The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-27 00:00:00

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You, at this moment, have in your hands the power of secur-
ing this the greatest of all good immediately, to every indivi-
dual of the rising generation ; to the gradual and certain ex-
clusion of ignorance from your dominions.
Again, " The British Government possesses ample means
to improve, to a very great extent, the dispositions, habits,
morals, and general conduct of all the present poor and work-
ing classes."
It is now known to all reflecting and well-informed persons,
that the dispositions, habits, morals, and general conduct of
all men, are essentially influenced by the circumstances in
which they are placed ; that these may be formed to produce,
with a few exceptions, the worst dispositions, habits, morals,
and general conduct; or, with as few exceptions, the best dis-
positions, morals, habits, and general conduct.
Now 'isese circumstances are almost all at your command ;
or may easily be made to be so, to an extent quite sufficient to
enable you speedily to improve, most materially, the disposi-
tions, habits, morals, general characters, and conduct of all
who are under your controul. And the course to adopt in
order to effect this important purpose is simple, open, straight
forward, and most easy of execution.
And lastly, I said—" That it entirely depends upon you,
whether vice, crime, and misery, shall continue to abound, as
at present; or whether, by using the power which you possess
for the benefit of all, you shall reduce these evils, until they
shall be scarcely known in any part of your widely extended
dominions."

It is now too palpable to every one, whose judgment has not
been perverted by prejudices early forced into his mind, " that
the character of every human being is formed for him at birth,
immediately by the Power which creates him, and that this
natural character is subsequently modified by each of the cir-
cumstances which are permitted to surround him from birth
to death."

This is the foundation of all knowledge that can be of any
real utility in governing mankind. It can alone direct to any
beneficial results. It can alone remove vice, crime, and misery
from society. It is the source from whence alone we attain a
useful and practical knowledge of the faculties, qualities, and
propensities of man,—such a knowledge as shall teach us cor-
rectly what man is, how to cultivate his physical and mental
powers in the best manner, and how to secure his permanent
happiness; a knowledge, which enables us to look back upon
all the past proceedings of mankind, and minutely to trace all
the errors that pervaded them.
This knowledge, however, simple and evident as it is to those
who have been enabled to overcome the effects of early inibided
prejudices and errors, has hitherto been hidden from mankind
for all useful and practical purposes.
The sole cause of this long continued aberration of the human
faculties, has been the error of forcing speculative opinions
upon the weak and tender infant mind, instead of explaining
those incontrovertible facts which experience has discovered to
us, and by a knowledge of which alone a sound and correct
. judgment can ever be formed. Here lies the error of human
proceeding. The works of Nature arc the direct emanations
from the universal creating Pz.wer ; and the facts which they,
disclose are, indeed, the words of Deity, unchanging and un-
changeable, never to be misunderstood by any one, and spoken
alike to all mankind. This is rational ; and by this all men
and all nations ought to be guided and governed. Until they
shall he so guided and governed, no one possessing a know.
ledge of human nature, will expect to see man trained to be-
come a moral, intelligent, and happy being. But who shall
break the spell of Prejudite and per-form the most necessary
and important deed.that has ever yet been accomplished for
man ? Who shall relieve him from the ignorance which ge-
nerates his weakness, his passions, his vices, his crimes, and
his misery P Who shall enable man to become honest and
sincere in his principles and his practices ? Who shall destroy
all anger in man, and form him into a being universally kind,
charitable, and benevolent? You can best do it, and by you
it ought to be done.
To attain these great results, you have but to will it, and it.
is done. You possess all that is_ necessary to enable you, the
British Government, to perform this great task ; and the time
is arrived when it is destined to be accomplished. You have
only to say to the woild—" Suspend your conflict of opinions
and actions ; wait with a little patience, and you shall witness
the proceedings by which errors in judgment and errors in prac-
tice shall be gradually and certainly removed from society."
All circumstances have been concurring for a long period
past to enable you to declare boldly anti openly to the world
what you know, and to act consistently with your know-
you towiallctsPeiV unison speedily
with you. For by speak
have the whole world to think,
tloedgspee; and
ak, and
ing your own thoughts, you merely disclose the genuine feel-
ings of human nature, and they will be instantly recognized by
every human being.
Then—you knout that the infant does not form himself, and
cannot be accountable for the general nature or individual com-
pound of that which his creator has given him at birth.
Let it not, therefore, be longer said under your public sanc-
tion, that human nature is bad by nature, and merits everlasting
punishment for its depravity ' • for it is productive of endless
evils in its consequences, and is the first step to derange the
human intellects. .
_

