THE SKANEATELES COMMUNITY.
A wonderful year was 1843. Father Miller's prophetic calculations had
created a vast expectation that it would be the year of the final
conflagration. His confident followers had their ascension-robes
ready; and outside multitudes saw the approach of that year with an
uneasy impression that the advent of Christ, or something equally
awful, was about to make an end of the world.
And indeed tremendous events did come in 1843. If Father Miller and
his followers had been discerning and humble enough to have accepted a
spiritual fulfillment of their prophecies, they might have escaped the
mortification of a total mistake as to the time. The events that came
were these:
The Anti-slavery movement, which for twelve years had been gathering
into itself all minor reforms and firing the northern heart for
revolution, came to its climax in the summer of 1843, in a rush of one
hundred National Conventions! At the same time Brisbane had every
thing ready for his great socialistic movement, and in the autumn of
1843 the flood of Fourierism broke upon the country. Anti-slavery was
destructive; Fourierism professed to be constructive. Both were
rampant against existing civilization. Perhaps it will be found that
in the junction and triumphant sweep of these forces, the old world,
in an important sense, did come to an end.
In 1843 Massachusetts, the great mother of notions, threw out in the
face of impending Fourierism her fourth and last socialistic
experiment. There was a mania abroad, that made common Yankees as
confident of their ability to achieve new social machinery and save
the world, as though they were Owens or Fouriers. The Unitarians at
Brook Farm, the Universalists at Hopedale, and the Nothingarians at
Northampton, had tried their hands at Community-building in 1841--2,
and were in the full glory of success. It was time for Anti-slavery,
the last and most vigorous of Massachusetts nurslings, to enter the
socialistic field. This time, as if to make sure of out-flanking the
French invasion, the post for the experiment was taken at Skaneateles
(a town forty miles west of the present site of the Oneida Community),
thus extending the Massachusetts line from Boston to Central New York.
John A. Collins, the founder of the Skaneateles Community, was a
Boston man, and had been a working Abolitionist up to the summer of
1843. He was in fact the General Agent of the Massachusetts
Anti-slavery Society, and in that capacity had superintended the one
hundred National Conventions ordered by the Society for that year.
During the latter part of this service he had turned his own attention
and that of the Conventions he managed, so much toward his private
schemes of Association, that he had not the face to claim his salary
as Anti-slavery agent. His way was to get up a rousing Anti-slavery
Convention, and conclude it by calling a socialistic Convention, to
be held on the spot immediately after it. At the close of the campaign
he resigned, and the Anti-slavery Board gave him the following
certificate of character:
"Voted, That the Board, in accepting the resignation of John A.
Collins, tender him their sincerest thanks, and take this occasion to
bear the most cordial testimony to the zeal and disinterestedness with
which, at a great crisis, he threw himself a willing offering on the
altar of the Anti-slavery cause, as well as to the energy and rare
ability with which for four years he has discharged the duties of
their General Agent; and in parting, offer him their best wishes for
his future happiness and success."
In October Mr. Collins bought at Skaneateles a farm of three hundred
and fifty acres for $15,000, paying $5,000 down, and giving back a
mortgage for the remainder. There was a good stone farm-house with
barns and other buildings on the place. Mr. Collins gave a general
invitation to join. One hundred and fifty responded to the call, and
on the first of January 1844 the Community was under way, and the
first number of its organ, _The Communitist_, was given to the world.
The only document we find disclosing the fundamental principles of
this Community is the following--which however was not ventilated in
the _Communitist_, but found its way to the public through the
_Skaneateles Columbian_, a neighboring paper. We copy _verbatim_:
_Articles of Belief and Disbelief, and Creed prepared and read
by John A. Collins, November 19, 1843._
"BELOVED FRIENDS: By your consent and advice, I am called upon
to make choice of those among you to aid me in establishing in
this place, a Community of property and interest, by which we
may be brought into love relations, through which, plenty and
intelligence may be ultimately secured to all the inhabitants of
this globe. To accomplish this great work there are but very
few, in consequence of their original organization, structure of
mind, education, habits and preconceived opinions, who are at
the present time adapted to work out this great problem of human
redemption. All who come together for this purpose, should be
united in thought and feeling on certain fundamental principles;
for without this, a Community of property would be but a farce.
