Free Love and its Votaries: American Socialism Unmasked

"Free Love and its Votaries - or, American Socialism Unmasked" by John B. Ellis. 1870 1st edition; published by the United States Publishing Company. The book features numerous full-page illustrations. "Being an Historical and Descriptive Account of the Rise and Progress of the Various Free-Love Associations in the United States, and of the Effects of Their Vicious Teachings upon American Society." Radical literature for the time, the book addresses the "abominable doctrines and practices of the Mormon sect" and the "dangerous evil" of their "principle of Free Love." ("It has not only drawn men and women into organized associations, but has lowered the moral tone of society to an extent which is truly amazing.") "Whether they be Oneida Communists, Individual Sovereigns, Berlin Heights Free Lovers, Spiritualists, Advocates of Woman Suffrage, or Friends of Free Divorce, we find them all united for the accomplishment of one object - the total destruction of the marriage relation."

Condition:
There are a few stains on the back cover; cloth tears at the bottom 2 corners; light fraying to the ends of the spine. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. The text pages are in very good condition - mostly clean with only some random ink smudges and light stains (mostly on a few pages at the beginning); small tear on page 55, and a 1" tear at the outer edge of page 451; the top-right corner of page 293 has torn; pages 475 & 479 each have a tear at the top-right corner; light foxing to the rear pastedown; previous owner's book label affixed to the front pastedown.