You knots that the subsequent character of the infant is
formed by the hourly circumstances which are permitted to sur-
round him, to act upon his individual nature, and thus to pro-
duce the more or less perfect human being.
Let your Government, therefore, henceforward, cease to at-
tempt to direct the conduct of man in opposition to the circum-
stances which you unwisely permit to exist around him, for
they are not in accordance with his nature ; and let all your
powers be directed to create a new set of circumstances, all of
which shall be purposely calculated to be in unison with hu-.
man nature, and in consequence continually to improve its cha-
racter and increase its happiness. This, also, is most easy for
you to effect in practice.
You know that the will of man is powerless over his own
opinions : that it belongs not to his nature to be capable of
himself to think that that which is impressed upon his mind
as true, is false, or that which he has been made to believe
false, is true. No sincere Christian can, by his own will, make
himself believe that Mahomet was a true prophet; or a con-
scientious Mahomedan convince himself that Christ was the
son of God.

Cease, therefore, in your public proceedings to let the world
suppose that you have not attained this knowledge. No
longer attribute merit, or attach demerit, to the conscientious
and unavoidable opinions of any individual; for by so doing
you act unjustly, and produce incalculable crime, and conse-
quent misery throughout all society.
You know that it is not the nature of man to like that which
is disagreeable to him, or to dislike that which is pleasant to
him ; that lie cannot prefer that which is opposed, to that which
is congenial to his nature ; in other words, that his sensations
are the necessary results of external causes acting or the cha-
racter which has been given to him. Human nature has not
been found to bate what it believes to be an angel, nor to love
what it believes to be a devil.

Cease, therefore, to sanction such practices as pre-suppose
that man can like and dislike by the fiat of his own will ; for
thereby you first implant insincerity in humane society,and then
throw the minds and actions of men into confusion, sow the
seeds of endless crimes, and inflict misery upon almost every
human being that comes into existence.

You know that man requires a full supply of the necessaries
and comforts of life to render his existence happy.
You know that these are created by the industry of man, aid-
ed by mechanic and other scientific powers ; and that the
amount and quality of such productions depend upon the direc-
tion and arrangement of those powers.
You know that circumstances may be so arranged, that the
industry of each working individual may be made to produce
much for others, and superfluity for himself; or that he may
be allowed to exert the whole of his strength during a long
life, and yet produce little for others, and not sufficient for
himself.

Let no man, then, henceforward continue to labour in vain
in any part of your dominions : it is a direct injury both to the
individual and to society ; it is the cause of poverty, of much
mental and bodily affliction ; and it is the source of all crimes
relative to property. It is an evil, too, capable of the most easy
remedy. .

Yor; know that the most probable mode of forming an intel-
ligent, active, virtuous, and happy character in, man, is to place
lain amidst those circumstances which are wisely devised to
call forth all the intelligence, useful activity, virtue, and hat- -
piness, that his individual nature possesses. And you know,
that it is irrational to expect more from any being than his na-
ture contains.

