_Travels from St. Louis to New Harmony.-- Mr. Owen’s System and
Experiment._
On the 10th of April at seven o’clock, P. M. we left St. Louis, in the
Mexico, a neat boat with a low pressure engine. We went down the stream
so rapidly, that we advanced fourteen and fifteen miles per hour. We
received an unpleasant shock during the night from a snag. It gave the
vessel such a violent blow, that all were roused from sleep, and sprang
out of bed: I thought that the boat was going down. Happily we were only
scared this time. Towards morning we hastened past Cape Girardeau, and
all the places which we had seen a few days before. It was agreeable for
us again to come something more southerly, and recognize traces of
vegetation. We reached the junction of the Ohio with the Mississippi
about twelve o’clock in the day. We then quitted the Mississippi, and
steered into the Ohio.
At the period when the French extended their posts from Canada to New
Orleans, the Ohio was known to them under the name of “La Belle
Riviere;” Mr. Choteau, Senr. used this appellation constantly in
speaking of it, while conversing with me. The water of the Ohio is much
clearer and purer than that of the Mississippi, which is evidently very
foul from the confluence of the Missouri. At the union with the Ohio,
this difference in the colour of the streams is striking, when you pass
from the turbid waters of the Mississippi into the purer current of the
Ohio. They are divided from each other by a perceptible line, disturbed
cloudings being visible on each side of this line.
I took a solemn leave of the majestic father of rivers, the Mississippi;
but, with God’s permission, not an eternal one.
The banks of the Ohio are at first very low, and exposed to inundations.
Upon the right bank, eleven miles above the mouth, lies a small place,
consisting of a few wooden houses, called America. It is built upon a
bank raised several feet above the highest water-mark. It is only three
miles hence across to the Mississippi. A project, therefore has been
agitated, and a company formed with a capital of ten thousand dollars,
to cut through this narrow piece of land, to unite the rivers sooner,
and gain an easier navigation. Since the bank is not exposed to overflow
at this point, as I have remarked before, a town may be established
here, in process of time, when this design is carried into effect, that
will be extremely important and wealthy.
About six miles from the mouth, stand a tavern and warehouses, on the
right bank, which is called Trinity. In this vicinity there are several
rocks concealed under the water, that must be very dangerous at a low
stage of the river. Some miles higher, thirty-seven and a half miles
from the mouth, fourteen hundred miles from New Orleans, and three
hundred and thirty-four and a half from Louisville, is Fort Massac,
situated on an eminence on the right bank. The remains of a stockade,
two block-houses, and barracks, are what is left of this fort, which
gains its name from the massacre of the French garrison by the Indians.
As long as the western military posts of the United States were kept up,
an infantry company remained here in garrison. This fort has been
abandoned for a long time. Nine miles higher up on the left bank, the
Tennessee river flows into the Ohio, upon which the Western Navigator
makes the following remarks: “This river is the largest branch of the
Ohio, and is navigable for large boats more than six hundred miles. It
rises in the north western part of Virginia, and runs through the whole
breadth of East Tennessee, in a south-westerly direction. Afterwards it
enters at the north-east corner of Alabama, through the breadth of which
it runs, then turning in a northern direction, nearly in a direct line
with the western boundary of that state, it flows through Tennessee and
a part of Kentucky, in which it discharges itself into the Ohio.” The
right bank of the river on which we were now sailing, belongs to the
state of Illinois, and the left to Kentucky. Both shores are thickly
covered with woods. Although our course up the stream did not equal the
speed with which we had descended the Mississippi, yet we made handsome
progress.
On the second night we went on, in spite of the snags, and without
accident. On the third day, 12th of April, we were delighted with the
prospect of the beautiful banks of the Ohio, thickly covered with wood.
The right shore especially is rocky, and occupied by neat dwellings and
little settlements. During the night we had passed the mouth of the
Cumberland, an eastern tributary river to the Ohio. This is one of the
largest rivers in Kentucky. It rises in the Cumberland mountains, in the
vicinity of the heads of Clinch and Kentucky rivers, flows in a westerly
direction more than two hundred miles, enters the state of Tennessee,
reaching Nashville, after meandering through that state one hundred and
twenty miles, in the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, or
thereabouts, flows then one hundred and twenty miles in a north-west
course, and discharges itself into the Ohio.
This mouth of Cumberland is eight hundred and ninety-four miles from
Pittsburgh, and ten hundred and thirty-five from New Orleans. On the
right shore we saw the little town of Golconda, afterwards the Cave in
Rock, where a considerable cavern runs into the rock. It reaches one
hundred and fifty feet deep under the hill, and was used by a robber in
former days for a place of residence, whence he sallied out and
plundered the passing flat-boats and smaller craft.
Towards noon we reached Shawnee town, on the right bank, ten hundred and
ninety-five miles from New Orleans, and eight hundred and thirty-four
from Pittsburgh. The Western Navigator says, “Shawnee town was formerly
a village which belonged to the Shawnee Indian nation, and bore its
name. It is at present a handsomely situated town, in Gallatin county,
state of Illinois. It contains a post-office, a land-office, and a bank,
called the Great Bank of Illinois, with a capital of two hundred
thousand dollars. Although it is subject to be overflowed, yet it is
nevertheless a considerable place, since it is the centre of the
emigrants going to Kaskaskias, St. Louis, &c.” It appeared to me safe
from inundation, as it lies upon a tolerably elevated bank. The houses,
of which many contain stores, are mostly of wood, yet I observed many of
brick. It may contain eight hundred inhabitants, mostly white persons.
The states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, lying between the Mississippi
and Ohio, hold no slaves; a slave coming here from other states is free:
and yet these states are only divided by the Mississippi from Missouri,
and by the Ohio from Kentucky and Virginia, in which three states,
slavery still exists.
