Blog - Page 112 of 286 - The Libertarian Labyrinth

Susan H. Wixon, “When Womanhood Awakes” (1890)

August 10, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

WHEN WOMAN HOOD AWAKES. (Read at the Woman’s National Liberal Convention, Washington, D.C., February, 24, 1890.) No more shall error ’round her play In fitful moods and clouds of grey; Or cruel fancies crush her down Where demons wait and furies frown, —When Womanhood awakes. No more shall bigots turn and rave, A ranting yet a cringing slave, At truth who, in her garments white, Stands facing ever to the right, —When Womanhood awakes. No more shall sisters turn aside, With haughty tread and sullen pride, From those who walk in clearer light, Whose keener vision sees the right, —When […]

Steven T. Byington, “Anarchist Labels” (1903)

August 10, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

ANARCHIST LABELS I think Comrade Morton speaks inaccurately when he says Tucker and his disciples have popularized the notion that commercialists are the only “philosophical Anarchists.” I tried a while ago to find out the origin of the sect name “philosophical Anarchist,” which I didn’t like. I wrote an open letter to Liberty, asking who could help me to the information. Tucker, in comment on my letter, said he didn’t like the name and had never used it; when it was proved that he had used it once at least, he said it was a case of “seen too oft, […]

Dyer D. Lum, “Evolution and Revolution” (1886)

August 10, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

For Lucifer. Evolution or Revolution Many of your Radical friends are loud in their denunciation of revolutionary agencies. Evolution they hold to be a peaceful process, and the exact opposite of revolution. They would “educate the people” to the desired state of intelligence as “the bettor way.” In dissenting from this rose-colored view of human progress I affirm that revolutionary efforts have been the result of evolutionary processes. The fifteenth century, in which we had the rebirth of intellectual activity had its roots in preceding centuries and was revolutionary because it was opposed by established modes of thought. Luther in […]

Voltairine de Cleyre, “Kent and Cleveland” (1888)

August 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

In the beautiful blush of the first autumn days our friends in Kent gave a course of lectures for the enlightenment of the believers of Kent and all the country “which compasseth it round about.” That noble exponent of the philosophy of Freethought, Rev. J. H. Burnham, with your scribe, were the speakers of the occasion; and, what with the favoring influence of golden weather, attentiv audiences, a splendidly organized working force, due mainly to the untiring exertions of the energetic secretary, Marius Heighton, the venerable president, Mr. Joseph Heighton, and such earnest workers as L. G. Reed, A. D. […]

Voltairine de Cleyre, “Sex Slavery” (1890)

August 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

[two_third] Sex Slavery A Lecture Delivered by Voltairine de Cleyre before Unity Congregation, Philadelphia. Night in a prison cell! A chair, a bed, a small washstand, four blank walls, ghastly in the dim light from the corridor without, a narrow window, barred and sunken in the stone, a grated door! Beyond its hideous iron latticework, within the ghastly walls, — a man! An old man, gray-haired and wrinkled, lame and suffering. There he sits, in his great loneliness, shut in front all the earth. There he walks, to and fro, within his measured space, apart from all he loves! ‘There, […]

Voltairine de Cleyre, “The Drama of the Nineteenth Century” (1888)

August 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

THE DRAMA OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. BY VOLTAIRINE de CLEYRE. The passions of men are actors, events are their motions, all history is their speech. In the long play of the ages a human being sometimes becomes an event; a nation’s passion takes a personnel. Such beings are the expression of the gathered mind-force of millions. He only who keeps himself aloof from all feeling can remain the spectator of the hour. All that humanity which is held within the beating, coiling, surging tides of passion, it has no individuality; it sinks its personality to become a vein in the […]

Voltairine de Cleyre, “State, Nature and Art” (1888)

August 9, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

God ought to be a Protestant. I couldn’t help thinking so the day I visited the Philadelphia House of Correction; and if anyone has the patience to hear me out, I think he will agree with me before I conclude this narrativ. There is a perfect anomaly at the gate of this institution—a civil policeman (though that is not the reason God ought to be a Protestant. Civility is ordinarily incompatible with a blue coat trimmed with brass buttons). This gentleman—I am glad to giv him the title—displayed no unnecessary pomp or patronizing air, as he showed us the way […]

Ferdinand Monier, “Manifeste anarchiste” (1886)

August 8, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

Prix : 2 centimes Manifeste anarchiste LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ A vous qui produisez tout et qui n’avez rien que ce que vous laissent ceux qui ne produisent rien et qui ont tout. COMPAGNONS, Les hommes que s’intitulent « Parti ouvrier » viennent de nous adresser un manifeste, dans lequel nous invitent à nous rendre à Bruxelles le 15 août pour y réclamer le suffrage universel. Examinons donc froidement et, sans parti-pris, la situation, et demandons-nous: Que peut suffrage universel pour améliorer notre sort? A cette question nous répondrons catégoriquement: Rien! En effet: Considéré en lui-meme, il ne changera absolument rien aux […]

George Schumm, “Benj. R. Tucker—A Brief Sketch Of His Life And Work” (1893)

August 8, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

BENJ. R. TUCKER—A BRIEF SKETCH OF HIS LIFE AND WORK. ‘ By GEORGE SCHUMM. BENJ. R. TUCKER, whose portrait is the frontispiece of this issue of the Magazine, was born in South Dartmouth, near New Bedford, in Massachusetts, April I7, 1854. His parents were in comfortable circumstances, and belonged to the enlightened portion of the community. In politics, his father was a Jeffersonian Democrat; in religion, both his father and his mother were radical Unitarians and as such members of W. J. Potter’s church. Mr. Tucker’s maternal grandfather was a great admirer of Thomas Paine. Thus it will be seen […]

Voltairine de Cleyre, “In a Marble Tomb” (1888)

August 8, 2017 Shawn P. Wilbur

A bequest to the poor children of Philadelphia. That, they tell me, is the royal gift of Stephen Girard; and, by the way, friends, did it ever occur to you that while God is occupying himself in multiplying the families of the poor to the end that his mighty name be praised and glorified, he generally makes just some Quixotic choice of an Infidel of the Girard stamp for the purpose of doing what in all conscience he himself ought to hav done—or, as the Rev. Mr. Field would probably regard it, for the purpose of setting his own plan […]