Letineastiies, therefore, 'be immediately formed to combine
such circumstances as shall draw forth all the intelligence,
industry, virtue, and happiness contained in the indivi-
dual natural *deity of each; that those who are immediately
under your GoVernment may be an example to all other coun-
tries. It is your first duty and your highest interest;. it has

PRICE SEVENPENCE.

never been done, and is not at present done in any part of the
United Kingdom.
Having stated in detail what you do Know, and the practice
which ought to follow from that knowledge, it is requisite for
me to state what you do not know ; and why, seeing that a ra-
tional practice would produce so many important permanent
benefits, it has not become general.
You do not know, that the earliest taught prejudices of
mankind over the world are errors, which preclude the possi-
bility of the human race perceiving the most useful and va-
luable truths—that they place a strong barrier in the way oi
the individual knowing what he is, and what his fellow-crea-
tures are ; and that as long as these prejudices shall pre-
vail, it will be a vain attempt to make man into a rational
being, or to establish a moral and virtuous character through-
out society.
You do not know that a knowledge of the most plain and
simple, yet the most important truths cannot be taught to
mankind until you determine to change the whole of the
present irrational system, by forming a new combination of
circumstances, which shall be in accordance with the real nature
of man.

You do not at present know how to form these circumstances.
In consequence, you arc beset with difficulties not to be sur-
mounted under your present system. The progress of know-.
ledge demands equal freedom of opinion upon religioue and.po-
litical subjects.
Ton know these cannot be permitted, and the errors of the
present system he retained.

The progress of knowledge demands, that the representative
part of the government should be fairly and honestly chosen.
You know this cannot be effected, and the errors of the pre-
sentsystem be retained.

The progress of knowledge demands, that the existing
complicated system of laws, founded in error, and which
are become much too expensive to he of service to the pocir
man, should be simplified, made plain to the understand-
ing, and placed within the reach of all who are to be governed
'by them. _ _

You know that this is impracticable, so long as the errors of
the present system are retained. _

The progress of knowledge demands, that the pauper establish-
ment of Great Britain should be annihilated ; and the unem-
ployed of the poor and working classes should be so placed and
trained, that they may produce abundantly for themselves, and
to spare for others what it would be right and beneficial for
others to receive from them.

You know this cannot he accomplished, and the errors of the
present system be retained. _

The pi:ogress of knowledge demands, that the manual and
scientific powers of society should be fairly brought into action,
until all the wants of rational beings shall be fully supplied.
You know that these powers are productive of increased mi-
sery only, while the errors of the present system are retained.
The progress of knowledge demands, that justice should be
done in the education of each child that comes into existence;
and that, for the interest of all, each should be made the best
that circumstances can be devised to form him.
You know that this cannot be effected, and the errors of the
preient system be retained.
The progress of knowledge demands that wars should cease,
because war is directly opposed to all the great interests of so-
ciety—to abundant production, to free distribution, to econo-
mical preservation and free enjoyment of wealth—to the for.
mation of kind dispositions, to continued improvements in
morals and virtue, to unlimited charity and universal good will
among mankind : none of these can be obtained while war
shall be permitted.

You know that war must continue to be permitted, while the
errors of the present system are retained.
The progress of knowledge demands that the cause of ill-
will, uncharitableness, and anger, on account of differences
of opinion, and of habits among mankind, should for ever be
removed.

Yo know that this cannot be done, and the errors of the pre-
sent system be retained.
The progress of knowledge demands, that as the means abun-
dantly exist to provide amply for the wants of all, competition,
opposition, and division of interests, should cease to exist.
You know that these cannot cease while the errors of the pre-
sent system are retained. _

'The° progress of knowledge demands, that individuals and
nations should no longer be insincere, nor attempt to continue
the practice of deception, now when all are conscious that it
is deception. .

You. know that open honest sincerity cannot be permitted, if
the errors of the present system be retained.
The progress of knowledge demands, that henceforward your
councils should be uninfluenced by the prejudices of class, sect,
or party ; because these lead to lamentable errors in principle,
and the most injurious consequences in practice.
You know that this advance in the art of governing cannot
be made, and the errors of the present system he Retained.
The progress of knowledge demands, that neither mental nor
bodily slavery shall be permitted in free states.
You know that neither phyical nor mental freedom can be
permitted in any state, where the errors of the present system
are retained.