Ten miles above Shawnee town we passed the mouth of the Wabash,
a western tributary of the Ohio.
The Wabash, a very beautiful river, rises not far from the sources of
the Miami of the Lakes, and meanders through one of the most fertile
districts of the west. At its mouth, it is about two hundred and fifty
yards broad, and is navigable about four hundred miles. The Wabash forms
the boundary between the states of Illinois and Indiana, the right bank
belongs to the former, the left to the latter state. About evening, the
steam-boat landed Mr. Huygens and myself on the right bank at Mount
Vernon, a place established about two years ago, whence we proposed to
go by land to New Harmony. Mr. Hottinguer left us, as he pursued his
voyage in the steam-boat; I parted very reluctantly from this esteemed
fellow traveller, who possessed many good qualities, above all others,
one seldom found in his countrymen, great modesty.
Mount Vernon lies upon a high bank, one hundred and twenty-six miles
from New Orleans, and eight hundred and three from Pittsburgh. It is a
favourable situation for trade, laid out on an extensive plan, but has
only frame houses, and at most three hundred inhabitants. It is the new
capital of Posey county. A prison was finished for the use of the
county; a court-house was about to be built. We formed an acquaintance
with a physician established here, and a travelling merchant. The roots
of the felled trees remained yet in the streets of the town, the woods
began close behind the houses; nay, the latest built were encircled by
them.
On the following morning, 15th of April, we hired a two-horse wagon, to
carry us to the village of New Harmony, which is sixteen miles distant
from Mount Vernon, and lies on the left shore of the Wabash. The road
passed through a hilly country, thickly grown with green-leaved trees.
The way was made very bad by former rains, and the most miry places were
mended with logs, forming a grievous causeway;[II-15] over a little
stream, called Big creek, we crossed a tolerable wooden bridge. About
half way is Springfield, at first made the capital of Posey county,
which, however, afterwards was changed to Mount Vernon, as I have
mentioned before. In Springfield the county gaol still remains, also a
brick court-house, and about ten wooden houses, two of them are taverns.
As the road was very bad, and the horses went very slow, I walked at
least ten miles, and arrived at New Harmony, before the carriage. As
soon as you clear the woods, you have a very handsome view of the place.
It lies in a valley, not far from the Wabash. The woody and low banks of
this river, were at present, in the neighbourhood of New Harmony,
overflowed. From the roots of trees still remaining, it was visible,
that this country had been covered with wood but a short time back.
[Footnote II-15: [These log turnpikes are better known by the name
of “corduroy roads.”]--TRANS.]
In fact, it is but eleven years since Mr. Rapp with his society, after
they had disposed of Harmony in Pennsylvania, moved here, and felled the
first tree to found New Harmony in a country inhabited only by wolves,
Indians, bears, rattlesnakes, &c. The hills immediately next to the
place, are already cleared of timber of the larger kind; they are
converted into vineyards, and partly into orchards. Farther off are
meadows and fields to the right, and to the left fruit and vegetable
gardens, carefully enclosed by palisades. New Harmony itself, has broad
unpaved streets, in which good brick houses appear alternately, with
framed cabins and log houses: the streets are regular, running at right
angles. We took up our quarters in the only tavern there, belonging to
the community; it was passable.
Rapp’s society, called from their former residence, the Harmonites,
consisted of Wurtemburgers. Their early history is known, and perhaps,
when I visit this society from Pittsburgh in their new establishment,
“Economy,” I may find an opportunity to say more concerning them. Rapp
sold New Harmony in the year 1825, to the Englishman, Robert Owen, and
left there with his people on the 5th of May, to go up the Ohio to
Economy. Mr. Owen was originally engaged in manufactures, and possessed
a large cotton factory at New Lanark, on the Falls of Clyde, ten miles
from Glasgow in Scotland, where he had, by the adoption of a new system
of education and formation of character, changed a collection of one
thousand rude labourers into a community of industrious beings. His
system, and his ideas upon the situation of human society, as well as
the improvements that are capable of being made, he has divulged in a
series of essays, which are collected, and appear in print under the
name of a new view of society. They conclude with the project of a
constitution for a community formed on his system.
Mr. Owen is an enemy to all sects, the spirit of which has generated so
much evil under the imposing name of religion. He allows each person
liberty to believe in what he may consider to be good; so that a pure
Deism is the peculiar religion of his adherents. On this account he was
very obnoxious to the prevailing sects in Great Britain, and accordingly
his system could not extend itself there. He was therefore induced to
turn his attention to the United States, and particularly to the western
part of the Union, where, as he says, there is less hypocrisy of
religion prevailing than to the east. He then purchased New Harmony from
Mr. Rapp, and commenced his establishment in the month of May last. As
he laid the foundation of it entirely on perfect equality and community
of property, many enthusiasts in these principles from various parts of
the Union joined themselves to him; and also a number of vagabonds and
lazy worthless persons, from all parts of the world, that would
willingly live well at the public expense, who had drank away the little
money, if they brought any at all, at the tavern, and who would not
work, but desired to say a great deal. Mr. Owen had gone to England on
account of business in the month of July, and during his absence,
a complete anarchy had been introduced into the new community. At the
end of October he arrived from England at New York on his return, gave
lectures there, in Philadelphia, and in Washington, upon his system,
made some proselytes in Philadelphia, and came back to New Harmony. He
lamented over his people, and brought the situation of anarchy in which
they had fallen before their eyes so plainly, with the consequences
resulting therefrom, that they invested him with dictatorial authority
for one year.
