The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-15 00:00:00

ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE

SOCIALISTS.

MANCHESTER, JUNE 12.--At the great Annual Dinner
of the Socialists of this town, held in their new splendid
Hall of Science, which was opened last Sunday, the
strength and numbers of this branch of their Society be-
came apparent to those who had previously been unbe-
lievers in their progress.
The Manchester Hall of Science is situated in Camp.
field (on the site of the Roman summer camp alluded to
by Whittaker, in his " History of Manchester"). It is
built in the Grecian-Doric style, front designs of Mr.
William Blacklock, architect. The principal aeproach is
by a bold flight of steps leading into a vestibule, from
whence the staircase leads to the Grand Hall, or Lecture
Theatre. The dimensions of this magnificent room,
exclusive of its approacnes, are 83 feet by 54 feet. The
ceiling is richly empanelled and embossed. At the end
facing the spectator, is a splendid proscenium, designed by
F. Chester, Esq., consisting of an elliptical arch springing
iron highly decorated entablatures, supported by. pilasters.
The enrichments are modelled from those ut the temple of
Jupiter Stator at Rome. The Corinthian capitals of the
pilasters, and ornaments of the stage-doors and boxes, by
Mr. Jackson, the eminent decorator, are fashioned in the
most chaste and highest style of the art. The pilasters and
antm are of beautiful grained sienna marble. The stage is
26 feet by 30 feet, and is admirably adapted for tile pur-
poses ef public lectures, choral concerts, dramatic repre-
sentations, &c. The Act Drop is the product of the joint
labours of Messrs. Johnstone and Parker, principal artists
to the Theatres Royal Manchester and Liverpool. The
scenic effect is truly beautiful. The subject is a new de-
st,en for the communities of united property proposed by
Robert Owen, Esq. The pile of domestic buildings, &c.,
appearing to consist of a parallelopipedon, or large square
of houses of the cathedral style of the fifteenth century, in
the centre of one side of which is a church-like looking
structure, with spire, consisting of five octagonal towers,
rising one above another in decreasing proportions, until
the highest vanishes to a point. These are of the lightest
tracery. The buildings are pointed, of the richest Gothic
trot-work. The perspective is finely managed. In the
foreground, on a terrace of mosaic pavement, with
chastely designed balustrade are several female figures,
which we recognised as copied from the designs
of Kenny Meadows' " Illustrated Shakspeare." These,
wiJi the male figures, show the proposed costume of the
Socialist. which approaches to some extent that of the
Greek athletes The scene is bounded on two sides by
bold craggy mountains, toppling down from the summit
of one of which is seen a torrent or cascade, which de-
scending through a gorge, falls into the river which runs
in front of the spectator, below the terrace aforesaid,
which winding its sinuous course along the base of the
mountains disembogues itself into the sea, which is re-
motely seen in the far-off distance. The valley is laid
out vvithpleasure-grounds around the buildings, adorned with
foentains and statuary, whilst, further onward in the view,
corn-fields and meadows dot the landscape. A merry
party on the lawn arc dancing to the sound of music around
the maypole, whilst a large party are grouped in a tent of
pink and white draperies gazing on the sports. Along
the surface of the river, close in the foreground, a gondola,
rowed by six gondoliers, seems to bo cleaving its way through
the clear and silvery stream, whilst a lady, playing on the
guitar, is amusing her fellow voyagers, who are seated be-
neath a canopy or awning. Everything that contributes
to make nature appear like fairy work is put under requi-
sition, and certainly the artists have shown that the soul of
the poet has guided the hand of the painter. Leaving this,
to speak further of the Hall, we may observe, that the
same simple elegance prevails throughout the entire finish-
inv. The gallery is richly ornamented, and the gorge-
ousness of the candelabra excites the astonishment of the
visitor. This room is capable of accommodating upwards
of three thousand persons. The building coteoriseA some
twelve or fourteen class or committee-rooms, library, &c.
'its cost is upwards of 6,0001., and is the property of about
800 shareholders, almost set of whr,m are of the operative
classes, consisting principally of engineers, carpenters, en-
gravers, and the other skilled trades of this lucelity, being
mostly tee best workmen and most sober characters in
their respective occupations, The foundation stone was
laid on the sth ef August, 1839, by Robert Owen, Esq.,
and the assoeia'ion fur building has not been formed more
than fifteen months. This is an eff,irt of the working
people not before paralleled in the history of the world.