Therefore it may be said with great propriety that the success
of the experiment will depend upon the wisdom exhibited in the
choice of the materials as agents for its accomplishment.
"Without going into the detail of the principles upon which this
Community is to be established, I will state briefly a few of
the fundamental principles which I regard as essential to be
assented to by every applicant for admission:
"1. RELIGION.--A disbelief in any special revelation of God to
man, touching his will, and thereby binding upon man as
authority in any arbitrary sense; that all forms of worship
should cease; that all religions of every age and nation, have
their origin in the same great falsehood, viz., God's special
Providences; that while we admire the precepts attributed to
Jesus of Nazareth, we do not regard them as binding because
uttered by him, but because they are true in themselves, and
best adapted to promote the happiness of the race: therefore we
regard the Sabbath as other days; the organized church as
adapted to produce strife and contention rather than love and
peace; the clergy as an imposition; the bible as no authority;
miracles as unphilosphical; and salvation from sin, or from
punishment in a future world, through a crucified God, as a
remnant of heathenism.
"2. GOVERNMENTS.--A disbelief in the rightful existence of all
governments based upon physical force; that they are organized
bands of bandits, whose authority is to be disregarded:
therefore we will not vote under such governments, or petition
to them, but demand them to disband; do no military duty; pay no
personal or property taxes; sit upon no juries; and never appeal
to the law for a redress of grievances, but use all peaceful and
moral means to secure their complete destruction.
"3. That there is to be no individual property, but all goods
shall be held in common; that the idea of mine and thine, as
regards the earth and its products, as now understood in the
exclusive sense, is to be disregarded and set aside; therefore,
when we unite, we will throw into the common treasury all the
property which is regarded as belonging to us, and forever after
yield up our individual claim and ownership in it; that no
compensation shall be demanded for our labor, if we should ever
leave.
"4. MARRIAGE.--[Orthodox as usual on this head.] That we regard
marriage as a true relation, growing out of the nature of
things--repudiating licentiousness, concubinage, adultery,
bigamy and polygamy; that marriage is designed for the happiness
of the parties and to promote love and virtue; that when such
parties have outlived their affections and can not longer
contribute to each other's happiness, the sooner the separation
takes place the better; and such separation shall not be a
barrier to the parties in again uniting with any one, when they
shall consider their happiness can be promoted thereby; that
parents are in duty bound to educate their children in habits of
virtue and love and industry; and that they are bound to unite
with the Community.
"5. EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.--That the Community owes to the
children a duty to secure them a virtuous education, and watch
over them with parental care.
"6. DIETETICS.--That a vegetable and fruit diet is essential to
the health of the body, and purity of the mind, and the
happiness of society; therefore, the killing and eating of
animals is essentially wrong, and should be renounced as soon as
possible, together with the use of all narcotics and stimulants.
"7. That all applicants shall, at the discretion of the
Community, be put upon probation of three or six months.
"8. Any person who shall force himself or herself upon the
Community, who has received no invitation from the Community, or
who does not assent to the views above enumerated, shall not be
treated or considered as a member of the Community; no work
shall be assigned to him or her if solicited, while at the same
time, he or she shall be regarded with the same kindness as all
or any other strangers--shall be furnished with food and
clothing; that if at any time any one shall dissent from any or
all of the principles above, he ought at once, in justice to
himself, to the Community, and to the world, to leave the
Association. To these views we hereby affix our respective
signatures.
"Assented to by all, except Q.A. Johnson, of Syracuse; J.
Josephine Johnson, do.; William Kennedy, do.; Solomon Johnson,
of Martinsburgh; and William C. Besson, of Lynn, Massachusetts."
This was too strong, and had to be repudiated the next spring by the
following editorial in the _Communitist_:
"CREEDS.--Our friends abroad require us to say a few words under
this head.
"We repudiate all creeds, sects, and parties, in whatever shape
or form they may present themselves. Our principles are as broad
as the universe, and as liberal as the elements that surround
us. They forbid the adoption and maintenance of any creed,
constitution, rules of faith, declarations of belief and
disbelief, touching any or all subjects; leaving each individual
free to think, believe and disbelieve, as he or she may be moved
by knowledge, habit, or spontaneous impulses. Belief and
disbelief are founded upon some kind of evidence, which may be
satisfactory to the individual to-day, but which other or better
evidence may change to-morrow. We estimate the man by his acts
rather than by his peculiar belief. We say to all, Believe what
you may, but act as well as you can.
