The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-02 00:00:00

THE MARRYING MAN. 3 Vas.

The " Marrying Man" is by the author of
" Cousin Geoffrey"---a tale which we remember
to have read with pleasure. The present is not
equal to its predecessor; nevertheless it is worth
perusal, if only for the easy, unconstrained vi-
vacity with which some of the leading incidents
are related. The author does not pretend to
depth or novelty of character, but she skims the
surface of society gracefully, and wins upon the
good opinions of her readers by the perfect un-
affectedness of her manner. The tale- is dedi-
cated to Theodore, Hook. -

DEFEAT OF THE TORIES IN Sr. JAMES'S.—
After one of the severest struggles which have for many years
past taken place in the parish of St. James's, the election of yes-
tr3mee has terminated in the defeat of the Tories and the
triumph of the Whigs by a majority of 60, the largest number
polled for the former being 940, and for the litter 1.000 --
The North of England Marine Insurance Conl.:,
pa ;y of South Shields has discontinued its busineis. This we
presume is a consequence of the ruinously lovitatee at Which:
marine insurances have lately been effected, especially by the
Se9ttish officet.a.Zync Mercury,

r GRAND ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF
I THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY SOCIETY.

The grand annual festivai in commemoration of di:-
70th birth-day of Robert Owen, the philanthropist, and
the sixth Annual Congress of the Universal Community
of Rational Religionists, was celebrated yesterday at the
Highbury Barn Tavern, by a dinner, tea, and ball. The
proceedings of the day were commenced with a grand
overture and a procession round the grounds. After
which

