The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-07-19 00:00:00

TMR ARMY.
--mon.-

The Slat regiment, at present doing dilly in Enniskillen,
are under orders for Dublin. They are to be replaced by
the ntst
A division of the Ist Royal Scots marched into Newry
on Monday last from Dublin, to succeed the 3d regiment,
ordered for Belfast.

On Saturday se'nnight the first division of the 351 h regi-
ment left Cork for Waterford, and is replaced by the letb
Royal Irish.

THE HART EST.

We are happy to learn, from a Gentleman who has re•
cently travelled a thousand toil. a through vrir conntica
in the North, South, and %Veal of England, that the country
presents one (invaded scene offer- ility and abundance. The
hay•harvetit, in most parts, is lc idea, suit the corn in all
of (hens is rapidly maturing fur the sickle, with the promise uf
an almost unexampled crop. In the present state of the
country what a scope fur satisfaction and gratitude is
offered In every pious helium for these providential favours:
The earth teem. With riches, not those which unhappily
form the root or cell, but with those which refresh and
strengthen man's heart.—(Plyntuuth Telegraph )

•
MR. OWEN'S NEW PIIIWS AND PLANS
OF wV(PeI STY.
Nees aped*
snelhor•
TO TA IRDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.
Sia—Mr. Owen, is your Paper of the 3d, notices the re.
marks of genes on his letter to 1160 Earl of Liverpool, and
refers to " those who understand the real rn•w. of the die-
lc-as of the country" at this time. Who are those ? Wbo
are agreed on these eitates, fur they arc not one, but many
Why does sot Mr. Owe,. name them, if all othees want
nerve sod moorage to designate them! This perpetual refer-
mum to, the unknown, sad the uad►clared, perplenes every
our who is destinies to be iaferissed of the matter complained
of, sod of the means of remedy.
abet is meant by the "system which is the roam of all
the evils now to be removed ?"—ls it the system of religion,
tai edocatiou, of trade, low wages, fureigas consweeree,geoeral
government, or t•aatiou ? Or is it •II these ? Is ouch ques-
tions as these we most come to distinct particular►, intelli-
gibly expressed. Dealing is general terms of no meaning,
or of so application, will not serve.
This system, or any system, or thesis of ethical or politic
argument, or of social economy, may " be placed before the
public," by the public press, as well, or better, than " by
an exansiontino at the bar of the too Huteies of Parliament,"
which is out the place for the discussion of theories, cur fur
the examination of " new views," or systems. It is not, UO.
tit the public astaid, of which that of the two Houses is a
part, is infonaut, and awakened to • ►eises or hope of ad-
vantage from MIS, new plan of public adios, that the Le-
gislature can attend to it, and give • sanction to its Imre-
ductioss,by the adnsisistration of the Executive Oovernmeni.
The Sinking Fund, recently, was not abstracted from its
destination of reducing the asthma debt, by the call we den
moot of the Government, but pressed oa Arlsniwistratiun
by the Repiesentatives of the people, who prefer to leave
their debts to be paid by their posterity, to say further taxa.
lion on their luxury or their properly. The only taxation
they can endure is on the couseimptions of the lower
classes—oak, beer, soap, salt, day-light, Sec. dec. Sec. A
roped, tax is not resorted to by our financiers in
.Ito providently wait till the pnlllltxll economists of Oppa-
sawn, and the cry of the people, and the Spenceans, place
this great financial resource at their disposition.
Mr. Owen admits thee " the principle, he is about to ad-
vucate" (what ■re these?) " will, if false, be productive of
the greatest possible evil." It is then of the most serious
importance to understand them all well, sea thoroughly,
sod nut to pit them too hastily into general practice by the
force and influence of the legislative and executive powers
of the state.
If Mr. Oweu's plans, and views, and system, were Mend,
plainly and fully developed, and clearly and g • Ily un.
ilerstood, they would not "remain one hour uncoutradicied,"
tar issorillieuled, d thought to be absurd, or onsupported, if
by any consielered to be nimbus!, useful, and practicable.
Malthus, Godwin, Gray, Spence, Bentham, Bennett, Buxton,
Hunt, Gibbed, Sowell. Sinclair, Ricardo, the Reviewers,
and ninny others, wield be reedy with able pens to contro-
vert them, or to comment, or confirm all that they fonud
applicable to mend the old, or to funs a new social system
fur this nether sphere.
It is a metaphysical necessity of every moral projection,