"These principles do not deny to any one the right to draw out
his peculiar views--his belief and disbelief--on paper, and
present them for the consideration and adoption of others. Nor
do we deny the fact that such a thing has been done even with
us. But we are happy to inform all our friends and the world at
large, that such a document was not fully assented to and was
never adopted by the Community; and that the authors were among
the first to discover the error and retrace the step. The
document, with all proceedings under it, or relating thereto,
has long since been abolished and repudiated by unanimous
consent; and we now feel ourselves to be much wiser and better
than when we commenced."
It will be noticed that there was a party in the Community, headed by
Q.A. Johnson, who saw the error of the creed before Collins did, and
refused to sign it. This Johnson and his party made much trouble for
Collins; and the whole plot of the Community-drama turns on the
struggle between these two men, as the reader will see in the sequel.
Macdonald says, "A calamitous error was made in the deeding of the
property. It appears that Mr. Collins, who purchased the property, and
whose experiment it really was, permitted the name of another man
[Q.A.J.] to be inserted in the deed, as a trustee, in connection with
his own. He did this to avoid even the suspicion of selfishness. But
his confidence was misplaced; as the individual alluded to
subsequently acted both selfishly and dishonestly. Mr. Collins and his
friends had to contend with the opposition of this person and one or
two others during a great portion of the time."
Mr. Finch, an Owenite, writing to the _New Moral World_, August 16,
1845, says:
Mr. Collins held to no-government or non-resistance principles: and
while he claimed for the Community the right to receive and reject
members, he refused to appeal to the government to aid him in
expelling imposters, intruders and unruly members; which virtually
amounted to throwing the doors wide open for the reception of all
kinds of worthless characters. In consequence of his efforts to
reduce that principle to practice, the Community soon swarmed with an
indolent, unprincipled and selfish class of 'reformers,' as they
termed themselves; one of whom, a lawyer [Q.A.J.], got half the estate
into his own hands, and well-nigh ruined the concern. Mr. Collins,
from his experience, at length became convinced of his errors as to
these new-fangled Yankee notions, and has now abandoned them,
recovered the property, got rid of the worthless and dissatisfied
members, restored the society to peace and harmony, and they are now
employed in forming a new Constitution for the society, in agreement
with the knowledge they have all gained by the last two years'
experience.
"Owing to the dissensions that arose from their defective
organization at the first, a considerable number of the
residents have either been dismissed, or have withdrawn from the
place. The population, therefore, at present numbers only eleven
adult male members, eight female, and seven children. The whole
number of members, male and female, labor most industriously
from six till six; and having large orders for their saw-mill
and turning shop, they work them night and day, with two sets of
men, working each twelve hours--the saw-mill and turning shop
being their principal sources of revenue."
_The Communitist_, September 18, 1845, about two years after the
commencement of the Community, and eight months before its end, gives
the following picture of its experiences and prospects, from the
lively pen of Mr. Collins:
"Most happy are we to inform our readers and the friends of Community in
general, that our prospects of success are now cheering. The dark
clouds which so long hung over our movement, and at times threatened not
only to destroy its peace, but its existence, have at last disappeared.
We now have a clear sky, and the genial rays of a brilliant sun once
more are radiating upon us. Our past experience, though grievous, will
be of great service to us in our future progress, and will no doubt
ultimately work out the fruits of unity, industry, abundance,
intelligence and progress. It has taught us how far we may, in safety to
our enterprise, advance; that some important steps may be taken, of the
practicability of which we had doubts; and others, in the success of
which we had but little faith, have proved both safe and expedient. Our
previous convictions have been confirmed, that all is not gold that
glitters; that not all who are most clamorous for reform are competent
to become successful agents for its accomplishment; that there is
floating upon the surface of society, a body of restless, disappointed,
jealous, indolent spirits, disgusted with our present social system, not
because it enchains the masses to poverty, ignorance, vice and endless
servitude; but because they could not render it subservient to their
private ends. Experience has convinced us that this class stands ready
to mount every new movement that promises ease, abundance, and
individual freedom; and that when such an enterprise refuses to
interpret license for freedom, and insists that members shall make their
strength, skill and talent subservient to the movement, then the cry of
tyranny and oppression is raised against those who advocate such
industry and self-denial; then the enterprise must become a scape-goat,
to bear the fickleness, indolence, selfishness and envy of this class.