In the eastern states there is a general dislike to him. It was thought
unadvised that he issued a proclamation to the Americans on his last
arrival in New York, in which he told them, that among many virtues they
possessed great faults, among which he alluded to an ill-directed
propensity to religious feelings, and proposed himself as their reformer
in this respect. I heard at that time unfavourable expressions from
persons in the highest public offices against him; and one of them gave
Mr. Owen to understand very plainly, that he considered his intellects
rather deranged.[II-16] In one family alone, where theory took place of
experimental knowledge, did I hear conversation turn to his advantage.
[Footnote II-16: [This is, perhaps, the most charitable idea that
can be formed of the actions of such reformers, as well as of a
“lady” heretofore mentioned, who has unsexed herself, and become
so intoxicated with vanity, as enthusiastically to preach up a
“reformation” in favour of the promiscuous intercourse of sexes
and colours, the downfall of all religion, and the removal of all
restraints imposed by virtue and morality!]--TRANS.]
After all this, I came with the utmost expectation to New Harmony,
curious to become acquainted with a man of such extraordinary
sentiments. In the tavern, I accosted a man very plainly dressed, about
fifty years of age, rather of low stature, who entered into a
conversation with me, concerning the situation of the place, and the
disordered state in which I would find every thing, where all was newly
established, &c. When I asked this man how long before Mr. Owen would be
there, he announced himself, to my no small surprize, as Mr. Owen, was
glad at my visit, and offered himself to show every thing, and explain
to me whatever remained without explanation. As the arrangement
calculated for Rapp’s society was not adapted to his, of course many
alterations would naturally be made. All the log houses still standing
in the place, he intended to remove, and only brick and framed edifices
should be permitted to remain. Also all enclosures about particular
gardens, as well as all the enclosures within the place itself, he would
take away, and only allow the public highways leading through the
settlement to be enclosed. The whole should bear a resemblance to a
park, in which the separate houses should be scattered about.
In the first place, Mr. Owen carried me to the quondam church of Rapp’s
society; a simple wooden building, with a steeple of the same materials,
provided with a clock. This church was at present appropriated to
joiner’s and shoemaker’s shops, in which the boys are instructed in
these mechanic arts.
Behind the church stands a large brick edifice, built in the form of a
cross, and furnished with a species of cupola, the purpose of which is
unknown. Rapp, they say, had dreamed three times that this building
should be erected, and therefore he had it done; but it is thought, and
I believe correctly, that he only did this to keep his society in
constant employment, so that they could have no leisure to reflect upon
their situation, and dependence upon him. His power over them actually
extended so far, that to prevent his society from too great an increase,
he forbid the husbands from associating with their wives. I also heard
here a report which I had already been apprised of in Germany, that he
had himself castrated a son who had transgressed this law, for the sake
of example, and that the son had died under the operation. Over one of
the entrances of this problematical edifice, stands the date of the year
1822, hewed in stone; under it is a gilt rose, and under this is placed
the inscription Micah 4. v. 8. The interior of the house forms a large
hall, in form of a cross, the ceiling is supported by wooden pillars.
Mr. Owen has devoted the hall to the purposes of dancing, music, and
meetings for philosophical discussions. He told me that he intended to
have the ends of the cross, both of the grand saloon as well as those of
the hall under the roof, divided off by partitions, so as to use them
for school-rooms, for a library, for a cabinet of natural history, of
physical objects, &c.
Mr. Owen then conducted me to Rapp’s former dwelling, a large,
well-built brick house, with two lightning rods. The man of God, it
appeared, took especial good care of himself; his house was by far the
best in the place, surrounded by a garden, with a flight of stone steps,
and the only one furnished with lightning rods. Mr. Owen, on the
contrary, contented himself with a small apartment in the same tavern
where I lodged. At present, the offices, and the residence of Mr.
M‘Clure, the associate of Mr. Owen, are in Rapp’s house.[II-17]
[Footnote II-17: [It is understood that Mr. M‘Clure has long since
given up all connexion with the New Harmony bubble.]--TRANS.]
Mr. M‘Clure is a man distinguished for learning, who has published a
geological chart of the United States. He told me that he was in Germany
in the year 1802, and also at Weimar, where he had become acquainted
with the literati residing there: I was introduced by him to a native of
Alsace, of the name of Neef, a rather aged man, who had the
superintendence of the boys. Mr. Owen’s two eldest sons were also here
shown to me, pupils of Fellenberg, who is greatly respected. Afterwards
Mr. Owen made me acquainted with Mr. Lewis, secretary of the society,
from Virginia, and a relation of the great Washington. He was already
pretty far advanced in years, and appeared to have united himself to the
society from liberal principles, as far as I could judge from our short
conversation. Another acquaintance that I made, was with a Mr. Jennings,
from Philadelphia, a young man, who was educated as a clergyman, but had
quitted that profession to follow this course of life, and had united
himself to Mr. Owen. He intended, nevertheless, to leave this place
again, and return back to Philadelphia. Many other members have the same
design, and I can hardly believe that this society will have a long
duration.[II-18] Enthusiasm, which abandons its subjects but too soon,
as well as the itch for novelty, had contributed much to the formation
of this society. In spite of the principles of equality which they
recognise, it shocks the feelings of people of education, to live on the
same footing with every one indiscriminately, and eat with them at the
same table.
[Footnote II-18: By late newspapers it appears, that the society
actually dissolved itself, in the beginning of the year 1827.]
The society consisted, as I was informed, of about one thousand members;
at a distance of two miles are founded two new communities. Till a
general table shall be instituted, according to the fundamental
constitution of the society, the members are placed in four
boarding-houses, where they must live very frugally. Several of the most
turbulent, with an Irishman who wore a long beard, at their head, wished
to leave the society immediately to go to Mexico, there to settle
themselves, but where their subsistence will be procured with as much
difficulty.
