The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-27 00:00:00

MR. OWE N.

A Meeting was held last night at the Me-
chanici"rhestre, Southampton-buildings, in consequence of a
printed circular, inviting " those who are sincerely desirous of
improving the condition of mankind in general, and those espe-
cially who suffer the most from the innumerable and complicated
evils which must continue to exist while society remains as at
present constituted, to investigate the merits of the London Co-
operation Society's new system of social arrangements."
Soon after seven o'clock, the theatre being quite thronged,
Dr. 'NICKER was called to the chair, and opened the business
of the meeting by reading from the circular above-mentioned
the principles of the Society's system, which were founded on
" mutual cooperation in the prodaction, and perfect equality
in the distribution of all the means of enjoyment principles
that, by uniting the individual and social interests of mankind
( which ought never to have been separated), will lead to the
highest possible state of human happiness, and remove all the
obstacles, physical and moral, by which its attainment has
been hitherto retarded."
Mr. OWEN then entered the room, and was greeted with
loud plaudits. He immediately entered upon a long lecture,
in which, with a model of one of his projected establishments
before him, he developed the principles of his system, and
stated its details at great length. The public, however, have
been so long familiar with these, that it is unnecessary to re-
peat them here. He then argued at some length in favour of
the advantages that would result to mankind from the general
adoption of this system ; contending that by correcting the
present misapplication of the powers of society, it would in-
crease their means of happiness tenfold. He concluded by
moving a string of resolutions, expressive of the great defects
of the present constitution of society, the misery resulting there-
from ; the necessity, therefore, of introducing an improved so-
cial system;. the practicability of establish in& such a system, as
proved by the societies of Quakers, Moravtans, Harmonists,
Ste.; and, finally, the determination of the meeting to establish
an experimental Society upon this system, within a short dis-
tance of London.

Mr. JENNINGS lauded the efforts of Mr. OWCP, and se
conded the resolutions.

A Member protested against some of the sentiments uttered
by Mr. Owen, which he considered unjustifiable as regarded
the religion we professed.--4 Great tumult.)
The CHAIR MAN observed, that Mr. Owen had abstained as
much as possible from touching on the subject of religion.
The individual repeated his o'ijection ; and said, that he
protested against Mr. Owen's saying that his system would era-
dicate all human misery ; whereas Scripttire said—(great up-
roar)—that so long as offences were committed, misery would
remain among mankind.—(Hissing and noise.)
Mr. TAYLOR contended, that Mr. Owen's system was in the
true spirit of religion.
An operative, as he styled himself, made a long speech on
the present state of the productive classes, and it favour of Mr.
Owen's plan.
Another individual spoke from a box at the top of the room,
and offered his conditional approval of Mr. Owen's plan, pro-
vided it suggested the means of paying off the national debt._
(Great laughter.).—He contended, that in consequence of the
depravity of the human passions, the inhabitants of those so-
cieties, if established, would soon be at loggerheads together.—
(Continued laughter.)—He thought, however, something useful
might be done from the suggestion, and then moved that it be
referred to a committee to report, whether or not Hr. Owen's
plan might be so modified, as to bring it within the scope of
practicability.
Mr. OWEN, in reply to a question, said that the property of
each community was to be invested in the members of it. For
himself, he never would again invest property with a view to
profit. Whatever he had done or would do in America, he
would be content with the simple interest of his capital invested
there; others would do the same; and by thus lending their
money on the only condition that those to whom they lent it
would do with others as they had been done by, the system
would gradually be extended. One great advantage it pos-
sessed was, that it removed both young and old from tempta-
tion ; and as to its practicability, he had already tried it, and
had not been disappointed.
Mr. Honosecrie addressed the Meeting in a speech of con-
siderable length, in which he controverted Mr. Owen's princi-
ples, and contended that the system of individuality and ctmi-
petition possessed superior advantages, particularly in its being
more calculated to promote knowledge and produce great men.
Mr. OWEN, after replying to these arguments, proceeded to
give a short account of the state of America. That country,
although like Europe in extent, was at total variance with it in
other respects. It was impossible for any person who had never
been there to form any correct notion of it. In' the western part
Tu found barbarism and high civilization directly meeting.
his country was already in full possession of the means of
greatness ; America was rapidly obtaining the means of great-
ness also; anti he hoped that both countries would be united,
for it was only from them we were to expect an improvement
in the liberty of mankind. lie would not advise any person to
go there expecting to meet with the comforts they enjoyed
here ;
if' they did, they would be disappointed ; hut it cet-
tainly afferded a fine field for enterprise. The climate, how-
ever, was different, and that necessarily exposed a person
going from this country to risk. Upon the whole, he would
sooner direct hie friends to form societies in this country, where
they had greater opportunity of enjoying happiness anti doing
good. Mr. Owen then reverted to the benefits resulting from
the adoption of his system; and at 'the Conclusion of his ad-
dress, the resolutions were put; anti passed nearly unanimously..

QulcK pprson residing at LiWing,
in Yorkshire, parehased a field of standing wheat on Wednes-
day week; he hired hands and cut it down on Thursday, car.
ried and threshed it on Friday, took it to fork market on
Saturday, when he sold and delivered it, and received the
money.

