x \ merica , observes : — " That although it h impossible to abstain from laughing at the extravagances of the "Strong minded women , " still the inquiry forces itself upon our attenii' » n—is the relation of woman to so-Cl * ty in all respects what it ought to be . ' Has she no genuine wrongs t-j complain of , when we have put aside the question wiiL'ther she should be a magistrate and a police officer , a lo-gisuiUir and a gaoler , a general and a private soldi r , a merchant ° n Change and a dravwomana commissioner in hankruntcv and
, * sheriffs officer ? Single women and widows , holding the proper qualification . » ave votes for parish officers ; why not for members of Parliament : Why should their property be unrepresented ? Why should they have im voice in choosing those who shall make laws ! them in cnnrnon with men . ' If they had the right to vote , and shrunk from its exercise , they need not vote . Jiut they do " older and more courageous things " than it would i « e to present themselves at the poiling-huoth continually , and society applauds them for so dointr . Clear perception of what is right , ami a con-Science unflinchingly supportiiii the decisions of the understandltl are bv no means confined to men , I doubt if women would
Cr out for the dark secrecy of the ballot b > x . It" they voted it ^ ould be in the face of day . Give fie femme vole the ri . ht to v , and you would at once do justice and infuse a purityiru demen t into those scenes of bribery , corruption , and intimidation ^ hich are the staple of our Parliamentary elections . But perhaps women are virtually represented in Parliament Wi th the other unenfranchised members of society ; still , have
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etLnm 7 ^ mplain *? f m their Iegd P ° sition ? Are ^ e laws ZhT ? em US a SUfficient defence ? The "" married woman and the widow , it is true , hold property on precisely the same SSlA 10611 - S 0 l " f ^^ rotLsor Lusln Can S i T' * P " ™ «' . ° ™ COnSetlL * P of property m \ tZ r ' 1 glft ° wherltance > ifc is absolutely theirs , but o longer than they remain single . If they marry , their proper , v rS ? ! ab 8 . ol « ely their husband ' s , or that transfer , bv legal nglt o the husband , is evaded by the interposition of trustees . W hen the priest has pronounced his blessingand he and hvet l I" no *? v \ rttltlH _ l . _ _ l * ... .
, er Imror- « .. ~ • i » ' uu uc auu lKr Vet lover , aie enjoying the sweets of the honeymoon , her property passes as effectually out of her control as if she were already dead . le lost >? the P ™ of her husband , or in those of her tiustees .- lhe proceeds of her settlement are nominally to be paid over to her for her sole use and benefit ; but , as soon as thev come into her hands , her liege lord may demand that she should delivery such proceeds to be disposed of at his discretion , or in . discretion , or worse . Her settlement is of use only in case of ner husband s insolvency , to save them both , with their children , trom poverty , or in the rare case oflegal separation
. But let us grant , further , that the settlement of a married woman , clumsy expedient as it is to cover the injustice of the law has its compensating advantages , that by it a woman is to a cer tain extent defended from the consequences of the unthrift or pronigacy ot her husband . Let us grant that a woman ' s absorption m the le ^ al person of her husband makes her and her trusteeheld property free from liability to his creditors , if she have drawn a worse than blank in the lottery of life , or have recklessly thrown herself away upon the unworhv . Stillwhat shall
, we say to the unpropertied woman , the virtuous , industrious , striving woman of the middle and lower classes , married by fate or tolly to an idle , spendthrift , dissipated husband ? And there are such . He will nut earn a living for her and her children . Why should he ? Well , then , she will ; and she has not lost all love lor the father of her little ones . She remembers the days of their courtship , and the first few sweei months of their married life ; and she will work for him too , if he will let her . Such is often the prodigal love of woman . But , let her labourlet her den \
, herself rest , and leisure , and sleep , and everything but what is necessary to keep up her strength for daily duty—1 . 1 her rejoice and thank ( Jod that she has power to gain bread for the mouths that she has brought into existence—when she has toiled , and uathered , and is looking with complacency upon her gains , considering with joy , what neet-ssaries and coniforts they will purchase lor those dearer to her than her life , her husband may come iu and sweep off ail her hard earnings , leave her and her children
penniless , and spend her precious gains upon his idle and selfish vices . Siie has no legal right to withhold them . She depends altogether upon the energy of her maternal will and the little remains of urace that may yet clin ^ to the debased heart of her lord and ' master . 1 need go no further . Whatever absurdities may be spoken about woman ' s -riohts , a deep feeling of shame must attend the
contemplation of woman ' s wrongs ; and surely such wrongs should be earnestly considered , and at an earl y period , with a view to their redre-s , that it may no longer be the opprobrium of our laws , that being made by the stronger sex , they leave the weaker defenceless just when they have the deepest need of protection and the strongest claim upon our sympathy . ¦ B ristol . ' ' ' K . C .