In the evening Mr. Owen conducted me to a concert in the non-descript
building. Most of the members of the society were present. The orchestra
was not numerous, it consisted at first only of one violin, one
violoncello, one clarionet and two flutes. Nevertheless the concert was
surprisingly good, especially as the musicians have not been together a
year. The clarionet player performed particularly well, and afterwards
let us hear him on the bugle. Several good male and female vocalists
then took a part, they sang among other things a trio accompanied by the
clarionet only. Declamation was interspersed among the musical
performances, Lord Byron’s stanzas to his wife after their separation
were extremely well recited. Between the two parts of the concert the
music played a march, each gentleman gave a lady his arm, and a
promenade took place, resembling a Polonaise with pretty figures,
sometimes in two couples, sometimes in four; two ladies in the middle,
the gentlemen separated from the ladies, then again all together. The
concert closed with a lively cotillion. I was, on the whole, much
amused; and Mr. Huygens took an active share in the dancing. This
general evening amusement takes place often in the week; besides, on
Tuesday, there is a general ball. There is a particular costume adopted
for the society. That for the men consists of wide pantaloons buttoned
over a boy’s jacket, made of light material, without a collar; that of
the women of a coat reaching to the knee and pantaloons, such as little
girls wear among us. These dresses are not universally adopted, but they
have a good appearance. An elderly French lady, who presides over the
department of young mothers, and the nursing of all the very small
children, stuck by my side during a large portion of the evening, and
tormented me with her philosophical views. All the men did not take a
share in the dance, i. e. the lower class, but read newspapers, which
were scattered over the side-tables.
The public house in which we lived was conducted on account of the
society. General Evans was looked for, who was to keep the house; in the
mean time it was directed by the physician of the society, Dr. M‘Namee,
from Vincennes. Among the public buildings I remarked two of which the
lower part was strongly built with rough stone, and provided with
loop-holes. The larger of these was the granary, and it was reasonably
thought that Rapp had this built as a defensive redoubt for his own
people. At the first period of his establishment in this country he not
only had the Indians, but also the rude people known under the general
title of backwoodsmen, who not only saw the establishment of such a
society with jealous eyes, which they knew would be wealthy in a short
time, but also entertained a grudge against Rapp’s unnatural rules of
chastity.
On the morning of the 14th of April, I strolled about the place to look
round me. I visited Mr. Neef, but found his wife only at home, a native
of Memmingen, in Swabia. Her husband was in the act of leading the boys
out to labour. Military exercises form a part of the instruction of the
children. I saw the boys divided into two ranks, and parted into
detachments marching to labour, and on the way they performed various
wheelings and evolutions. All the boys and girls have a very healthy
look, are cheerful and lively, and by no means bashful. The boys labour
in the field and garden, and were now occupied with new fencing. The
girls learn female employments; they were as little oppressed as the
boys with labour and teaching; these happy and interesting children were
much more employed in making their youth pass as pleasantly as possible.
Madam Neef showed the school-house, in which she dwelt, and in which the
places for sleeping were arranged for the boys. Each boy slept on a cot
frame, upon a straw bed.
We went next to Rapp’s distillery: it will be removed altogether. Mr.
Owen has forbidden distilling also, as well as the use of ardent
spirits. Notwithstanding this, the Irishmen here find opportunities of
getting whiskey and fuddling themselves from the flat boats that stop
here, &c. We saw also a dye-house and a mill set in motion by a
steam-engine of ten horse-power. The engine was old and not in good
order, Mr. Owen said however, he hoped to introduce steam-mills here in
time from England. From the mills we went to the vineyard, which was
enclosed and kept in very good order. I spoke to an old French
vine-dresser here. He assured me that Rapp’s people had not understood
the art of making wine; that he would in time make more and much better
wine, than had been done heretofore. The wine stocks are imported from
the Cape of Good Hope, and the wine has an entirely singular and strange
taste, which reminds one of the common Spanish wines.
We went again to the quondam church, or workshop for the boys, who are
intended for joiners and shoemakers. These boys sleep upon the floor
above the church in cribs, three in a row, and thus have their sleeping
place and place of instruction close together. We also saw the shops of
the shoemakers, tailors and saddlers, also the smiths, of which six were
under one roof, and the pottery, in which were two rather large
furnaces. A porcelain earth has been discovered on the banks of the
Mississippi, in the state of Illinois, not far from St. Louis. Two
experienced members of the society, went in that direction, to bring
some of the earth to try experiments with, in burning. The greater part
of the young girls, whom we chanced to meet at home, we found employed
in plaiting straw hats. I became acquainted with a Madam F----, a native
of St. Petersburg. She married an American merchant, settled there, and
had the misfortune to lose her husband three days after marriage. She
then joined her husband’s family at Philadelphia, and as she was
somewhat eccentric and sentimental, quickly became enthusiastically
attached to Mr. Owen’s system. She told me, however, in German, that she
found herself egregiously deceived; that the highly vaunted equality was
not altogether to her taste; that some of the society were too low, and
the table was below all criticism. The good lady appeared to be about to
run from one extreme to the other; for she added, that in the summer,
she would enter a Shaker establishment near Vincennes.[II-19]
[Footnote II-19: [According to the report of some females, who
were induced to visit New Harmony, and remained there for some
time, any situation much above abject wretchedness, was preferable
to this vaunted terrestrial paradise.]--TRANS.]
I renewed acquaintance here with Mr. Say, a distinguished naturalist
from Philadelphia, whom I had been introduced to, at the Wistar Party
there; unfortunately he had found himself embarrassed in his fortune,
and was obliged to come here as a friend of Mr. M‘Clure. This gentleman
appeared quite comical in the costume of the society, before described,
with his hands full of hard lumps and blisters, occasioned by the
unusual labour he was obliged to undertake in the garden.
