The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-27 00:00:00

he abeeinetly nested, sad Ile matey nee Waled from
ii. proems difinilties.
Is. That this individual does not wish N mecca! from
the pablie That this change will mare or hoe sleet every
elan sod party is the state; bat that be Wiens, without a
shadow of dwelt remaining epee his own wind, that as ba-
itividnal, of any description, from the highest to Me lowest,
will man by the change; ise the contrary, his cosvictive
now is Jterfeet, tint ell mast be gnat gainers.
" 11. That, eneethelese, he desires as maidene to be
rand in bhp entwine% however clear and ansag it may
hap but be elks frees Obe meet removable eel beelligeet
114•11 partite a fen, fair, sod open ievestipties.
" it. That is alas fee *is retooled sad respectable la.
vntiestlon, because the necessities of the mesh, are se Of-
Rria AM they canon wait fur years of lours esperioneat
and a snood tad safe public opalie, mesa a subject
jag all the vital interests Odle aspire, ought to be formed
only after such as investigation.
" W. probe this individual wow, to the attenuant, sad
Pee it it be possible that be can be iallaraced by say private
notice or penneal abject. • If, Ikea, his asetives mama be
ismiegwed—if bisareperisees has here correctly stated—if
the coma" is in gement damns—if these are facie, sad be
only asks for ionesicatioa, will you 011111ff0rd him the
ie-
quiry which be solicits?"
Mr. Owen was frequently cheered in the course
of this address, and at its conclusion the. sporobe.
lion of the Meeting was signified by loud sod cons
tinned applauses.
Sir %V. DI Caesemion said, that in rising to state
the motives which hod induced him to introduce
Mr. Owen's plan to the notice of l'arliament, he
should merely say he did so because he frit it to be
the imperative duty of all whom Providence had
placed in more fortunate circumstances. to lend •
helping hand to the assistance of that class of their
countrymen who were weighed down by poverty.
wretcheduess, and oppression—( Applause )—asid
opinionhis was, that their wants, stiffailigo. and
miseries must at length he attended to. and that
something must he done for them. It was with ab-
horrence that he looked on that system lately
rdopted of transporting our fellow.cresturea.-.(4p.
piaase)—to distant, strasige, and barren soils; as a
toms. lie could well say it was a step cruel and dis-
graceful to the nation. And was not that a motive
to induce them to look with favour on any plan
which might be entered into with a view to relieve
the distresses of the pour? Mr. Owen had de.
dared that there would shot only be au abundant
sup,tly created for the wants of the people by
the siew plan, lint that if even the population
increased four-fold, there would still be plenty
for their sustenance. Was a Meeting like this
to be prejudiced against investigating this plan ?
Were they to shut their ryes and their ears against
seen its consideration ?—(Cries raj " No, tso!")
—He knew, indeed. that there were some who
could not be prevailed u; to read Mr. Owen's
weitings with candour ; he knew there were some
•ho went prepared beforehand, who went prede-
termined in every respect to disbelieve them.
Tlwre were also many who condemned the piss,. be.
cause, as they asserted, it went to make man a
complete machine. In answer to the objections of
such person., be would say. God forbid that man
should not be, to a certain talent. a machine—
( /fear, hear)—if the machinery which governed
hiswction were that-which led him to rectitude.—
(/fear, hear.)—%Vete they slot such machines.
they would be little else thine in a state of nature.
It was that state of subordination which distin-
guished a state of civilization from one of savage
life ; it was that which livened on the mieid a sus-
ceptibility of early impressions. and made them, as
it were, amenable to moral impressions. Mr.
Owen's plan, when examined. would lie found at
least to contain the means of prousoting human
comfort—it would be found to contain pawer to set
aside the prevalence of sloth, vice, and ignorance.
nod to substitute in their place the habits of peace,
indiastrr. and virtue.—(llene. bear.)—As the
strongest proof of the good plinciples and habits it
inculcated, he lild only to state, that during the
fourteen years of the full existence of the esta-
blishment at New Lanark. no legal process was ever
(nand necessary to enforce or preserve discipline
in the exclusive intercourse of the people within its
sphere.—(Appiouse.)—Against this practical proof
of the efficacy of the plan, they hail often ward vain
end angry declamations. For his own part he should
cot be operated upon by such circumetancess, he
should still persevere in what he conceived to be the
pith of truth, he should still adhere to the recom-
roindation of adopting Mr. Owen's plan, for the
ptirpose of trying in the face of the public how
tar it could be rendered efficacious for the al.
'relation of the distresses of the people. Ile
congratulated the country on the fact of its
containing a man like Mr. Owen. who was deter-
mined to persevere in his view of ameliorating the
condition of the People—a view founded on his
own practical knowledge of the advantages to be
derived from such • apneas of general employ.
meat. It• was also in the highest degree gratilying
to 'find, that from the Royal Family the public
'were in the constant habit of having the honour mid
advantage of the lid of some of its Illustrious
Members, to preside at those Meetings which had
fur their object the relief of the distressed mid af.
Hinted.—(4ppianse.)—lt was highly gratifying foe
them to see -so illustrious • personage as their
Chairman, presiding.at a Meeting which was cons
vetted to nuke at least a trial • plan to promote
at this sad crisis the amelioration of the condition
of the working classes 'of the community.—( ilp-
plaisse.)—Whatever was the issue of their proceed-
ings, it would be the consolatory lot of Mr. Owen
to reflect, that from his benevolent mind the
stilution at Lanark caught its existence, and gave
support and comfort to thousands that might have
been otherwise poor. They considered him justly
to be their father—their patron—.their preserver.—
Mr. Owen might, indeed, exclaim, with the great.
eat .plitlonthrovists that ever lived, " I have taken
these poor people from their dens of poverty,
misery, idleness, and crime, amid transplanted them
into the more genial soil of iadastry, and comfort,
said happiness. I have Weidmad into their mien's.
both young and old, the valise of good habits, and
hive found them sensible of the causes of their
prosperity." Mr. Owed finis been the champion of
the poor, and his estilesiesse have been crowned
with success. All men ecqoaiuted with the pule.
hors of human life, must know that Mr. Owen
would have to encounter harassing, prejudiced,
and ungenerous obstecleit;rykt. while in his work
of overcoming them. he *Nola still have the full
cuissuletion of knowing. tisiit however estimated or
thwarted here, there was yet • soperintendius Be.
log who looked with satisfuction upon his benevoleut
(trots, and would in the cud reward him, obeu pre-