The Sun.
London, England, 1821-07-17 00:00:00

~/

TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1821.

Felt 'PILE SUN.

__ . . - - tipeelY persuaded that they
.viewed the subject
--nisteises--e_ throUgh,a very distorted mediums—That inert en-
NATIONAL PROSPERITY.-,(NO. 5.) gaged in the burly-burly of politics, in such times
Krt.-EDITCa---The task which I proposed- to as these, should :net find leisure to ascertain the
myself e'vhen I sat down-to address you on a sub-- merits of a Plan which appeared- to be made up
feet which has for some time. engaged . my of a number of abstruse, abstract propositions; is
thoughts, and Which I:aMemost anxious should very- excusable. The. pearl is found, not in the
be seriously and thoroughly-discussed, was not to , troubled surface, but in the depths of the ocean:
enter into anyedetailse- but merely to glance at One or the.personages alluded to nursed in the
the general character by which it is distinguished. cradle of the muses, has ever been highly.favoure
I hesitate not to affirm, that no question connect- ed, by them. I know, too, that his heart has not
ed with the external relations, or internal adini- sustained the slightest injury from the exercise of
nistration of the British Empire, bears the least power—Gratulor quod cum quemnecesse erat•dili-:
comparison, in point of interest and importance, gore, qualiscunque esset, talem habemus,.ut liben,
to the proposition which, a few evenings a
.o,itteas ter quogue diligamus.---I should, indeed, beeptto
submitted by Mr. MAxwrius to the consie ' ion' mistrust the soundness of any judgment which -I
of the Rouse of Commons.- The issue of the trAghtforrn in contradiction to hiseifi.l. were. as.
•Debate, upon .that Gentleman's motion by no cured, that he bad deliberately .reviewed .all the
means Surpriaed me; it was precisely what I had facts and reasonings open which my own.opinion
anticipated. I' intend not the slightest disr.e- was built. , But lam quite certain that the case-
spect to Mr. MAxWELL, when r say, that, judg.:. is otherwise.
ing from the report of his Speech, it would ap- .On the whole, both my Lord LONDONDERRY
pear that he himself had not a- thorough insight and Mr. CANNING appeared desirous that an ex-
into the nature of the Plant_ which- he recoin- 1 perirnent should be tried ; but justly conceiving;
mended. Those who have studied it are so -far that it was within the competence of the paro-
from regarding the -use of machinery as an evil, chial or provincial authorities, and especially of
that in estimating the future. progress of Society private individuals, to set it on foot, they pru
in the acquisition of wealth, they proceed upon dently forbore to lend their naines and influence
the assumption, that not merely .the existing even toda proposition calling_upon the House to.
. machines, of every description, - will be put into institute an inquiry. I think they were rights.
full and constant-activity, but that mechanical Some more decisive indications of the wishes of-
powers will .be applied to almost every purpose the people upon this subject were wanting in-or-
of life ; so -that, to use the words of Mr. