History of American SocialismsNoyes, John Humphrey
History
History of American Socialisms
Noyes, John Humphrey
Communism -- United States; Socialism -- United States
"The parties located on the domain reluctantly abandoned it, and
returned again to the cities. I am informed that one of the
members still lives on the place, and probably holds it as his
own. Who has got the deeds, it seems difficult to determine.
"This failure, like many others, is ascribed to ignorance.
Disagreements of course took place; and one between Mr. Hudson
and the New York branch, caused that gentleman to leave the
One-Mentian, and start another Community a few miles distant.
This probably broke up the One-Mentian. It lasted scarcely a
year."
THE SOCIAL REFORM UNITY.
"This Association," says Macdonald, "originated in Brooklyn, Long
Island, among some mechanics and others, who were stimulated to make a
practical attempt at social reform, through the labors of Albert
Brisbane and Horace Greeley. Business was dull and the times were
hard; so that working-men were mostly unemployed, and many of them
were glad to try any apparently reasonable plan for bettering their
condition."
Mr. C.H. Little and Mr. Mackenzie were the leading men in this
experiment. They framed and printed a very elaborate constitution; but
as Macdonald says they never made any use of it, we omit it. One or
two curiosities in it, however, deserve to be rescued from oblivion.
The 14th article provides that "The treasury of the Unity shall
consist of a suitable metallic safe, secured by seven different locks,
the keys of which shall be deposited in the keeping and care of the
following officers, to wit: one with the president of the Unity, one
with the president of the Advisory Council, one with the secretary
general, one with the accountant general, one with the agent general,
one with the arbiter general, and one with the reporter general. The
monies in said treasury to be drawn out only by authority of an order
from the Executive Council, signed by all the members of the same in
session at the time of the drawing of such order, and counter-signed
by the president of the Unity. All such monies thus drawn shall be
committed to the care and disposal of the Executive Council."
The 62d Article says, "The question or subject of the dissolution of
this Unity shall never be entertained, admitted or discussed in any of
the meetings of the same."
"Land was offered to the society by a Mr. Wood, in Pike County,
Pennsylvania, at $1.25 per acre, and the cheapness of it appears to
have been the chief inducement to accepting it. They agreed to take
two thousand acres at the above rate, but only paid down $100. The
remainder was to be paid in installments within a certain period.
"A pioneer band was formed of about twenty persons, who went on to the
property: their only capital being their subscriptions of $50 each.
The journey thither was difficult, owing to the bad roads and the
ruggedness of the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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