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MR . HOLYOAKE'S DEFENCE . To the Editor of the ' « Star of Freedom . ' ' Sir , —It is due lo your leaders awl yourself that I make some comment on Mr . Holyoakc ' s l « Lter in yesterday's lleusoner . I accused him of plotting , with Mr . Thormou Hunt and others , to creuti ! a movement iit fuuutir of a Pabnantim Ministry . He says he " was once asked by a political'friend of honour , '' &c , his opinion of such a ministry , and he owns that he was farther asked to
canvass " any accessible persons ' ' in favour of the same . He confesses also that lie did " ask one , and only one , person , " but he has " entirely forgotten the answer" he received . He adds that " the ilourishings about Cobden , Graham , the sipuntaneuus meetings , and what not , are , so far as 1 am concerned , pure inventions , " and he defies Mr . Lin ton " or any one else to prove more than I ( Holyoake ) tell you , fur the sole friend to whom I spoke on this subject , is honourable . "
It is an honourable man whose words I now will quote . It is Mr . Holyoake ' s " sole friend" to whom I refer—if , indeed , he only spoke to . one . 1 suppose Mr . Holyoake lias not forgotten who this friend is . Here are extracts from two letters written by him to me : — " Aug . 5 . -1 hear of a project the Leader men (/ nuirnton Hunt and others ) have started , lo get fahnerstou Prime Minister , with Cobden , Graham , &c , as his supporters . Who would believe men professing democratic opinions would so far forget themselves as to countenance such a scheme ? Dudley Stuart , Toulmiu Smith , Newman , and some suchlike men , are agitating it . I was applied to to assist /'
" Aug . 12 —Thornton Hunt did not write direct lo me about the l ' airnerston move , lie wrote to Holyoake , and desired him t «« read the letter lo me and solicit my . co-opeiation . Holyoake did so . 1 need not tell you what sort of a reply I made . When he saw how indignant 1 fell at their scheming , he hesitated about giving me much information . This much , however , I learnt : ilmt Hunt and others wen : endeavouring to create a movement out of doors in favour of a Palmerstoman Ministry . . . . Their mode of opera tion is to canvass the matter amongst the more liberal M . lVs , and to get iij ) public meetings to pronounce in favour of the combination . "
Here , Sir , is my evidence in proof of that which Mr . Holyoake calls " a fiction "—a story which only Mr . Liuton could indue , and only Mr . Hartley give currency to . 'lhe remainder of Mr . Uofyoake ' s letter requires no notice from me . —I am . Sir , y ^ urs faithfully , W . J . Liuton . Brantwood , Oct . 7 , 1852 . [ The " remainder , " or rather the greater portion of Mr .
Holyoake ' s letter , consists of an uncutidid , ungenerous , and indelensible attack upon Hie editor of this journal , and u most lame and impotent apology for his ( Mr . Holyoaktfs ) political and literary partnership wilh ' . he anonymous libeller of the French Republicans . H would be easy to convict Mr . Holyoake of gross misrepres entation—to use the mildest term—wilful or erroneous ; but we can better occiipv our space . —Editor , Star of Freedom . ]
TWO FACES UNDER ONE HOOD . The reader remembers the famous , or infamous , article in the Leader of September 11 th , in which the i- reach Revolutionists vutc spoken of as " a gang of demagogues , "— " corrupt and greedy demagogues /*^ - * ' scum from the foul kennels of crime , " &c « » and
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were charged with having oeen guilty of " excesses " " from which liberty now suftew all Europe over . ' - The Leader of October 2 nd cjmtouia an editorial article on "Lord" Jolm Russell ' s speech at Perth . he WhiR chief had talked about lhe attempt made o . i the Sww ~ T . ^ t 0 , Ui ? lrodllOtt Wild ltoc « ilJ P ^« <> sob ^ beity . lh . s shock tho editor of the Under , wlw enters'his most solemn protest" against " Lord" John ' s " . mtrue" and
u ibecommg remark and m indignantly asks : « Where was the attempt to establish wild hcence in place of sober liberty' ? " Mark his own answer to his own question : » Cohere . No epithet befits hat insinuation but the word false ! There was not a single revolutionary movement that had for its aim anything that even bigotry , 8 hor of insanity , would call « licence . " Tlie revolutionary Govern menls were , ior the most pan , contrasted as night is lo day , precisely tor their humanity , their order , and their sobriety , with the brutal , corrupt , and licentious conduct of the military powers which
Having satisfied his virtuous indignation by branding « Lord " John with falsehood , the editor of the Leader doems ° himself at liberty to make another Jim Crow wheel-about ; and accordingly ' m last Saturday s number , he repeats his libel of the Utli of September , —but with a difference . He now affects to patronise the ' Red Republicans , " (!) but makes a distinction between them and those whom he denominates a " small section of Terrorists . " Upon the latter he pours a flood of venom , throwing himself into the most " terrible convulsions , " raving about Robespierre , St . Just , D . mton and Marat , " fanatics , " " Phrygian caps . " " daggers , " &c . He not only pretends to patronise the " Reds , " but also the Red Flag , which he denominates the " national mouo > coloured flag , " and asks those who associate sanguinary designs with that , colour , " if red ( the colour of our English ensign ) is essentially the banner of anarchv and blood ? " J
What barefaced impudence or moon-struck madness these ravings and contradictions suppose ! In the Leader of the 11 in of September , no distinction whatever was made between "Terrorists" and "Reds ; " the distinction attempted to be drawn was between Socialists and " Red Republicans , " the last-named being denounced en masse , and in the foulest terms . In the Leader of October 9 th , the " Red Republicans " are spoken of as the " true Democracy , " " the 0 rtftt « body if lha popular party in France , " and their hairnet is lauded as as " the national mono-coloured flag . " The same writer , on the llih of September , denounced those whom he now pretends to patronise as " a miserable minority , " a gang of " greedycorrupt
, , destructive demagogues ; " and of ihe Red Flag lie piesented the vilest possible picture , observing , " Lamartine , iu the noblest moment of his life , covered that flag with shame , and swept back into the f ml kennels of crime the scum [ Louis Blanc , and such men !] that had polluted for a mo limit the pure air of freedom . " What is the meaning of these miserable " antics , " these shameless gyrations , performed by iMessrs . Hunt and Holyoake ' s "honourable "
mend ? From such a Leader , and from all Janus-faced leaders , ' good Lord deliver us !"
