ew
Harmony, and made the experiment of communal life; and later, to his
son, the Hon. Robert Dale Owen, who was in the Legislature several
years, and in the Constitutional Convention of 1850. The following
letter from Mr. Owen gives a few facts worth perusing:

LAKE GEORGE, N. Y., _Sept. 20, 1876_.

DEAR MISS ANTHONY:--I know you will think the reply I am about to
make to your favor of September 18th unsatisfactory, but it is
the best I can do.

1. As regards Frances Wright: All the particulars regarding her
and her noble but unsuccessful experiment at Nashoba, near
Memphis, which I thought it important to make public, are
contained in an article of mine entitled "An Earnest Sowing of
Wild Oats," in the _Atlantic Monthly_ for July, 1874.

2. As to Ernestine L. Rose, I think it probable that you know
more of her than I do. I remember that she was the daughter of a
Polish rabbi; the wife of William Rose, a silversmith; and that
she came with her husband to this country at an early day. She
was a great admirer and follower of my father, Robert Owen, and
was a skeptic as to any future beyond the grave; greatly opposed
to Spiritualism.

3. As to my action in the Indiana Legislature: I was a member of
that body during the sessions of 1836-'7, and '8, and in 1851,
but I have not the materials here that would enable me to give
particulars. In a general way I had the State law so altered that
a married woman owned and had the right to manage her own
property, both real and personal; and I had the law of descents
so changed that a widow, instead of dower, which is a mere
tenancy or life interest, now has, in all cases, an absolute fee
in one-third of her husband's estate; if only one child, then a
half; and if no children, I think two-thirds. I also had an
additional clause added to the divorce law, making two years'
habitual drunkenness imperative cause for divorce.

I took no action in regard to suffrage while in the Legislature.
In those days it would have been utterly unavailing.

All this is very meagre, which I the more regret, sympathizing as
I do with the object you have in view.

Give my kindest regards to my old friend, Mrs. Stanton, and
believe me,

Faithfully your friend