that it nowt be apprehended by those who are to approve or
to condemn it. Until this take place, it it,, as it were not ;
a non-entity, for argument, or fur adoption; a phantom in
the clouds, whose form we do not thwern, nor know wheisce
it comes, nor whither it would lead us. Mem " the full
developenteut" which Mr. Owen has recently prepared fur a
Committee in the North shall be published, we shall be a
little forwarder, and shall perhaps; ascertain more distinctly
" the principles which Mr. *tutu opposes to the authorities
of Adam Smith, Malthus, Ricardo, Baring, and the &line
burgh Reviewer.," ell whose systems are in pert esposed to
meek controversy of opittiun. The referriog of great effects
to single carers, and the taking a pert for the whole, are
defects too common in all our reasonings in the very com-
plex science of politic economy.
To • cosomon observer, to ore who has attended equally
(sot perhaps sufficiently to either) to dm science and the spa.
tests of M►. Malthus and of Mr. Owen, there does not yet up-
pers/any reasou why the latter more than the former should
call on the arm of power, or the influence of the Legislature,
to give force to his arguments, or establishment to lois prin-
ciples. It is the persuasion of reason, the conviction of
proof, not • blind assentor a credslons faith in Mr. Oweti's
assertion►, that should incline the public. Mr. Owen cer-
tifiers to pratnou•ce a clear expissitiou of Ids plans and
views, sad of the results lee roses on from them, on the
general order sad muddiest of society. These must be set
plainly before the whole community. Their fears, preju•
dices, hopes, and roams* HMO must determine for them on
their adoption of these new courses for society. They casuist
be introduced by force. A change of a decisive nature"
must be it serious crisis for owe part of the community.—
Such a change, laving all the same, wined seem to be suit-
able only to the meridian of Lapels. A change, to make all
better, to relieve the wretched, to improve the condition of
the easy, and to raise still higher the exalted, is much to be
desired—sad fur the-sake of the first mid most numerous of
these classes, every thing rational and intelligible, that Mr.
Owen or any other well-menuing person can offer, should
be most patiently attended to, and most candidly and care.
fully considered: but this cannot begin it the two Houses of
Parliament.
Whether the defect licit) the inattention or in the apathy of
the public, in the obtuseness of the general intellect, in the
difficulty of the subject, or sts magnitude, or in the indis-
tinctness and obscurity of Mr. Owen's manner of promulga-
tion, is not determined Isere, nor surmised ; but certain it
is, that the understanding sod atteution of t►e public, of
any class, has not corresponded with the diligence, zeal, and
exertion, which have been so long evinced by this ploilen-
thropic and cosmopolite reformer. It is this curious discre-
pancy between the importance of the topic, the uurenbitted
as►idnity of the benevolent proposer, aid the uttawakened
apathy of the community, that suggests some defect or per-
spicuity in the exposition of these " New Views."—The blind
cannot admire the colours which they have MI power of
vision to behold, nor can the longest and the. clearest sight
pierce the dense mists of mysticism or obscurity. This, too,
is not the era of confisleisce: evidence is required, or clear
reasoning; the proof of experience, or the tact of past or
present existence. Mr. Ovirn's Pion, whenever so clearly
developed in the theory of purpose and practice, seems to
'amide the proof of an s xperience of its effects tit agrtrusent
with any general scheme of human society, which it pro:s-
terns entirely to remodel and reform.
It is of little insouciance that the " numerous Essays
Mr. Osten has published" should be clear sod intelligible to
Senex, or to the .rifer who addresses him in your Paper of
the Sib. The question is, of the general impression which
is necessary; soul the fact Is, that, on Mr. Oven's own
Arnie!, utilising can he safely and surely infers red hut from ac-
tual experiment, of which the establishments now existing
may be taken, in wine degree, at indications of more gene-
ral dies ton • more extendol adoption. The surprise of
Sews has been, in find no disposition to set on font, al this
time, three or four experimeutal establishments of this kilo!.
The conclosom he must draw from this resiliency i., that
the plan and purpose ere not yet understood, or that they
have been considered, and are thought to be unsuitable fur
.. _ .