But the above is not the only class of minds that our cause convened.
From the great, noble, and disinterested principles which it embraces,
from the high hopes which it inspires for progress, reform and, in a
word, for human redemption, it has called many true reformers, genuine
philanthropists, men and women of strong hands, brave hearts and
vigorous minds.
"Our enterprise, the most radical and reformatory in its profession,
gathers these two extremes of character, from motives diametrically
opposite. When these are brought together, it is reasonable to expect
that, like an acid and alkali, they will effervesce, or, like the two
opposite poles of a battery, will repel each other. For the last year
it has been the principal object of the Community to rid itself of its
cumbersome material, knowing that its very existence hinged upon this
point. In this it has been successful. Much of this material was hired
to go at an expense little if any short of three thousand dollars.
People will marvel at this. But the Community, in its world-wide
philanthropy, cast to the winds its power to expel unruly and
turbulent members, which gave our quondam would-be-called 'Reformers,'
an opportunity to reduce to practice, their real principles. In this
winnowing process it would be somewhat remarkable if much good wheat
had not been carried off with the chaff.
"Communities and Associations, in their commencement too heavily
charged with an impracticable, inexperienced, self-sufficient, gaseous
class of mind, have generally exploded before they were conscious of
the combustible material they embraced, or had acquired strength or
experience sufficient to guard themselves against those elements which
threaten their destruction. With a small crew well acclimated, we
have doubled the cape, and are now upon a smooth sea, heading for the
port of Communism.
"The problem of social reform must be solved by its own members; by
those possessed of living faith, indomitable perseverance, unflinching
devotion and undying energy. The vicious, the sick, the infirm, the
indolent, can not at present be serviceable to our cause. Community
should neither be regarded in the light of a poor-house nor hospital.
Our object is not so much to give a home to the poor, as to
demonstrate to them their own power and resources, and thereby
ultimately to destroy poverty. We make money no condition of
membership; but poverty alone is not a sufficient qualification to
secure admission. Stability of character, industrious habits, physical
energy, moral strength, mental force, and benevolent feelings, are
characteristics indispensable to a valuable Communist. A Community of
such members has an inexhaustible mine of wealth, though not in
possession of one dollar. Do not understand by this that we reject
either men or money, simply because they happen to be united. The more
wealth a good member brings, the better. It is, however, the smallest
of all qualifications, in and of itself. There should be at first as
few non-producers as possible. Single men and women and small families
are best adapted to our condition and circumstances. In the
commencement, the less children the better. It would be desirable to
have none but the children born on the domain. Then they would grow up
with an undivided Community feeling. Through the agency of such is our
cause to be successfully carried forward. A man with a large family of
non-producing children, must possess extraordinary powers, to justify
his admission."
Macdonald thus concludes the tale: "After the experiment had
progressed between two and three years, Mr. Collins became convinced
that he and his fellow members could not carry out in practice the
Community idea. He resolved to abandon the attempt; and calling the
members together, explained to them his feelings on the subject. He
resigned the deed of the property into their hands, and soon after
departed from Skaneateles, like one who had lost his nearest and
dearest friend. Most of the members left soon after, and the Community
quietly dissolved.
"This experiment did not fail through pecuniary embarrassment. The
property was worth twice as much when the Community dissolved, as it
was at first; and was much more than sufficient to pay all debts. So
it may be truly said, that this experiment was given up through a
conviction in the mind of the originator, that the theory of the
Community could not be carried out in practice--that the attempt was
premature, and the necessary conditions did not yet exist. The
Community ended in May 1846."
Mr. Collins subsequently acknowledged in the public prints his
abandonment of the schemes of philanthropy and social improvement in
which he had been conspicuous; and returned, as a socialistic paper
expressed it, "to the decencies and respectabilities of orthodox
Whiggery."