In the evening I went to walk in the streets, and met with several of
the ladies of the society, who rested from the labours of the day. Madam
F---- was among them, whose complaints of disappointed expectations I
had listened to. I feared still more from all that I saw and heard, that
the society would have but a brief existence. I accompanied the ladies
to a dancing assembly, which was held in the kitchen of one of the
boarding-houses. I observed that this was only an hour of instruction to
the unpractised in dancing, and that there was some restraint on account
of my presence, from politeness I went away, and remained at home the
remainder of the evening. About ten o’clock, an alarm of fire was
suddenly raised. An old log building used as a wash-house was in flames,
immediately the fire-engine kept in a distinct house, was brought and
served by persons appointed to that duty. They threw the stream of water
through the many apertures of the log-house, and quickly put a stop to
the fire. In a quarter of an hour, all was over. Since the houses in the
place all stand separately, there is nothing to fear from the extension
of fire, unless in a strong wind. The houses, however, are all covered
with shingles.
On the 15th of April, I went into the garden back of Rapp’s house to see
a plate or block of stone, which is remarkable as it bears the
impression of two human feet. This piece of stone was hewed out of a
rock near St. Louis, and sold to Mr. Rapp. Schoolcraft speaks of it in
his travels, and I insert his remarks, as I have found them correct.
“The impressions are to all appearance those of a man standing upright,
the left foot a little forwards, the heels turned inwards. The distance
between the heels by an exact measurement was six and a quarter inches,
and thirteen and a half between the extremities of the great toes. By an
accurate examination, it however will be ascertained, that they are not
the impression of feet, accustomed to the use of European shoes, for the
toes are pressed out, and the foot is flat, as is observed in persons
who walk barefoot. The probability that they were caused by the pressure
of an individual, that belonged to an unknown race of men, ignorant of
the art of tanning hides, and that this took place in a much earlier age
than the traditions of the present Indians extend to, this probability I
say, is strengthened by the extraordinary size of the feet here given.
In another respect, the impressions are strikingly natural, since the
muscles of the feet are represented with the greatest exactness and
truth. This circumstance weakens very much the hypothesis, that they are
possibly evidences of the ancient sculpture of a race of men living in
the remote ages of this continent. Neither history nor tradition, gives
us the slightest information of such a people. For it must be kept in
mind, that we have no proof that the people who erected our surprising
western tumuli, ever had a knowledge of masonry, even much less of
sculpture, or that they had invented the chisel, the knife, or the axe,
those excepted made from porphyry, hornstone or obsidian. The medium
length of the human male foot can be taken at ten inches. The length of
the foot stamp here described, amounts to ten and a quarter inches, the
breadth measured over the toes, in a right angle with the first line is
four inches, but the greatest spread of the toes is four and a half
inches, which breadth diminishes at the heels to two and a half inches.
Directly before these impressions is a well inserted and deep mark,
similar to a scroll of which the greatest length is two feet seven
inches, and the greatest breadth twelve and a half inches. The rock
which contains these interesting traces, is a compact limestone of a
bluish-gray colour.”
This rock with the unknown impressions are remembered as long as the
country about St. Louis has been known, this table is hewn out of a
rock, and indeed out of a perpendicular wall of rock.
The garden of Rapp’s house was the usual flower-garden of a rich German
farmer. In it was a green-house, in which several large fig trees, an
orange, and lemon tree stood in the earth. Mr. Owen took me into one of
the newly-built houses, in which the married members of the society are
to dwell. It consisted of two stories, in each two chambers and two
alcoves, with the requisite ventilators. The cellar of the house is to
contain a heating apparatus, to heat the whole with warm air. When all
shall be thoroughly organized, the members will alternately have the
charge of heating the apparatus. Each family will have a chamber and an
alcove, which will be sufficient, as the little children will be in a
nursery, and the larger at school. They will not require kitchens, as
all are to eat in common. The unmarried women will live together, as
will also the unmarried men, in the manner of the Moravian brethren.
I had an ample conversation with Mr. Owen, relating to his system, and
his expectations. He looks forward to nothing less than to remodel the
world entirely; to root out all crime; to abolish all punishments; to
create similar views and similar wants, and in this manner to avoid all
dissension and warfare. When his system of education shall be brought
into connection with the great progress made by mechanics, and which is
daily increasing, every man can then, as he thought, provide his smaller
necessaries for himself, and trade would cease entirely! I expressed a
doubt of the practicability of his system in Europe, and even in the
United States. He was too unalterably convinced of the results, to admit
the slightest room for doubt. It grieved me to see that Mr. Owen should
allow himself to be so infatuated by his passion for universal
improvement, as to believe and to say that he is about to reform the
whole world; and yet that almost every member of his society, with whom
I have conversed apart, acknowledged that he was deceived in his
expectations, and expressed their opinion that Mr. Owen had commenced on
too grand a scale, and had admitted too many members, without the
requisite selection! The territory of the society may contain twenty
five thousand acres. The sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars
was paid to Rapp for this purchase, and for that consideration he also
left both his cattle, and a considerable flock of sheep behind.
I went with the elder Doctor M‘Namee, to the two new established
communities, one of which is called No. 2, or Macluria; the other lately
founded, No. 3. No. 2, lies two miles distant from New Harmony, at the
entrance of the forest, which will be cleared to make the land fit for
cultivation, and consists of nine log houses, first tenanted about four
weeks since, by about eighty persons. They are mostly backwoodsmen with
their families, who have separated themselves from the community No. 1,
in New Harmony, because _no religion_ is acknowledged there, and these
people wish to hold their prayer meetings undisturbed. The fields in the
neighbourhood of this community were of course very new. The community
No. 3, consisted of English country people, who formed a new
association, as the mixture, or perhaps the cosmopolitism of New Harmony
did not suit them; they left the colony planted by Mr. Birkbeck, at
English Prairie, about twenty miles hence, on the right bank of the
Wabash, after the unfortunate death of that gentleman,[II-20] and came
here. This is a proof that there are two evils that strike at the root
of the young societies; one is a sectarian or intolerant spirit; the
other, national prejudice. No. 3, is to be built on a very pretty
eminence, as yet there is only a frame building for three families
begun.