The rationale of the rules. in an extended application of
it, and the details of its practice and effect in a single col.
lege of nue thousand isolated permits, are too much con-
(unaided. Quitrents and nunneries might he well ordered,
and rely couvenit at to those a ho tomtit a refuge in these en-
. ilowniesits; but they hire lost favour in European establish.
menu, and will not be again married to. ll'orkhouses, alms-
house, raids, and penitentiaries, Mee secereded them with
wi, and istl still snore nemerous, more useless, end mire
worthless tamales; as well u more enfortanale, more MIA.
happy, and Imo iegartled sufferers of crew or of crime.
&nen is desirous to Mot, and will thankfully receive, say
explastatious" offered iou yf. Owtes plans and views, be-
cause they seem to be trusted by the public, to whim they
are offered, though they du set seem to be sasght fur. Ex.
plauatioe, intelligible explenatiou, sod impraisive and per-
spires.* develop►mrnt a the trAsie plan mid design, and of
all Ike effect intended sad expected fear its prosecution,
are mud, wanted. Experiment is the only proof possible

,~-

'W4r

h

. ". 4

in doe wetter; bet the eletvenpoeitios of do ensues arm
present media**, and of 11tp remedy which Mr. Owen pro-
pews, and items' s, eats" sal for MI the ammo-
oily, can alone delerneinit ea attention to commence dome
imperilment.
Allow 10,080 poor persons to be at once Moroni is ten of
Mr. Owen% paraltelagresas, will it net require bee yaws to
mark their progress, Neal to he I, inspired by the exhibition
of this specimen of social happiness with lb* wish So be
placed in similar eireenestaneser nod will it nut take seven,
fourteen, and twenty-one years, In work the ewe of Ills
new system of trainiag ref the mat gmtemSlwit to tusesl end
mechanical soiforosity of haiti, mid cometinsity of iaterest,
in which ambition or avarice, aellihisem end competition,
are to hare no cause of action, sew motive of desire. Until
this experience sod evidence are todheimit cud einiviacing,
nineteen millions of people IRMA fp on as they are, and be
careful to sopport themselves la thew present habits and con.
dit ions, as well as they ems, mailer the enistiog establieboseat,
habit, and " petty warfare" of consesdisig jokiest'.
Every political projector hes in his hood the lever of Ar.
ehiesinies, and could npreseit all the astablishineme of the
social state, if he mold Gad the eresssal of manhind so
which to rest as hie fakers. •
This coastal is to he obisined only by the farce of WV..
meld, the persuaania of advantage, and the couvietios of
the endeveleseling by mew sod the evidence of farts; be-
sides these there remains only the soisoiorioa, which can be
obtained by the argument of form," or the power of
eaper..braman interposition • nod the lest, in its must sitnal
**teats, ham acted en atrisiidad but ,knob, and they bare
Weep been rebellious to the bower r mission, or long in-
crodsions of its authority, Mahe of llows, or of Nahum'
of old, se of Swedenborg and Ohs" or modem pretension. ,
The " vie inerfireef great communities hl sae of the most
sylutary qualities of their eptielgbetiwa; kiadly sad wimly
bestowed by the Providence en Odds they depend. With-
out this they would be the apart et every projecliss, the
prey of every selfish faction, M-vain or ambitions dema-
gogue. Fire sod flood, e art hqoaler awl tbe owes* eta destroy
or overturn cities in an lastest, or quickly bury or devastate
the country and the people; bet time as llama said, is the
only innovator that can operate awl cheese io the social
or moral conditions of mudded. Society bas the sane pre.
dicaments as humanity; hammy, boyar, you th, ndoleseence,
manhood, maturity, and decay, mid ammo( overstep owe of
these progressions. We cannot Impure* or change by leaps
or starts, but by gradual advances. 'rbe decline and fall of
nations have been always more rapid than their rise sad ad-
vance in riches and power. We cannot be too 'arrestrs to
maintain what we have acquired, sad as there is nothing
stationary, it behoves us to look well to our iinprovemen ,t
and to attend to every remedy that can correct or retard the
impetus of a oinking eouditiou of the people.