For side-lights to this general sketch which we have collected from
Macdonald, Finch and Collins, we have consulted the files of the
_Phalanx_ and the _Harbinger_. The following is all we find:
_The Phalanx_, September 7, 1844, mentions that the _Communitist_ has
reached its seventh number--has been enlarged and improved--has changed
its terms from _gratis_ to $1.00 per year in advance--congratulates the
Community on this improvement, but criticises its fundamental principle
of Communism.
_The Harbinger_, September 14, 1845, quotes a Rochester paper as
saying that "the Skaneateles concern has been sifted again and again
of its chaff or wheat, we hardly know which, until, from a very wild
republic, it appears verging toward a sober monarchy; i.e., toward the
unresisted sway of a single mind." On this the _Harbinger_ remarks:
"The Skaneateles Community, so far from being a Fourier institution,
has been in open and bitter hostility with that system; no man has
taken stronger ground against the Fourier movement than its founder,
Mr. John Collins; and although of late it has somewhat softened in its
opposition to the views of Fourier, it is no more in unison with them
than it is with the doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, or the
'domestic arrangements' of South Carolina. We understand that Mr.
Collins has essentially modified his ideas in regard to a true social
order, since he commenced at Skaneateles; that he finds many
principles to which he was attached in theory, untenable in practice;
and that learning wisdom by experience, he is now aiming at results
which are more practicable in their nature, than those which he had
deeply at heart in the commencement. But with the most friendly
feelings toward Mr. Collins and the Skaneateles Community, we declare
that it has no connection with Association on the plan of Fourier; it
is strictly speaking a Community of property--a system which we reject
as the grave of liberty; though incomparably superior to the system
of violence and fraud which is upheld in the existing order of
society."
In the _Harbinger_ of September 27, 1845, Mr. Ripley writes in
friendly terms of the brightening prospects of the Skaneateles
Community; objects to its Communistic principles and its hostility to
religion; with these exceptions thinks well of it and wishes it
success.
In the _Harbinger_ of November 20, 1847, a year and more after the
decease of the Community, an enthusiastic Associationist says that
several defunct Phalanxes--the Skaneateles among the rest--"are not
dead, but only asleep; and will wake up by and by to new and superior
life!"
Several members of the Oneida Community had more or less personal
knowledge of the Skaneateles experiment. At our request they have
written what they remember; which we present in conclusion, as the
nearest we can get to an "inside view."
RECOLLECTIONS OF H.J. SEYMOUR.
"My acquaintance with the Skaneateles Community was limited to what I
gathered under the following circumstances: John A. Collins lectured
on Association in Westmoreland, near where I lived, in 1843. His
eloquence had some effect on my father and his family, and on me among
the rest. In the fall, when the Community started, my father sent my
brother, then eighteen years old, with a wagon and yoke of oxen, to
the Community. He remained there till nearly the middle of winter,
when he returned home, ostensibly by invitation of my mother, who had
become alarmed by the reports and evidences of the infidelity of
Collins and his associates; but I am inclined to think my brother was
ready to leave, having satisfied his aspirations for that kind of
Communism. The next summer I made a call of a few hours at the
Community in company with my mother; but most of my information about
it is derived from my brother.
"He spoke of Collins as full of fiery zeal, and a kind of fussy
officiousness in business, but lacking in good judgment. To figure
abroad as a lecturer was thought to be his appropriate sphere. The
other most prominent leader was Q.A. Johnson of Syracuse. I have heard
him represented as a long-headed, tonguey lawyer. The question to be
settled soon after my brother's arrival, was, on which of the falls
the saw-mill and machine-shop should be built. Collins said it should
be on one; Johnson said it should be on the other; and the dispute
waxed warm between them. I judge, from what my brother told me, that
the conflict between these two men and their partisans raged through
nearly the whole life of the Community, and was finally ended only by
the withdrawal of Johnson, in consideration of a pretty round sum of
money.
"My brother did not make a practice of attending their evening
meetings, for the reason that he was one of the hard workers and could
not afford it; as there was an amount of disputing going on that was
very wearisome to the flesh.
"The question of diet was one about which the Community was greatly
exercised. And there seems to have been an inner circle, among whom
the dietetic furor worked with special violence. For the purpose of
living what they considered a strictly natural life, they betook
themselves to an exclusive diet of boiled wheat, and built themselves
a shanty in the woods; hoping to secure long life and happiness by
thus getting nearer to nature."
RECOLLECTIONS OF E.L. HATCH.