This Hall, the largest in the country, was filled with
guests, and the speeches made on the occasion were con-
sidered among the most useful that have yet been delivered
at any public meeting of the kind for many years.
The following account of the proceedings, and report
o',' Mr. ONCII'S speech, we copy from the Manchester
Times :

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Mandley), said the first toast
which he had to propose was one which he was sure every
in dividual would be proud to do honour to. It was
c astomary—and custom had made it law in all well re-
gulated assemblies such as that was—that the first toast cn
the list should be that individual who wielded the power
and destiny of an empire ; and he was sure that in doing
honour to that power which sat and ruled over Great Bri-
tain they should be doing- justice to their cause and ho-
nour to theinseives. The toast he should give them—and
he hoped every individual in the room would be upstanding
—was " The Queen'"—( Applause.)
The National Anthem was then played by a portion of
the band and sung by some of the company.
The CHAIRMAN next gave "The Duchess of Kent and
the rest of the Royal Family."
Glee—Hail I Star of Brunswick."
The CIIAIRNIXN thin said that the next toast to which he

had to call their attention was one which required no con, 1
ment from him. It would come home to every man's
bosom so naturally that any observations of his would
only mar the effoct which such a toast would have upon
their minds. He therefore begged to propose to them
" Robert Owen, the founder of infant schools, the author
of national education in Prussia, the annihilator of paupers
and Poor-laws in Ireland, and the founder of the rational
system of society.—( Great applause, after which the
band played " Sea the conquering hero comes.")
Mr. °ls-EN then rose amid renewed applause and said—
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,—l must in the
first place express my thanks for the manner in which my
na ate has been received ; but being a " Socialist," I am
quite aware that this ebullition of feeling is to the great
cause which we are met here this day to celebrate. It is
a compliment, I am well assured, which is not justly due
to any individual; but it is a compliment highly due to
truth ; and we are met here to-day for the purpose of advo-
cating in the most public manner, perhaps tor the first
time in the history of the human race—truth without
mystery, mixture of error, or the fear of man.---( Hear,
bear.) My friends, I know that upon these occasions the
meetings are usually devoted to conviviality ; but we m!•et.,
here to-night, I trust, for a very different purpose. au
I name has been associated in the toast with inea..,,t, „hoot
1 eclucatien, with the founder of national educeai,n in tern,.
pia, as the adviser of the system of poor colonies in Hol-
land, and as the founder of the rati renal system of society.
I It is true that the infant scivaol system was devised by
myself in perfect accordance with the fundamental prin-
ciples of the rational syste'et of society which I advocate.
Tne fundamental principle of that Society is thet the
character of man is formed for him ; and I found that
Ithe little creatures the children of the working
people whom I employed at New Lanark—were sur-
i rounded from the moment of their birth by most unfavour-
able circumstances. It was then, in accordance with our
great first prinei.ole, thet I first determined to create new
( and very superior external circumstances in which to place
these young human beings, and the first step in this change
' was to erect a building—this room reminds me of one of
i them very much. In this building there were five large
, rooms which we called " The Institution for the forma-
tion of characte'." The largest of these rooms was 90
feet long by 40 feet wide and 20 feet high, with a gallery
around it ; and it was only when that building was com-
pleted that I called the parents of these children together,
with the neighbouring nebility and gentry, to explain to
' them the object I had in view in erecting, at a very consi-
derable expense—an expense of s,oool.—the first insti-
-1 tutior. for the formation of character upon sound social
prir.ciples. I shall never forget the expression of the
cc untenances of the parties when I declared to them, on
r.pening that institution (there were not four or five indi-
viduals around me then—there were at least 1,200 indi-
viduals, although in so small a village as New Lanark);
but when I explained for the first time to these parents
I my nish that they should send their children of two years
of age and upwards in the morning into that building,
they, from their natural feelings, held up their hands and
their eyes, and said—" Mr. Owen, what are you going to
do with our little children of two years of age ?" Such a
thing had not been previously heard of :it any part of the
world. I said—" You know, my friends, I never do any.
thing by force; you are at perfect liberty either to send
your children or not ;" and I very fully explained to them
the great principles on which I was then going to act.