[Footnote II-20: He was drowned in the Wabash, which he attempted
to swim over on horseback.]
After we had returned to New Harmony, I went to the orchard on the Mount
Vernon road to walk, and beheld, to my great concern, what ravages the
frost had committed on the fruit blossoms, the vines must have been
completely killed. The orchards planted by Rapp and his society are
large and very handsome, containing mostly apple and peach trees, also
some pear and cherry trees. One of the gardens is exclusively devoted to
flowers, where, in Rapp’s time, a labyrinth was constructed of beech
tree hedges and flowers, in the middle of which stood a pavilion,
covered with the tops of trees.
I afterwards visited Mr. Neef, who is still full of the maxims and
principles of the French revolution; captivated with the system of
equality; talks of the emancipation of the negroes, and openly proclaims
himself an ATHEIST. Such people stand by themselves, and fortunately are
so very few in number, that they can do little or no injury.
In the evening there was a general meeting in the large hall, it opened
with music. Then one of the members, an English architect of talent, who
came to the United States with Mr. Owen, whose confidence he appeared to
possess, and was here at the head of the arranging and architectural
department, read some extracts from the newspapers, upon which Mr. Owen
made a very good commentary; for example, upon the extension and
improvement of steam-engines, upon their adaptation to navigation, and
the advantages resulting therefrom. He lost himself, however, in his
theories, when he expatiated on an article which related to the
experiments which had been made with Perkins’s steam-gun. During these
lectures, I made my observations on the much vaunted equality, as some
tatterdemalions stretched themselves on the platform close by Mr. Owen.
The better educated members kept themselves together, and took no notice
of the others. I remarked also, that the members belonging to the higher
class of society had put on the new costume, and made a party by
themselves. After the lecture the band played a march, each gentleman
took a lady, and marched with her round the room. Lastly, a cotillion
was danced: the ladies were then escorted home, and each retired to his
own quarters.
I went early on the following morning, (Sunday,) to the assembly room.
The meeting was opened by music. After this Mr. Owen stated a
proposition, in the discussion of which he spoke of the advances made by
the society, and of the location of a new community at Valley Forge, in
Pennsylvania, and another in the state of New York. A classification of
the members was spoken of afterwards. They were separated into three
classes, first, of such as undertook to be security for the sums due Mr.
Owen and Mr. M‘Clure, (that is, for the amount paid to Rapp, and so
expended as a pledge to be redeemed by the society,) and who, if
desirous to leave the society, must give six months previous notice;
secondly, of such as after a notice of fourteen days can depart; and,
lastly of those who are received only on trial.
After this meeting, I paid Mr. M‘Clure a visit, and received from him
the French papers. Mr. M‘Clure is old, childless, was never married, and
intends, as is reported, to leave his property to the society.
Afterwards I went with Mr. Owen, and some ladies of the society, to walk
to the cut-off, as it is called, of the Wabash, where this river has
formed a new channel, and an island, which contains more than a hundred
acres of the best land; at present, however, inundated by water. There
is here a substantial grist-mill, erected by Rapp, which was said to
contain a very good set of machinery, but where we could not reach it on
account of the water. We went some distance along the river, and then
returned through the woods over the hills, which, as it was rather warm,
and we could discover no pathway, was very laborious to the ladies, who
were uncommonly alarmed at the different snakes we chanced to meet. Most
of the serpent species here are harmless, and the children catch them
for playthings. The poisonous snakes harbouring about here, are
rattlesnakes and copperheads; these, however, diminish rapidly in
numbers, for it is a common observation, that the poisonous serpents,
like the Indians and bears, fly before civilization. The rattlesnakes
have a powerful enemy in the numerous hogs, belonging to the settlers,
running about the woods, which are very well skilled in catching them by
the neck and devouring them.
In the evening I paid visits to some ladies, and witnessed philosophy
and the love of equality put to the severest trial with one of them. She
is named Virginia, from Philadelphia; is very young and pretty, was
delicately brought up, and appears to have taken refuge here on account
of an unhappy attachment. While she was singing and playing very well on
the piano forte, she was told that the milking of the cows was her duty,
and that they were waiting unmilked. Almost in tears, she betook herself
to this servile employment, deprecating the new social system, and its
so much prized equality.
After the cows were milked, in doing which the poor girl was trod on by
one, and daubed by another, I joined an aquatic party with the young
ladies and some young philosophers, in a very good boat upon the
inundated meadows of the Wabash. The evening was beautiful moonlight,
and the air very mild; the beautiful Miss Virginia forgot her _stable_
sufferings, and regaled us with her sweet voice. Somewhat later we
collected together in the house No. 2, appointed for a school-house,
where all the young ladies and gentlemen of _quality_ assembled. In
spite of the equality so much recommended, this class of persons will
not mix with the common sort, and I believe that all the well brought up
members are disgusted, and will soon abandon the society. We amused
ourselves exceedingly during the whole remainder of the evening, dancing
cotillions, reels and waltzes, and with such animation as rendered it
quite lively. New figures had been introduced among the cotillions,
among which is one called the _new social system_. Several of the ladies
made objections to dancing on Sunday; we thought however, that in this
sanctuary of philosophy, such prejudices should be utterly discarded,
and our arguments, as well as the inclination of the ladies, gained the
victory.