"I visited the Skaneateles Community twice, partly on business, and
partly by request of a neighbor who was about to join, and wished me
to join with him. I was received pleasantly and treated well. The
first time, they gave me a cup of tea and bread and butter for supper.
I told them I wished to fare as the rest did. They said it was usual
for them to give visitors what they were accustomed to; but they were
looking forward to some reform in this respect. In the morning I
noticed that some poured milk on their plates, laid a slice of bread
in it, and cut it into mouthfuls before eating. Some used molasses
instead of milk. There was not much of the home-feeling there. Every
one seemed to be setting an example, and trying to bring all the
others to it. The second time I was there I discovered there were two
parties. One man remarked to another on seeing meat on the table, that
he 'guessed they had been to some grave-yard.' The other said he 'did
not eat dead creatures.' After supper I was standing near some men in
the sitting-room, when one said to another, 'How high is your God?'
The answer was, 'About as high as my head.' The first, putting his
hand up to his breast, said, 'Mine is so high.' I concluded they were
infidels."
RECOLLECTIONS OF L. VANVELZER.
"I attended a Convention of Associationists held near the Skaneateles
Community in 1845, and became very much interested in the principles
set forth by John A. Collins and his friends. There was much
excitement at that time all through the country in regard to
Association. Quite a number came from Boston and joined the
Skaneateles Community. Johnson and Collins seemed to be the two
leading spirits, Collins was a strong advocate of infidel principles,
and was very intolerant to all religious sects; while Johnson
advocated religious principles and general toleration. In becoming
acquainted with these two men, I was naturally drawn toward Johnson;
this created jealousy between them. Mrs. Vanvelzer and myself talked a
great deal about selling out and going there; but before we had made
any practical move, I began to see that there was not any unity among
them, but on the contrary a great deal of bickering and back-biting. I
became disgusted with the whole affair. But my wife did not see things
as I did at that time. She was determined to go, and did go. At the
expiration of three or four weeks I went to see her, and found she was
becoming dissatisfied. In consequence of her joining them, there had
been a regular quarrel between the two parties, and it resulted in a
rupture. They had a meeting that lasted nearly all night; Johnson and
his party standing up for Mrs. Vanvelzer, and Collins and his party
against her. Some went so far as to threaten Johnson's life. This
state of things went on until they broke up, which was only a short
time after Mrs. Vanvelzer left."
RECOLLECTIONS OF MRS. S. VANVELZER.
"In the winter of 1845 Mr. Collins and others associated with him
lectured in Baldwinsville, where I then resided. My husband was
interested in their teachings, and invited them to our house, where I
had more or less conversation with them. They set forth their scheme
in glowing colors, and professed that the doings of the day of
Pentecost were their foundation; and withal they flattered me
considerably, telling me I was just the woman to go to the Community
and help carry out their principles and build up a home for humanity.
"Well, I went; but I was disappointed. Nothing was as represented; but
back-biting, evil-thinking, and quarreling were the order of the day.
They set two tables in the same dining-room; one provided with
ordinary food, though rather sparingly; the other with boiled wheat,
rice and Graham mush, without salt or seasoning of any kind. They kept
butter, sugar and milk under lock and key, and in fact almost every
thing else. They had amusements, such as dancing, card-playing,
checkers, etc. There were some 'affinity' affairs among them, which
caused considerable gossiping. I remained there three weeks, and came
away disgusted; but firm in the belief that Christian Communism would
be carried out sometime."
* * * * *
Allen and Orvis, the lecturing missionaries of Fourierism sent out by
Brook Farm in 1847, passed through Central New York in the course of
their tour, and in their reports of their experiences to the
_Harbinger_, thus bewailed the disastrous effects of Collins's
experiment:
"In Syracuse our meetings were almost a failure. Collins's Skaneateles
'Hunt of Harmony,' or fight to conquer a peace, his infidelity, his
disastrous failure after making such an outcry in behalf of a better
order of society, and the ignorance of the people, who have not
intelligence enough to discriminate between a true Constructive
Reform, and the No-God, No-Government, No-Marriage, No-Money, No-Meat,
No-Salt, No-Pepper system of Community, but think that Collins was a
'Furyite' just like ourselves, has closed the ears of the people in
this neighborhood against our words."