To OBTAIN FRI:SH BLOWN FLOWERS IN WINTER.—
Choase some of the most perfect buds of the flowers you would
preserve, such as are late in blowing, and are ready to open ;
cut theta off with a pair of scissors; leaving to each, if possible,'
a piece of the stern about three inches long ; 'cover the end of
the stem immediately with sealing wax; and when the buds
are a little shrunk and wrinkled, wrap each of them Up separately
in a piece of paper, perfectly clean and dry; and lock. then) up'
in a dry box or drawer; and they will keep without corrupting.,
In winter, or any other time, when you would haie the flowers
blow, take the buds, over night, and cut off the end of the stein`
eea}ed with wal4 and put the bud into water, 'wherein a little,
nitre or 'althea been infused, and the next day yeu will , have
the pleamure of seeing, the buds open and eXpand themselves;and the fiowere dispiny their tnost lively colonist kind 'b'idesttlft
their ;writable odonre..-(0/agra./lfechanif's Magozsihe,) • ,

COMBINATIONS IN FRANCE.

COURT OF ASSIE AT ROUEN:
The trial of the persons implicated in the, riot
at Houlme was continued on Wednesday the 21st. The Nl-
lowing is an analysis of the most interesting portion of the evi-
dence procured on that day :
M. Petit, a foreman of M. Levavasseur's, confirmed the tes-
timony given by that gentleman and his son. He added,
seeing the workmen would not return 'to their duty,. he wit,.
about to set off for Rouen, when he heard M. Leyavasseur sky
to the soldiers_—.." Gendarmes, do your duty." He heard no-
thing else.
The President now read five letters which had been put in. •
They were written from the last witness to M. Levays.saeur,
and went to confirm his testimony.
One of the defendants asked M. Petit if these Letters were
really written by him, and if so, whether the dates afflied
them were correct, also, by whom they were brought to Rotten ;
because their late production gave room for it to be suspected
that they *ere fabricated for the occasion. He further begged •
that the arrier of these letters might be produced.
The witness replied that the letters were sent by several op-
portunities which he could not precisely niention at present. -•
The next Witness-called was AM. Toufflet, a landholder, who
deposed, that:on the-Monday, August 8,. some one entered'
house dining his absence, and took away his double-barreaed
gun; one barrel only was loaded. He afterwards found hi,
gun in the'hands of one of the rioters, who, when he claimed '
it, gave it up to him. He found that both barrels were loaded: •
Roustel, upon examination, acknowledged that that was the --
gun he had used when he shot at. Vivier, the gendarme, Wher
-it was put into his hands he was net aware whether both bar, •
rels were loaded or not ; but as he was ignorant of the manner
in which such a gun was to be used, he might have pulled 1.)Jt;!
triggers at once. He acknowledged to baying on that oceasior.
fired at the gendarme ; but was sure he did not shoot him, bed -
cause another workman, who was also armed with a gun, Brett
at the same time, declaring that it was himself who had killed,
the unfortunate Vivier. It was their both firing together that
' caused the report to be so loud.
The ADVOCATE-GEKEHAL opposed to this declaration of •
Roustel's an answer that he made in the early part of the pro-
ceedings, in which he said he fired 'after the other workman, wi.
only made a flash in the pan, and that it was only in conse-
quence of being urged to pull by those about him.
The prisoner said that this contradiction arose from the agita-
don with which he was overpowered on his first examination.
A workman, a companion of Roustel's was next examined.
He deposed that he heard Roustel, on the day following the
riot, say, at the manufactory, " I have fired upon a gendarme,
and brought him to the ground. I think it was I that shot him,
and I believe shall have to go to prison." The prisoner did
not utter this boastingly, but as if he regretted the deed.
M. Boyon, corporal of the royal guard, commanded the ad-
vanced post attacked by the rioters. They disarmed him, *lint
so ill-treated him that he was struck senseless to the earth.
Roustel, the prisoner, to whom the gun had been traced,
now positively asserted that it was net him whom- had dis-
armed the soldier, but another workman, and who had after-
wards given the gun to him. He took it that no ill use might
be made of it, and for that purpose he had hid it under some
faggots in a barn.

The next witness examined was M. Parent. lie was called
to disprove a statement made in the early part of the proceed-
ings by Roustel. The prisoner had asserted, that so far front
being voluntarily led into excesses, he had, on Monday, the Bth,
preserved M. Parent and all his family from a man who was
threatening them with a pistol in his hand. M. Parent was now
called to rebut this assertion. He positively denied that such
a circumstance having taken place. lie admitted, however,
that he was on that day a little in liquor, but still not so much
so as to prevent his remembering so remarkable an event.
Mr. Martin, garde charnpetre of Houlme, gave evidence of
circumstances already known, relative to the troubles of Satur-
day, the 6th. lie was not aware of M. Levavasseur having
said what was attributed to him. After the six prisoners had
been set .at liberty, tranquillity was re-established for about
three quarters of an hour; but that the announcement of the
arrival of workmen from the neighbouring communes caused
the discontented to return to the charge, and commit the outrages
which they did against the manufactory.
The remaining witnesses, who were called on Wednesday,
proved no facts of interest, or that were not already well known.