Mr. SOUTH WELL, a missionary from Birmingham, ad-
dressed the ladies and gentlemen assembled on the green,
near the large room, where the dinner took place, to
nearly the following effect .—My dear Friends and
Brothers and Sisters in the great cause of Socialism—
(Cheers)—The earth has run its annual course since we
last met in this pleasant spot for the purpose of stating
the progress we had made, and also to enjoy the feast of
reason and the flow of soul. They had met to-day (conti-
nued Mr. Southwell) under most interestingcircumstances.
As they were going to have a good dinner, he hoped all
would have a good appetite. He had just left Man-
chester, and he was happy to say that their cause there
was prospering admirably. Their opponents were doing
all they could to put them down, and Mr. Brindley had
stated that if he did not put the whole of them down in
nine months he would suffer himself to be tarred and
feathered.—(Laughter.) They were still, however,
thank God, loving Socialists ; but if they were not, he
thought he might truly say there was more strength in
their ghosts than their bodies.—(Laughter.) They
were met there that day to give vent to their free
thoughts, and to enjoy themselves rationally—they had
met there to state the progress they had made, and the
progress they were likely to make.—(Cheers.) They
lived in eventful times, in • times when all men were I
called upon to play most important parts. It was necessary
that he should call the attention of those assembled
around him to politics, as they were at this momen.
every man's business, because the statesmen 04 both
sides were playing their last trump card for office.
At the present moment the machine of Government wan
at a dead lock, and neither Whignor Tory would do any-
thing for the benefit of the people. The time had
arrived when the co-operative principle must be adopted. ;
instead of that principle which set nation against nation
being made paramount they must adopt that principle of
action on whose banner was inscribed, "Each for all ant.
all for each."—(Cheers.) There was a great deficiency in
the revenue in consequence of a profuse and increasett
expenditure, and with Whigs, Tories, Socialists, am.
Chartists, money was the sinews of war. He had ne,
wish to make that a political meeting, but let them re-
member that the weakness both of Whigs and 'Fork:
was the real strength or the people.—(Hear.) They had
been told repeatedly during the past year that the social
body were averse to discussion, that i.i peace they were
as bold as lions, but in war as timid as hares.
Facts were stubborn things, and there were abun-
dant facts to prove that the reverse.
the fact. He had recently attended a meeting of th,
Manchester Town Mission,. having had reason to sup-
pose that certain statements would be made injurious to
the character of the Socialists. Those statements were
made ; and, singularly enough, by a gentleman to whom
he had previously applied to hold a discussion with hin,
either in the public streets or within the walls of the
Manchester Institution. This gentleman, not imagining
that he (Mr. Southwell) was present and listening teJ
him, said he had attended at the Social Institution with
a little band of followers, to challenge discussion, but
they (the Socialists) were afraid of discussion ; and in
order to prevent it had used physical force. The moral
feelings of those who could utter such falsehoods were
in the most lamentable condition, and he (Mr. South-
well) and Mr. Campbell rose and wished to put a ques-
tion relative to this mis-statement ; but the Chairman
would nut hear them. After several vain attempts tc
obtain a hearing, they wrote on paper a challenge to
those parties who had made false and injurious state-
ments against the Socialists. Of this the Chairman took
no notice. If they were to be put down at all ii
would not be by such means, but by sound
reason and argument adduced in the face of
the people. That , whatever was true must be
triumphant was acknowledged by all parties. The)
had nothing to fear from fair discussion. They desired te,
educate and improve the people ; they held that the
great sources of human misery and degradation was
poverty, and that the only remedy for the multifarious
evils of society was to be found in a sound education,
based on the principles of truth, and'on deductions from
innumerable facts relating to the great business of ho-
awn life and to universal nature ; and with such objects,
pursuing such ends, they must be successful. When
they were tempted to find fault with the vices of society, '
let them ever remember that people were made to be
what they were by the organisation given to them ut
their birth, and by the effects of circumstances acting
upon them from their birth upwards. When they under-
stood this philosophy they would have the philosophy ol
philosophy.—(Hear.) He could not conclude without
pointing out the absolute necessity which existed for se-
parating the wheat from the chaff of socialism, its phi-
losophy from any mere speculative philosophy. It had
been the custom of certain parties to mix the two to-
gether ; he referred, of course, to the clerical party; that
party which, in this country, as in all others, had been
opponents of human improvement.—(Hear, hear.) Op-
ticians told them that all bodies upon which light wa,
reflected became themselves luminous ; but the clergy
were an exception to this universal law ; they had abun-
dance of light reflected upon them, but they did not shee.
its lustre around ; and until the people should raise ui
teachers who should go forward boldly to'speakthe truth
they would never obtain that happy state of society i 4
which they all looked forward. Let them then separati
the things of faith from the things of philosophy, specu-
lative dogmas from the trtt lis of science ; morality woult.
be found all sufficient, and morality could have no othei
basis but truth. They were charged with throwing down
the bulwarks which kept back human corruption. Le .
those who made those charges be told that they hat
been tried and found wanting, that their system had pro
duced famine, war, vice,. and misery, and that they (the
Socialists) proposed another system, giving to all partie
the fruits of their labour, distributing the produce bene-
ficially for all, and a system based upon truth, and boll
in its principles and practices diametrically opposed t,
that by which society had been so greatly injured.
At half-past two o'clock the company present, to th,
number of 450, half of whom were ladies, sat down to
plentiful and excellent warm dinner, Mr. W. D. Saul in th,
Chair. On the platform were Mr. Owen, on the right
hail of the Chairman, Mr. and Mrs. Gulpin, Mrs. Bug
den, Mr. and Mrs. Fleming, Mrs. Austin, Mr. and Mrs.
Carrs, Miss Gracock, the Misses Fearsons, Mq. Glen-
fell, and several foreigners.
A large and able body of professional singers were ii
attendance, and Messrs. Griffin, James, Benedict, &c.,
after dinner sung the chorus of " Natures Bounty" in ;
powerful and very pleasing manner.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said, as loyal subjects,
and as friends of social order, as well as good Socialist:
—indeed none could impeach their loyalty, and never
would have occasion to do so—they would therefor;
commence the toasts with the usual loyal one. I.'ll,
first was the health of the Lady who was place:.
at the head of the administration of • affairs-