On the 17th April, a violent storm arose, which collected such clouds of
dust together that it was hardly possible to remain in the streets, and
I remained at home almost all day. I received a visit from a Mr. Von
Schott. This person, a Wurtemburger by birth, and brother of lady Von
Mareuil, in Washington, has settled himself seven or eight miles from
New Harmony, and lives a real hermit’s life, without a servant or
assistant of any kind. He was formerly an officer in the Wurtemburg
cavalry, took his discharge, and went, from pure enthusiasm, and
overwrought fanaticism, to Greece, to defend their rights. As he there
discovered himself to be deceived in his anticipations, he returned to
his native country, and delivered himself up to religious superstition.
To extricate himself, in his opinion, from this world plunged in
wretchedness, he accompanied his sister to the United States, came to
Indiana, bought a piece of land from Rapp, by whom he asserted he was
imposed upon, and had difficulties to undergo, since he knew nothing of
agriculture. He lived in this manner in the midst of the forest with a
solitary horse. A cruel accident had befallen him the week before, his
stable with his trusty horse was burnt. He appeared to be a
well-informed man, and spoke well and rationally, only when he touched
upon religious topics, his mind appeared to be somewhat deranged. He
declared that he supported all possible privations with the greatest
patience, only he felt the want of intercourse with a friend in his
solitude.
To-day two companies of the New Harmony militia paraded, with drums
beating, and exercised morning and afternoon. They were all in uniform,
well armed, and presented an imposing front.
I was invited to dinner in the house, No. 4. Some gentlemen had been out
hunting, and had brought home a wild turkey, which must be consumed.
This turkey formed the whole dinner. Upon the whole I cannot complain
either of an overloaded stomach, or a head-ache from the wine affecting
it, in any way. The living was frugal in the strictest sense, and in
nowise pleased the elegant ladies with whom I dined. In the evening I
visited Mr. M‘Clure and Madam Fretageot, living in the same house. She
is a Frenchwoman, who formerly kept a boarding-school in Philadelphia,
and is called _mother_ by all the young girls here. The handsomest and
most polished of the female world here, Miss Lucia Saistare and Miss
Virginia, were under her care. The cows were milked this evening when I
came in, and therefore we could hear their performance on the piano
forte, and their charming voices in peace and quiet. Later in the
evening we went to the kitchen of No. 3, where there was a ball. The
young ladies of the better class kept themselves in a corner under Madam
Fretageot’s protection, and formed a little aristocratical club. To
prevent all possible partialities, the gentlemen as well as the ladies,
drew numbers for the cotillions, and thus apportioned them equitably.
Our young ladies turned up their noses apart at the democratic dancers,
who often in this way fell to their lot. Although every one was pleased
upon the whole, yet they separated at ten o’clock, as it is necessary to
rise early here. I accompanied Madam Fretageot and her two pupils home,
and passed some time in conversation with Mr. M‘Clure on his travels in
Europe, which were undertaken with mineralogical views. The architect,
Mr. Whitwell, besides showed me to-day the plan of this establishment.
I admired particularly the judicious and economical arrangements for
warming and ventilating the buildings, as well as the kitchens and
laundries. It would indeed be a desirable thing could a building on this
plan once be completed, and Mr. Owen hopes that the whole of New Harmony
will thus be arranged.
On the following day I received a visit from one of the German patriots
who had entered the society, of the name of Schmidt, who wished to have
been considered as first lieutenant in the Prussian artillery, at
Erfurt. He appeared to have engaged in one of the political conspiracies
there, and to have deserted. Mr. Owen brought him from England last
autumn as a servant. He was now a member of the society, and had charge
of the cattle. His fine visions of freedom seemed to be very much
lowered, for he presented himself to me, and his father to Mr. Huygens,
to be employed as servants.
Towards evening, an Englishman, a friend of Mr. Owen, Mr. Applegarth,
arrived, who had presided over the school in New Lanark, and was to
organize one here in all probability. After dinner I went to walk with
him in the vineyard and woods. We conversed much concerning the new
system, and the consequences which he had reason to expect would result,
&c. and we discovered amongst other things, that Mr. Owen must have
conceived the rough features of his general system from considering
forced services or statutory labour; for the labour imposed upon persons
for which they receive no compensation, would apply and operate much
more upon them for their lodging, clothing, food, the education and care
of their children, &c. so that they would consider their labour in the
light of a corvée. We observed several labourers employed in loading
bricks upon a cart, and they performed this so tedious and disagreeable
task, as a statutory labour imposed on them by circumstances, and this
observation led us to the above reflection. I afterwards visited Mr.
M‘Clure, and entertained myself for an hour with the instructive
conversation of this interesting old gentleman. Madam Fretageot, who
appears to have considerable influence over Mr. M‘Clure, took an
animated share in our discourse. In the evening there was a ball in the
large assembly room, at which most of the members were present. It
lasted only until ten o’clock, in dancing cotillions, and closed with a
grand promenade, as before described. There was a particular place
marked off by benches for the children to dance in, in the centre of the
hall, where they could gambol about without running between the legs of
the grown persons.
On the 19th of April, a steam-boat came down the Wabash, bound for
Louisville on the Ohio. It stopt opposite Harmony, and sent a boat
through the overflow of water to receive passengers. I was at first
disposed to embrace the opportunity of leaving this place, but as I
heard that the boat was none of the best, I determined rather to remain
and go by land to Mount Vernon, to wait for a better steam-boat there.
We took a walk to the community, No. 3. The work on the house had made
but little progress; we found but one workman there, and he was sleeping
quite at his ease. This circumstance recalled the observation before
mentioned, concerning gratis-labour, to my mind. We advanced beyond into
the woods, commencing behind No. 3: there was still little verdure to be
seen.
On the succeeding day, I intended to leave New Harmony early; but as it
was impossible to procure a carriage, I was obliged to content myself.