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SOCTJSTT OF THIS FRIENDS OF ITALY . 10 , SOUTHAMPTON STUEET , STRAND , ' LON DON . From the October number of the Monildij Record issued by this Society , we give lhe following extracts : — Progress of the Italian Question . In Italy we have lo report a continuance of the reign of terror , increasing in persecuting cruelty as it approaches the period of conflict , which may buiy it for ever in the past . Arrests en mane arc no longer t-onfined to the
Lombardo-Venetiau territory ; they take place now in those purls of the Roman States occupied by Austrian garrisons , at Terni , Spoleio , Marerai .-i , Bologna , Femira , and Faenza , They fail , however , in their object— -the uprooting of the vast national secret organization which labours to prepare ihe country for a common insurrectionary movement , when the fitting opportunity shall have arrived . In Lorabardy all possible defensive measures are carried out by the Austrian army with the greatest expedition , They rightly looked upon themselves ; is encamped in a hostile country ; - they have a presentiment of a coming outburst , and they seek to entrench . their positions by all available defences . They are erecting a
new fortress on one of the passes of the Alps ; Mantua ami Venice are being additionally fortified , and the work is being hurried on night and day ; and an encampment of 22 , 000 troops , with artillery , is being formed in the military position between Como and Lecco . The French are following the example of the Austrians ; they are entrenching themselves at-Rome , at the gate of San Pancrazio , and patrolling daily on the road to Civita Vecehin , and the coast . Everything breathes battle ; and one would say that , with the opposing forces of the nation and its oppressors , almost hand to hand , and with thii occasion which month to month may furnish for the inevitable conflict , it cannot , in all probability , be long c ' elayed .
The activity of the National party keeps pace with the relentlm persecuting ex ertions of the enemy . The clandestine Press continues its work with a daring an ingenuity , and a success absolutely marvellous , and undoubtedly unexampled in tiie history of revolutionary movements . In Tuscany , ( hey print and publish a manifesto of the Republican and National party ; in Homr , accounts of the fmu'val of the mother of Mazzini , and biographies of patriot soldiers—such as
that of Viola ,, the distinguished ait'llery officer , who served his country so ably in the defence of the great city . Assuredly there never has been a lime when the condition of Italy was more calculated to excite the attention and interest of freedom-loving Englishmen , or wheii their aid and sympathy in any ami every shape worn wore imperatively needed .
Amongst the publications of the National Party in Italy , we Would dwr special attention to a small volume , just , printed , and lhung circulated in thft country . It is entitled " Italian Democracy , " and bears the date of Rome . It is a most important and accurate historical record . of the development , organization , principles and objects of the National Party , founded on documents , circulars , manifestoes , &c , furnished by the authoritius of the Nationa Association .
A case deservedly occupying a great deal of attention at present , not only in this country , but in all parts of Europe where there are 1 ' rotestant Churches , is that ot" the Madiais . These two persons—Fniucesco Madiai , the husband , and Hosa Mudiai , the wire—both about fifty years of age , and both Tuscan subjects , were put on trial before the Royal Court of Florence , in June last , for the crime of leading Hie ftible and entertaining and teaching Protestant opinions . They were condemned severally to imprisonment and hard labour in the galleys—th husband for 56 mouths , and the wife for 45 months—and , notwithstanding thei appeal to the Grand Duke of Tuscany , the sentence is now being put into execution . The two Italians , against whom no charge is , made but that of using the freedom of their conscience , and who are represented as mild and good persons are now in the hands of the Bftoler , their heads shaved , clothed i n the prison
Democratic Movements
DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 16, 1852, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1700/page/11/
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