the Queen, the daughter of his Royal Highness the Duk.
of Kent, the friend of the cause of Socialism. Joined to
it, he would propose " Prince Albert, the Duke of Sus-
sex, and the rest of the Royal Family." He also pro
posed to join with those toasts that of " Her Majesty':
Ministers." They had many things to feel grateful ik
them for, but more especially for their endeavours t
educate the people—(Cheers)—and even within the las.
few days they had made an attempt that was well de-
serving of the gratitude of such a meeting—he allude,.
to their attempt to feed cheaply those who were pininL
in destitution.—(Cheers.) In a rational meeting likt
that, he trusted they would not make the usual noise oil
such an occasion. They, would stand up out of respect
to the toast, but show that they were rationalists by
drinking the toast with sincerity but without noise.
The recommendation of the Chairman was attended to.
Chorus—" Hail smiling morn."
The CnAiiimati said on that happy festive occasion,
which he hoped would be repeated for many years to
come, for it was his highest gratification to meet them :
they had met for the purpose of congratulating their ex-
cellent friend, on his 70th birthday, on the possession oi
health and strength of mind equal to that he displaye,l
in his younger years.—(Cheers.) They would all joh.
with him in wishing health and prosperity to Robert
Owen—(Cheers)—when they remembered the obloquy
which had been thrown upon his exertions—when they
had seen those exertions continued through good and
through evil report—when they saw him rising in year:,
—when the time was fast approaching when they would
see him no longer—but how would, then, his memory
be revered not only in this country but in other nations.
They would join heartily in the toast. His life had in-
deed been one of most anxious labour and trouble, but a!
last it had been attended with success. The number,
present that day proved him to have been the most effec.
tive reformer that England had ever produced. Politi,
cal reforms sunk into the utmost insignificance whei
compared with the new arrangement of society whicl
Mr. Owen had brought about, and without which becom
ing general the happiness of mankind would never be full:
accomplished. He knew they were all most anxious to see
his views carried fully into effect, but how much were they
indebted to the great perseverance of their Social father
for the introduction of those principles, which would
carry universal happiness to all- mankind, without dis-
tinction of country, colour, creed, or class ? He had,
during the period of his long life, been deeply ma-
ligned, but, knowing the truth of his own principles, he
laughed to scorn the shafts launched. at him by unin-
formed bigots. He hoped many years would elapse
before he was removed from the sphere he so nobly
filled. He eould praise him in energetic, but still ade-
quate strains, but he knew he would only distress his
worthy friend ; he would, therefore, content himself
with hoping that all would leave that meeting with a full
determination to follow the great, glorious, and noble
example of their Social father. He would conclude kith
proposing, " Health and prosperity to Robert Owen, the
great founder and father of Socialism."
The toast was responded to with enthusiasm.
Mr. OWEN rose and was received with much acclama-
tion. He felt deeply thankful to them for the manner
in which they had received the toast. For the last three'
of
a class,.
ss,
weeks he had been speaking from morning to night, but
at that moment he really had nothing- to say.—(A laugh.)
Their worthy. Chairman had said that there
wellherebtandabtiheii
some interferences in his progress, and
happiness
h full wouldconfine
objecthimselfand
to that
theirs
wpoint.as not T hey-al
merelyl
or sect, or party, in any one country, nor was it confined
to the inhabitants of any country ; his object had always
and during
nbckeeceterneslnstlairenyeh happiness
oodf
dt.htuernhTnea:thcFeeacr.m.
thiat
all coming,ages, and to accomplish he 'knew it was
beginning of his -
-to thy.; right hand
he should
taahtpa:t
nor to the left# 4mtil there was '_some prospict_of his end-
,baing attained; or th.r.t -he should ,saci-;fice- lais life in the.
attempt.—(Cheers:) "He 134 d Persevered thout tprnizg-,
to the ono hand or the other, until 'he -had the'gratifica-