I walked to the community No. 2, or Macluria, and farther into the
woods. They were employed in hewing down trees to build log houses. The
wood used in the brick and frame houses here is of the tulip tree, which
is abundant, worked easily, and lasts long. After dinner I walked with
Mr. Owen and Madam Fretageot, to community No. 3. There a new vegetable
garden was opened; farther on they were employed in preparing a field in
which Indian corn was to be sown. This answers the best purpose here,
as the soil is too rich for wheat; the stalks grow too long, the heads
contain too few grains, and the stalks on account of their length soon
break down, so that the crop is not very productive. The chief complaint
here is on account of the too great luxuriancy of the soil. The trees
are all very large, shoot up quickly to a great height, but have so few,
and such weak roots, that they are easily prostrated by a violent storm;
they also rot very easily, and I met with a great number of hollow
trees, in proportion. I saw them sow maize or Indian corn, for the first
time. There were furrows drawn diagonally across the field with the
plough, each at a distance of two feet from the other; then other
furrows at the same distance apart, at right angles with the first.
A person goes behind the plough with a bag of corn, and in each crossing
of the furrows he drops six grains. Another person with a shovel
follows, and covers these grains with earth. When the young plants are
half a foot high, they are ploughed between and the earth thrown up on
both sides of the plants; and when they are two feet high this operation
is repeated, to give them more firmness and to destroy the weeds. There
is a want of experienced farmers here; the furrows were badly made, and
the whole was attended to rather too much _en amateur_.
After we returned to Madam Fretageot’s, Mr. Owen showed me two
interesting objects of his invention; one of them consisted of cubes of
different sizes, representing the different classes of the British
population in the year 1811, and showed what a powerful burden rested on
the labouring class, and how desirable an equal division of property
would be in that kingdom. The other was a plate, according to which, as
Mr. Owen asserted, each child could be shown his capabilities, and upon
which, after a mature self-examination, he can himself discover what
progress he has made. The plate has this superscription: scale of human
faculties and qualities at birth. It has ten scales with the following
titles: from the left to the right, self-attachment; affections;
judgment; imagination; memory; reflection; perception; excitability;
courage; strength. Each scale is divided into one hundred parts, which
are marked from five to five. A slide that can be moved up or down,
shows the measure of the qualities therein specified each one possesses,
or believes himself to possess.
I add but a few remarks more. Mr. Owen considers it as an absurdity to
promise never-ending love on marriage. For this reason he has introduced
the civil contract of marriage, after the manner of the Quakers, and the
French laws into his community, and declares that the bond of matrimony
is in no way indissoluble. The children indeed, cause no impediment in
case of a separation, for they belong to the community from their second
year, and are all brought up together.
Mr. M‘Clure has shown himself a great adherent of the Pestalozzian
system of education. He had cultivated Pestalozzi’s acquaintance while
upon his travels, and upon this recommendation brought Mr. Neef with him
to Philadelphia, to carry this system into operation. At first it
appeared to succeed perfectly, soon however, Mr. Neef found so many
opposers, apparently on account of his anti-religious principles, that
he gave up the business, and settled himself on a farm in the woods of
Kentucky. He had just abandoned the farm to take the head of a
boarding-school, which Mr. M‘Clure intended to establish in New Harmony.
Mr. Jennings, formerly mentioned, was likewise to co-operate in this
school; his reserved and haughty character was ill suited for such a
situation, and Messrs. Owen and M‘Clure willingly consented to his
withdrawing, as he would have done the boarding-school more injury, from
the bad reputation in which he stood, than he could have assisted it by
his acquirements. An Englishman by birth, he was brought up for a
military life; this he had forsaken to devote himself to clerical
pursuits, had arrived in the United States as a Universalist preacher,
and had been received with much attention in that capacity in
Cincinnati, till he abandoned himself with enthusiasm to the _new social
system_, and made himself openly and publicly known as an
ATHEIST.[II-21]
[Footnote II-21: [He is at this time advertising a boarding-school
in the Western country, on his own account, which is to be under
his immediate superintendence!]--TRANS.]
I passed the evening with the amiable Mr. M‘Clure, and Madam Fretageot,
and became acquainted through them, with a French artist, Mons. Lesueur,
calling himself uncle of Miss Virginia, as also a Dutch physician from
Herzogenbusch, Dr. Troost, an eminent naturalist. Both are members of
the community, and have just arrived from a scientific pedestrian tour
to Illinois and the southern part of Missouri, where they have examined
the iron, and particularly the lead-mine works, as well as the
peculiarities of the different mountains. Mr. Lesueur has besides
discovered several species of fish, as yet undescribed. He was there too
early in the season to catch many snakes. Both gentlemen had together
collected thirteen chests of natural curiosities, which are expected
here immediately. Mr. Lesueur accompanied the naturalist Perron, as
draftsman in his tour to New South Wales, under Captain Baudin, and
possessed all the illuminated designs of the animals which were
discovered for the first time on this voyage, upon vellum. This
collection is unique of its kind, either as regards the interest of the
objects represented, or in respect to their execution; and I account
myself fortunate to have seen them through Mr. Lesueur’s politeness. He
showed me also the sketches he made while on his last pedestrian tour,
as well as those during the voyage of several members of the society to
Mount Vernon, down the Ohio from Pittsburgh. On this voyage, the society
had many difficulties to contend with, and were obliged often to cut a
path for the boat through the ice. The sketches exhibit the originality
of talent of the artist. He had come with Mr. M‘Clure in 1815, from
France to Philadelphia, where he devoted himself to the arts and
sciences. Whether he will remain long in this society or not, I cannot
venture to decide.[II-22]
[Footnote II-22: [He has left it some time since, as well as Dr.
Troost.]--TRANS.]