The Age of Reason
The Age of Reason, A Liberal and Independent Paper, ed P Eckler, NY 21 Ann st 1849 is the 3-4th volume, Thomas Paine on the frontispiece, his motto the World is my country ad to do good my religion. NYHS bound volume
1st issue is Jan 7 1849 (vol 2 no 23), 16 pages
Priest withdrew his interest in publishing, form is now of a book, every two weeks instead of weekly. $1 year, 6 cents a copy. Office near rear of Hamblin's Park theater, praise the firemen, and Holden's excellent magazine which compares Mose to an exquisite. Notice also SB Brittan, Water Cure and Phreno journals.
Jan 21 has Augustine Duganne poem. Catholicism a persecuting religion. Despise missionaries. Cites Robt Owen. notices Child's Lady's Own, dedicated to rights of working females. Chas Mackay poem
Feb 13 has scientific articles, Voltaire, takes Herald's account of Paine bday celeb March 4 fr Herald a story on Catholic priest hostility to Odd Fellows. Rev (henry?) Cheever one of the jury to decide betw infidelity and xtianity. Notice Young America has letter fr HH Van Amringe on land reform, opposed by relig fanatics
March 18 p88 The Satanic Press and Pulpit, article in Trib, think perhaps refers to his own journal. Greeley a Universalist, doesn't believe in Devil, so a pernicious press, and his article applies to pulpit just as well. Greeley says press had its origins in atheistic butchery and terror i Revolutionary France, appetities gloat today on poisonous fruit of the tree of Knowledge, panders to populace who seek enjoyment thru transgression of the moral law. Talks of Reform and progress, but believes world can never be any better than it now is, so grasp what you can, it undermines clergy, symp, wish their crimes could be hushed up
April 1 Association is great question and principle of the day, inevitable destiny bearing mankind forward to universal happiness (aspiration of socialists, odd fellows, trades unions, benev assoc) Apr 29 p 141 The Sun, not the True Sun opposite the Park, but the one at Fulton and Nassau streets, seem to have reformed about religion, embrace it, keeep SAbbath, to make money. AJ Davis praises Thomas Paien. Peter Pindar poetry.
May 13 to do good our only relig 27 mock the society for the conversion of the Jews, received $3000 this last year, did not convert one. p189 crit of Geo W Doane, failed for a quarter of a million, owes 60,000 to ordinary tradesmen; belief doesn't govern conduct. Anti-slavery society attacks the church. Critical of death penalty
June 24 p194 contrib supports Forrest as a democrat and Macready a monarchist and aristocrat; Forrest could not play at Asor Place theater as a plebeian; patrician owners exclude them based on dress etc, authorities ought to have prevented the performance, but Mayor part of upper ten, Whig friends, furnished military to them. Would have closed the Broadway theater. Sun and Day Book rabid in behalf of law and order, gloat over blood of ruffians, Sun become ultra aristo and pious. Sunday Atlas and J of Commerce had best articles on the riots, blamed Washington irving and Co, Niblo and Hackett, and the Mayor. Editor's comments p 200, differ fr contrib. A class of people so senseless as to ape silly customs of Euro aristo, make their places exclusive, merit contempt, but have liberty to do so, or to sign cards. At fault are those who offered violence. No mob rule, must maintain laws. Nor any cause here other than personal enmity
July 4 1849, start of volume 3. July 29 has engravings of sculptures fr the Indian mounds fr EG Squier's work for Smithsonian. Aug 26 cites Jefferson on president not having power to appoint a day of tgiving and fasting, contradicts Zach Taylor Sept 9 p72 reproduce story about Powers hoax on Peyton F Symmes, Powers letter describing it (actor playing a wax figure). Father Mathew distanced himself fr abolitionists. Poem by Duganne fr the European American on Rome. Sept 30 Admire Kossuth Oct 15 don't decry clergy as hypocritical and corrupt, decry xtian system of superstition Nov 1 interested in evolution. Day Book attacked Geo H Purser, known as advocate of liberal principles, usual twaddle abt Fanny Wright etc, then the Beach sons attacked thru Sun, forced him to recant, ought to deny that relig matters to office. Notices Geo Lippard favorably, his ideas about trades associations. Likes Mary S Gove Nichols, Holden's has portrait of Geo P Morris Dec 1 has Irish dialect letter to Hughes. Knickerbocker editor gives anecdote of friend Henry Inman re methodist minister who searches the scriptures (and finds a lost comb). Notices Gliddon's Pano of the Nile as highest style of art, learned, urges visit but is a little mocking of it as land of age of ignorance and superstition. Re Evers' mammoth pano of NY, ought to be exhib on Sundays and influ morals