Tuey were universal principles ; and that address was pub-
lished and passed through many editions, and the time is
approaching when that address will be valued for the truth
of its principles.—( Hear, hear.) The next morning, about
one-third of the children were sent to this institution ;
the other two-thirds, from the fear of the parents that at
that age they could receive no benefit, were withheld by
them ; but in about three months the change in the
children was so extraordinary, that the parents began to
talk among themselves, and said, " What can there be
in that building? Our children are altogether different
beings front what they were. They are the beat and most
intelligent beings we have ever seen anywhere ;" and
the consequence was, that before the end of the first
year every child in the village of that age was sent to
the school.—( Hear, hear.) Before the end of the second
year, such were the extraordinary results produced upon
the infant mind by the new system of training, and of
governing, that the parents themselves came to me to
petition that I would allow their children of thirteen and
fourteen months to be introduced, as they found so much
advantage from those that had been introduced at two
years of age.—',Hear, hear.) That school was carried
to comparatively a high state of perfect.on : it attracted
the attention of the reflecting part of the higher mem-
bers of society. Among others Lord Brougham saw it ;
and when he witnessed the effects which were produced
he said, " Mr. Owen, if you will only supply us with a
sine ahsotoeir ,aywsetewill
oeerse)c ti
na
\sv: me
si
tl amri
nssetheorr.).l, ( sIo
sfaaird
,asl tahme irnefaadnvt
to give you the master that is here : be was a plain; simple
weaver, who knew nothing of the principle, but had I great
ove for children, and patience with them without end. He
was therefore the very men that I wishe d t heTrean that
y
could govern by affection rather than by force.
in
of this individual, who was the first aster, was. Bue
lie is still the same simple-hearted mam'knowing p haVnaps
n.
no more about the principles now than he did at firste.r Ne
had, before he left, trained some of the elder scholars that
were in the other school to be very superior as masters for
the infant school, and I found that it was impossible toget
aTe
ghooodldseshcohoolomimasatsetrerbseyhoadndirntbhietage the of 16 or 17 years.
old notions of the
world, and they could not readily get rid of those old no.
t and many
of the benevolent. he third in..
tioes alai adopt those which were entirely new.
The
school was accurdiegly established in West niesier, and
ir.%i ldersp in
taught
individuals that
in school
Londonfrequently;
baii
built
i fans school. I think it was in Brick-lane, in Spitalfields,

and Mr. Wildcrspin was the third master in that school,
(Hear, hear.) He never saw the first school, and had no
idea of the atale of perfection to which it had attained.
Bet who commenced those schools is of no consequence.
'These are mere matters of history that will be related at
some time or other, and when no individual will think of
claiming any honours or rights for any thing he or she
may have done.—( Hear.) The time for individualism is,
I rejoice to know, coming to an end ; and there will be no
disputes about who did this or who did that, provided the
geod be done.—( Hear, hear. ) The infant schools have
since been adopted by what may be termed the sectarian
parties in society ; and each of them have framed them
with a view of the children being instructed in their secta-
rian notions. These are very different schools to the one
which I established, and very different from what future
rational infant schools will be. The principle of the infant
school which I established was that the children should be
taught by facts, by the objects themselves when praticable ;
if impracticable, by models or by painting for I discovered
by close observation that it was useless to give infants and
children words without at the same time giving them ideas.
When they had the ideas first and then heard the names they
had notions correctly imprinted on their minds ; but when
ideas,
their had the words only without the objects or the
their minds became, as almost all minds have been,
hitherto, quite confused with words without any clear
fleas.—( Hear, hear.) I might mention as an interesting
part of this portion of the subject, that three of Buchan-
nan's children, who were infants when the school cern-
rnenced at New Lanark, received their infant education
there, and were sent two or three years ago to South
Africa; and I had the delightful intelligence given me,
some time.x.eo, that they had opened several hundred
infant schees in South Africa ; and that these three
children, trained originally at New Lanark in the first
infant school, delighted every one ; all speak of them
almost as angels sent amongst them to do them good,
and to teach them nothing that was wrong or evil.—
(Applause.) Well, my Friends, the next part of the sub-
ject, I think, relates to " National education in Prussia."
