The Vegetarian Principle (1850)
AUTHOR: Clubb, Henry Stephen
Clubb, Henry Stephen. “Economy in Food”
---. History of the Philadelphia Bible-Christian Church for the First Century of Its Existence
---. “Summary of the Vegetarian System”
---. Thirty-Nine Reasons Why I Am a Vegetarian
---. Unpolished Rice
Clubb, Henry Stephen and F. E. Green. “Benjamin Franklin”
Fowler, Orson Squire. Human Science, or, Phrenology
---. Physiology, Animal and Mental
Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Kellogg, Ella Ervilla. “Vegetable Substitutes for Flesh-Food”
Lane, Charles and A. Bronson Alcott. “The Consociate Family Life”
Moore, J. Howard. “Discovering Darwin”
Nichols, Thomas Low. “Dietetics”
---. Dr. Nichols' Penny Vegetarian Cookery
---. How to Live on a Dime and A-Half A-Day
Rumford, Isaac B. The Edenic Diet
Shew, Joel. William Lambe, Water and Vegetable Diet
Smith, Ellen Goodell. The Fat of the Land and How to Live On It
Trall, Russell Thacher. John Smith, Fruits and Farinacea the Proper Food of Man
White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Counsels on Diet and Foods
---. Counsels on Health and Instruction to Medical Missionary Workers
---. The Ministry of Healing
---. Spiritual Gifts
---. Testimonies for the Church
---. Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
SUMMARY (Ridvan Askin, edited Deborah Madsen)
Responding to a “Query for Vegetarians” published in a previous issue of the Manchester Temperance Reporter, Clubb presents his economic argument in favor of veganism, which he supplements with observations on the interrelations among diet, race, climate, and the passions. “[U]nless it can be shown,” Clubb writes, “that to keep animals on the hills or fens, where the plow and the spade are unavailable, is more economical than contenting ourselves with the produce of the arable land” (78), any argument in favor of animal farming is moot. “The fact is,” he continues, “the supposed advantage of feeding cattle on uncultivable land is more than counterbalanced by the expensive process of fattening, which they undergo previous to being slaughtered” (78). Clubb then provides a sample calculation to make his point. He goes on to show that “the produce of the seas and rivers” (78), too, is more expensive than plant-based foods.
Next, relying on a series of racist stereotypes, Clubb counters an argument based on the Inuit's reliance on an almost exclusively animal-based diet: “As to the Esquimaux,” Clubb begins, “it is well known that they are the most degraded, sensual people on the face of the earth” (79). “The climate,” he continues, “of course counteracts the exciting and passionate effects of this fleshly indulgence of the Esquimaux, who is too little developed in his mental powers to become either excessively vicious or moderately virtuous. He stands at the lowest point in the scale of civilisation, and is an unfortunate instance of the advantages (?) of a flesh diet” (79). In other words, for Clubb, climate and the Inuit's natural stupidity combine to give the impression of the advantages of a diet based on animal produce while in fact no such advantages exist.
Conversely, the advantages of a vegan diet can be reduced by climate and bad habits. Continuing in his racist vein, Clubb asserts: “Circumstances of climate, and habits of smoking, drinking, and chewing opium, &c., which are the failings of the eastern nations, tend very much to destroy the benefits in moral development they might receive from their simple and unexciting diet” (79). Clubb allows that the “same remarks will apply to some Europeans” (79). He ends his article with the observation that a vegan diet keeps the passions in check while flesh-foods invariably incite them, a point that is confirmed in the animal world, where carnivores tend to be more “ferocious and unclean” while those “which live on vegetable food” tend to be “gentle and clean” – “a proof of the different tendency of these two kinds of diet” (79).