The American Vegetarian Society
The American Vegetarian Society was founded in 1850 in New York by the top thinkers of the 19th century vegetarian scene. This convention resulted in the publication of a health journal, The American Vegetarian and Health Journal, which promoted a number of ideas as a package that before were separate in the public discourse. Feminism, hydropathy, phrenology, temperance, and abolitionism were all presented as results of a "wholesome Vegetarian diet.""Agreeably to public notice, a Convention of Vegetarians and others friendly to the cause of Dietetic Reform, was held at Clinton Hall, New York, May 15th 1850."
The formation of this society was decades in the making, beginning with the Bible Christians introducing a moralistic, meat-free diet to America in 1817. Sylvester Graham later incorporated the Bible Christian ideals into his teachings about regular bathing, temperance, sexual abstinence, and the healing power of cold water and fresh, open air. Graham's teachings were so successful, followers of this lifestyle began to be referred to as "Grahamites."
A Whole New Word
It was the invention of a new word, and in some sense identity, vegetarian, that gave the movement recognition to organize. In England, shortly after lecturers began to use the term, the British Vegetarian Society was formed with a charter convention in 1847. This encouraged a number of vegetarian activists such as Orson Fowler, Rev. Metcalfe, Sylvester Graham, William Alcott, and Russel Trall, to form the American Vegetarian Society and create a journal which promoted their range of ideals.
The Society kept good records, and their original journal survives digitally to this day. The Vegetarian and Health Journal has articles from a number of contributing authors on topics ranging from female equality to articles promoting an end of slavery and war. Phrenology and "allopathy" are often mentioned in this journal as well, and the water-cure is commonly prescribed for all varieties of ailments. Despite the differing authors of the articles and the broad stroke of topics presented in the journal, all of the contributors to the project promoted Vegetarianism as the binding thread of morality that would bring forth the desired changes in society.
Abolition and Anti-War Cause
Charter member and famous American physician, Dr. William Alcott, wrote regularly on temperance, pacifism, and abolition. While he strongly believed in the need for greater equality and the end of slavery in society, his firm stance was one focused on bringing forth vegetarianism which would inevitably lead to these other changes.
"I believe that abstinence from flesh lies at the basis of this [slave] reform...yet I maintain, that there is no slavery in this world like the slavery of a man to his appetite; and it is impossible for the anti-slavery cause to take deep root, until the custom of flesh-eating is abolished...Take, also the peace or anti-war movement. I maintain, that in order that this reform may be successfully brought about, we must do away with the brutal custom of slaughtering animals...If we war upon the animals, to gratify appetite, we shall be apt to war on humanity to please passion."
- Dr. William Alcott
Alcott was a close friend with many other reformers, at one time the doctor attempted to form the American Physiological Society with Graham, and he encouraged his cousin, Amos Bronson Alcott, to form an experimental vegetarian commune--Fruitlands. Alcott was also closely allied with Reverend Metcalfe, the leading advocate of the diet for reasons based on Protestant morality. Alcott's message became equally tied up in these arguments, and an excerpt of "fan-mail" to the physician printed in the Vegetarian and Health Journal reads: "I feel deeply interested in the reforms which you are advocating. They are highly necessary and beneficial, and constitute a part of true practical religion..."
Vegetarianism for God...and Science!
Others saw the "Vegetarian movement as "truly a Christian enterprise." Many believed God wanted his people to practice vegetarianism, and that many problems on earth stem from our desires for flesh foods.
"The destruction of War, Slavery, Intemperance, Land monopoly, Aristocracy, etc., and building up of Christ's kingdom, a Democracy, Fraternity, Equality, and Righteousness. These are some of the things which we expect to accomplish. Indulgence in animal food and its usual counter parts, is the main cause why these evils continue, and to a great extent have been ripened into such hateful maturity. "
-Dr. C. H. De Wolfe
And the religiosity of this movement should not discount the attraction of the followers to science. Science in many forms was used as a basis for number of arguments among Vegetarians, and in the same passage as quote above, Dr. De Wolfe writes,
Phrenology was a pseudo-scientific discipline dealing with the shape of the skull and that correlation to mental function. The theory was popularized by Orson Squire Fowler, who was a founding member, and at one time president, of the American Vegetarian Society. Fowler practiced vegetarianism in conjunction with bizarre beliefs about geometry and architecture. His design for octagonal towns and buildings became popular, briefly, in Wisconsin and at a vegetarian colony in Territorial Kansas. The town of Fowler, Colorado, is also named after Orson. Fowler was radical because he gave his lectures to both men and women, at a time when women were not generally permitted in public lectures."Phrenology and Physiology teach us these important facts, viz: that the selfish and animal propensities are located at the base of the brain, and are the first to be excited by unnatural stimulants...hence, the evil of stimulating meats, drinks, condiments, etc.
Gender Equality
Other vegetarians involved in the Society also tied feminism into their beliefs as well. Anne Denton and Mary Gove Nichols are notable examples. They both believed in feminine education and gave all-female lectures on women's health, as well as contributed regularly to the Health Journal. While Denton participated in the Vegetarian Society and regularly contributed articles, her primary reason for writing appears to be for the rights of women.
The Legacy of the American Vegetarian Society"Away with bad customs--away with foolish forms and fashions, and let the opening bud of female mind be brought into the sunshine of infinite truth, where it may unfold its rich and inspiring beauties and bloom a perfect flower. Let woman snap the chain that bind her--let her be educated as liberally as men--let her be made to feel the value of a sound mind..."
-Anne Denton
There were numerous others involved in the Society, such as Henry Clubb and Horace Greeley, who later contributed to the vegetarian movement. The surviving articles in the American Vegetarian and Health Journal are fascinating for their depth and complexity of thought. However, within a decade, many of the founders and contributors to the Society died. Sylvester Graham died in 1851, a year after the first meeting of the Society. In December 1853, the Health Journal was terminated. There were questions whether the Society would survive, and it eventually Metcalfe's Philadelphia Bible Christian Church effectively absorbed the Society. Henry Clubb, former editor of the Vegetarian Messenger in England, migrated to America at this time and became involved in the movement here. Clubb carried the movement, in some sense, by helping with publications and creating one of the last idealized vegetarian communes in the states - Octagon City in 1856.
In that same year, Rev. Metcalfe proposed that the members of the American Vegetarian Society ought to become reciprocal members of the British Society. Both groups agreed to this arrangement, and afterward the American Vegetarian Society began to publish under the British Vegetarian Messenger. In 1859, Dr. Alcott, president of the American Society, died. Apparently more disruptive was the death, later that year, of James Simpson, president of the British Society. It quickly became apparent after his death that he had been sustaining both the British and American Societies with his personal funds. Afterward the American Society dwindled until 1862, when Rev. Metcalfe died.
This timing coincides with the overall decrease in vegetarian sympathy in the American discourse. The Civil War created new questions in society that could not be satisfactorily willed-away with Vegetarianism. It became offensive to propose that diet could bring an end of slavery and inequality under the law. However the importance of the American Vegetarian Society needs recognized, as many of the ideas supported on the platform survived long after vegetarianism lost favor. During and after the Civil War there were idealistic communities which sprouted across the West which embraced the ideas published in the Vegetarian and Health Journal, except for strict vegetarianism. Moralism, temperance, feminism, pacifism, and Protestantism remained united under the platform created by the Vegetarian Society, and post-1860s America became a breeding ground for further utopian experiments sans mandated vegetarianism.
(All quotes on this page taken from: American Vegetarian and Health Journal, 1851-53, accessed online at Hathi Trust, <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013165181>.)