Shortly after this period I became well acquainted with
Baron Jacobe, the then ambassador of Prussia to this
country.. I had previously published four essays on the
" Formation of Character," and relative to the new view
cf society, which view we have now before us (referring
to the painted plan of the " New Moral World," which
formed the hack of the stage). I gave the outline of
what I conceived to be the beat national system of edu-
cation at that time for our own country, or for any other
country. I had previously offered the same to our own
Government. I had communicated personally with the
late Lord Liverpool, when he was Prime Minister, and
with his first wife, Lady Liverpool, both of them ex-
tremely well intentioned individuals. They were de-
lighted with the plans. They said I found fault with all
that was; but they also said, " I wish, Mr. Owen, that
all our opponents would oppose us in the same mariner,
and with the same spi, it that you have done.—( Hear,
bear.) You tell us of our errors—our faults; but you
tell us of them in the genuine spirit of charity, and with
a desire that improvements should take place without
irritation, or anger, or ilhovill."—( Hear.) That Adminis-
tration would have adopted the national system of edu-
cation which I recommended, but they said, " We cannot
do it ; the power of the Church is opposed to any such
change."—( Hear, hear.) At that period there was no
public education for the children of the poor to read,
much less to write; and it was only by giving !great en-
couragement in the first instance to Mr. Lancaster, who
was supported by the Dissenting interest, that the children
of the poor were first taught to read ; and it was a severe
battle which we had to tight wirli the powers of society
to induce them to allow the children of the poor to learn
to read their Bibles, as they said. We had then a se-
cond battle to fight to obtain liberty to teach them to
write, and the elements of arithmetic. Had Mr. Lan-
caster Lever been supported, Dr. Bell would never have
been introduced ; but when it was discovered that Mr.
Lancaster would go forward patronised by what was called
the Liberal interest, the Church patronised Dr. Bell, and
as it was For the purpose of educating the poor, I pa-
tronised him also.—(Applause.) Atter what I have said
I am sure what I am going to say will not be
.considered
as having any reference to myself, but merely to Cie great
principles which we are met to-day to advocate. I assisted
Mr. Lancaster with 1,0301. at a time when he had nothing
to proceed with, and would have sunk under the difficulties
he had to encounter—( Hear, hear)—and when Dr. Bell's
system was established by the Church party, I sent to his
Committee (because everything was done under a Corn-
mittee of the Church)—l sent to his Committee—l had
more money then than I have now, 500/ , with a statement
that if they would admit the children of all sects into their
schools, I would make the sum the same as i had previously
given to Mr. Lancaster. The Committee canvassed this
offer for two successive days with ail the members belong-
ing to the Committee, and it was a matter of great contest;
and on the second day the affair was given in opposition
to my offer by only a majority of two or three. Therefore
they accepted the 5001., keeping the schools for the children
of those only who were members of the Church of England;
but the effect of that discussion produced a change in
their principles in one year, and they opened their school
to children of all denominations, provided those children,
read their books,
end said their c•techisms. Now the
national systeni of education which I recommended by
Baron Leobe to the King of Prussia, was similar to the
one 1 had recommended to the House of Commons, to
our own Government, and would have been adopted if the
power of the Church had not been too strong for the supe-
rior education of the working classes at that time. Imme-
diately upon sending these plans of national education and
government, I received an autograph from the King of
Prussia, saying he was so much pleased with the princi-
ples of the system, both of education and government for
a nation, that he had already given his commands to his
Minister of the Interior to adopt both to the full extent of
their localities—( Hear, hear)—and I know that that was
done; and I know also that the publication which I tent
to the King of Prussia, was one of four English works
which lay upon his private table in his library for many
years afterwards, and the works to which he and his
Ministers referred while they were making those
great changes.—(Hear, hear, hear.) The next sub-
ject with which my name has been connected
with this toast relates to the poor colonies in
Holland. And again, as I ever did when I had to take
any steps in this great change which is now before its, I
always communicated directly with our own Government ;
and, therefore, having discovered that there was no occa-
sion for poverty or the fear of poverty in Great Britain,
or in any other country, I applied to our Government
and proposed a system of Poor-law Government that
should in a short time place the poor of this country
under such 'improved circumstances, that the poors'
rates it{ a few years would become entirely useless,