The progress of knowledge peculiarly demands, that the
condition of the people of Ireland should be immediately and
essentially improved.
You know that this cannot be accomplished, and the errors
of the present system be retained. Therefore, the progress of
knowledge irresistibly demands, that the errors of the present
system should be no longer retained ; and that a universal re-
formation should now be effected in all the existing circum-
stances of society.

It is natural to inquire how this all important and necessary
change can be introduced into practice without disturbing the
present social arrangements of society.
You and you alone possess the power to create this change
in a short time, advantageously for yourselves, for every indi-
vidual in the empire, and for the Governments and people of
all other countries.

Instead of supporting the notion of the individual formation
of character, which is the fountain of all the errors of the ex-
isting system of society throughout the world, you have to de-
clare openly your conviction, that the character of man is form-
ed for him ; and, as all facts prove this truth, no one possess-
ing intelligence and experience will attempt to oppose the prin-
ciple upon which you will thus found your new system.
As the character of man is formed for him, it becomes a pri-
mary duty with you to ascertain what are the circumstances
within your empire which the most tend to form an irrational
and inferior character among your people. You will speedily
discover, that virtuous and moral habits, improved dispositions,
and superior physical and mental powers, are not likely to be
generally formed amidst such circumstances as are usually
found in St. Giles's, Wapping, and similar situations, which
now superabound in all the large towns in your doniinions ;
nor yet in the poor Irish peasant's wretched cabin, in and
around which, except air and light, scarcely one favourable
circumstance exists. As little are they to be met with in the
parish pauper establishments within your government.
This knowledge, however, will not lead you prematurely to
demolish even these or similar unfortunate circumstances
which might have been permitted to be formed purposely to
perpetuate ignorance, poverty, bad dispositions, the worst
habits, vice, crime, and misery, from generation to generation.
But it will lead you to consider well of the means, and then
judiciously to devise the mode, by which you may build up
and combine a new set of circumstances, which shall be as
powerful in speedily creating intelligence, industry, good dis-
positions, good habits, good morals, and happiness, as the
existing circumstances are, to engender and perpetuate the
evils and the miseries of vice.

You possess a vast superfluity of labour, of skill, and of capi-
tal, to enable you to accomplish this work; and the application
of these three powers to such a purpose would immediately be-
nefit the labourer, the man of skill and scienco, and the capitalist.
You would thereby create an advantageous activity through-
out the nation, which could not fail to produce a beneficial
prosperity, incapable of retrogression, and certain of extension
and increase, until its good effects shall pervade all the ramifi-
cations of society.

The details of these measures for ameliorating the general
condition of the empire, not by words and much speaking, but
by efficient well devised practical arrangements, cannot be en-
tered upon in this form or communication, but I am ready to
develope them whenever i shall be called upon, without desir.
ing reward of any kind, either from you or from the nation.
And it is for you now to determine, whether this change, the
most important that the world has yet known, shall be carried
into execution by you and the American Government in perfect
unity and harmony, or whether it shall be introduced by the
American Government alone, or by individuals under its pro.
tection.

I have the honour to be, with all the respect due to your
high stations, your faithful subject, ROBERT OWEN.
New Lanark, Feb. 17, 1824.

PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEu. 26.

Mr BnooDEN and others from the Commons brought up
the Exchequer Bills Bill, the Irish Courts, of Law Bill, the
retrospective Duties Amendment Bill, the Transfix Aids Bill,
which were read a first time.

't'he Marriage Act Amendment Bill wa% committed, and
crrdered to be reported to-morrow.—Adjewned.

HOUSE. OF COMMONS.
COAL-TAX.

Potitions against the D tty on Coals were presented from
in Cornwall, by Sir W. LEMON ; from the town of
Sandwich, by :11r. BONHAM : frail' the town of Dorrington.
by Sir IV. IsoitTiv ; and from Epping, in the County of
Bseex, by Sir E. H ARVE V.-14 1d on the table.