Woman and the Republic: A Survey of the Woman-Suffrage Movement in the United States and a Discussion of the Claims and Arguments of Its Foremost AdvocatesJohnson, Helen Kendrick
History
Woman and the Republic: A Survey of the Woman-Suffrage Movement in the United States and a Discussion of the Claims and Arguments of Its Foremost Advocates
Johnson, Helen Kendrick
Women -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- United States; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
Again, he wrote: "The non-government doctrine, stripped of its disguise,
is worse than Fanny-Wrightism, and, under a Gospel garb, it is Fanny-
Wrightism with a white frock on. It goes to the utter overthrow of all
order, yea, of all purity. When carried out, it goes not only for a
community of goods, but a community of wives. Strange that such an infidel
theory should find votaries in New England!"
The editors of the "History of Woman Suffrage" say in their opening
chapter: "Among the immediate causes that led to the demand for the equal
political rights of women, in this country, we may note these: First, the
discussion in several of the State legislatures of the property rights of
married women; Second, the great educational work that was accomplished by
the able lectures of Frances Wright, on political, religious, and social
questions. Ernestine L. Rose, following in her wake, equally liberal in
her religious opinions, and equally well-informed on the science of
government, helped to deepen and perpetuate the impression Frances Wright
had made on the minds of unprejudiced hearers. Third, and above all other
causes of the Woman-Suffrage movement, was the Anti-slavery struggle in
this country." By referring to the columns of the secular and religious
press of that period, we find that most of the respectable and
representative opinion of the country was "prejudiced." Halls and assembly
rooms in all the cities were closed against Fanny Wright, not only because
her doctrines were absolutely infidel and materialistic, but because they
were deemed subversive of law, order, and decency. The better portion of
society in the United States was of one mind in its estimate of "The
Pioneer Woman in the Cause of Woman's Eights," as she was called. In the
columns of "The Free Inquirer," a newspaper which she and Robert Dale Owen
established and edited in New York City in 1829, she attacked religion in
every form, marriage, the family, and the State. She pretended to no basis
of scientific investigation, but in a brilliant flood of words endeavored
to sweep away faith in the Bible, the home, the Republic, in favor of
negation, communism, free love. I have place for but a single quotation
from one of her "Fables," published in the "Free Inquirer." It will show
the drift of her work in one direction:
"'Is my errand sped, and am I a master on earth?' said the infernal king
(Pluto). 'Even as I promised,' said the Fury. 'Love hath forsaken the
earth. Under the form of religion I aroused the fears and commanded the
submission of mortals; and our imp now reigns on earth in the place of
Love, under the form of Hymen.' Pluto smiled grimly, and smote his thigh
in triumph. 'Well conceited, well executed, daughter of Night. Our empire
shall not lack recruits, now that innocence is exchanged for superstition,
and the true affection of congenial and confiding hearts is replaced by
mock ceremonies and compulsory oaths!'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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