an_"',, that there could be no poor in this country. The
report that I made to an extensive Committee of the
first statesmen, political economists, and legislators in
this country, appeared to them to be so important, that
they could not come to a decision upon it, but recom-
mended that that report should be referred to Sturges
Bourne's Committee upon the Poor-law, which was then
sitting; perhaps the most important Committee that had
sat for many years. It was well known, I believe, to all
the members of that Committee, that I had conducted a
large establishment for many years, and that there were
no poor in it. They knew that I had educated the chil-
dren of this population without individual rewards or
punishments, and that a character for these children had
been formed far superior to the character of any children
of the same age ever seen in this or any other country
before that period. When, therefore, the day was fixed
for me to be called upon to make this report, this Com-
mittee of the House of Commons—and they were all met, I
do not believe there was a single individual absent-, and
among them Lori Brougham was one,—l was called in,
had my report, and had the drawings of the arrangements
which I proposed, and I was prepared to be closely and
severely examined by those forty Members of the House ;
when 1 had laid down the plans, and had the report is my
hand, ready to proceed with the reading of it, I saw a look
pass from the Chairman, and a very significant expression
in the countenances of many of the Members who were in
the secret. The Chairman then said, " Mr. Owen will you
have the goodness to withdraw, we have something to dis-
cuss relative to you." I withdrew to the ante-room, and
employed myself, as I always do when I have leisure, in
preparing things I was then busily occupied a ith, and to
my surprise, though this was early in the morning—be-
tween nine and ten o'clock, I remained there without
anybody coming to disturb me till between four and five
o'clock in the afternoon, when Lord Brougham came in
and said—." Mr. Owen, it will be necessary for you to
come main to-morrow morning : we have been discussing
all day whether you arc to be examined or not, and have
not decided, therefore you will perhaps come to-morrow
morning at nine o'clock." Well, I attended at nine
o'clock, and was requested to occupy the same q carters as
before, and was expecting every moment that some of those
gentlemen would be good enough to cone in and tell me
what they were about. At five o'clock in the afternoon
Lord Brougham came in again and said---" Well, Owen,
we have been discussing up to this moment whether you
are to be examined or not, and it has been carried by a
small majority that you are not to be examined."--( Cries
of shame.) I was not quite aware of the real cause of
these proceedings until afterwards The report which I
was going to make was known to t'ae leading members of
society ; they knew it was a plan to put an end to poverty
and the fear of poverty, and to ignorance amongst the
mass of the people, and whatever you may thi k, Mr.
Chairman, and ladies and gentlemen, the system of the
world, as it has been carried on, will not admit in any
country—as all countries are now governed—for the masses
of the people to be otherwise than in poverty and ignorance.
Nha to,
my
now speak
humanfriends,
rtahceepacsatnpebreiodgoovfertnheedwoornildy hasby bfoeerenesauncdh
fraud;the
and ail the nations of the earth, through all
past
periods
up to the present moment in which I am -
t
ing, have been governed solely by force and fraud ; and I
am here to-day, my Friends, with no other intention than
to endeavour to put an end to government by force and
fraud.—( Applause.) If it be sedition, or if it be treason,
to speak truth upon public matters, I am here now to
speak that sedition and that treason, and to support it
against all
Nallwiy homay against 113.—( Very loud ap-
plause.)friends,
my
come
name has been connected with
the toast lastly, as the founder of the rational system of
society. Yes, my friends, we are met here upon this oc-
casion, I trust, to lay the solid foundation of that system
in the minds of all who can think and reflect. But what
is this rational system of society ? It has been called see
cialistn." I give up the name. Its true denomination is
" The rational system of society, in direct opposition to
the irrational system by which alone the world has hitherto
been governed." My friends; I must now, although at
the risk of detaining you much longer than I wish, and
perhaps much longer than many of you like—( Loud cries
of " Go en, go on")—but it is my duty on the present oc-
casion to state those great principles which can now be
no longer hidden from the world as principles, and which,
I trust, cannot be long hidden nom the world in practice,
for it is to hasten that practice that we have met here to-
night.—( Hear, hear, hear.) I am reminded that in
stating to you the proceedings relative to the arrange-
metre, for retnavir;!: ir:tiortple. and poverty from. s,
oi!t ety,
or tire tear of poverty, I did
not convey that Bitch I in-
tended, which was to inform you the.t at that period there
was a very intelligent man in this city—the Ambassador
from the King of Holland, who is ono of the best kings