Brook Farm: Historic and Personal MemoirsCodman, John Thomas
History
Brook Farm: Historic and Personal Memoirs
Codman, John Thomas
Brook Farm Phalanx (West Roxbury, Boston, Mass.)
The scheme cannot be better introduced than by giving here the
prospectus of the _Harbinger_, the beautiful name of the new weekly
paper. You will find in its brave words some of the ideas that the
leaders of this movement developed, but more particularly the broad
faith they had in human nature and in great principles applied to
social life, and the greater trust they had that the Providence under
which we live had ordained man for a sublime destiny.
CHAPTER VI.
THE "HARBINGER" AND VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
The following is the prospectus of
THE "HARBINGER."
Devoted to the Social and Political progress. Published simultaneously
at New York and Boston, by the Brook Farm Phalanx. "All things, at the
present day, stand provided and prepared, and await the light."
Under this title it is proposed to publish a weekly newspaper, for the
examination, and discussion of the great questions in social science,
politics, literature and the arts, which command the attention of all
believers in the progress and elevation of humanity.
In politics, the _Harbinger_ will be democratic in its principles and
tendencies; cherishing the deepest interest in the advancement and
happiness of the masses; warring against all exclusive privilege in
legislation, political arrangements and social customs; and striving
with the zeal of earnest conviction, to promote the triumph of the high
democratic faith, which is the chief mission of the nineteenth century
to realize in society.
Our devotion to the democratic principle will lead us to take the
ground of fearless and absolute independence in regard to all political
parties, whether professing attachment to that principle or hostility
to it. We know that fidelity to an idea can never be reassured by
adherence to a name; and hence we shall criticise all parties with
equal severity, though we trust that the sternness of truth will always
be blended with the temperance of impartial candor. With tolerance for
all opinions, we have no patience with hypocrisy and pretense; least of
all with that specious fraud which would make a glorious principle the
apology for personal ends. It will therefore be a leading object of the
_Harbinger_ to strip the disguise from the prevailing parties, to show
them in their true light, to give them due honor, to tender them our
grateful reverence whenever we see them true to a noble principle; but
at all times, and on every occasion, to expose false professions, to
hold up hollow-heartedness and duplicity to just indignation, to warn
the people against the demagogue, who would cajole them by honeyed
flatteries, no less than against the devotee of mammon who would make
them his slaves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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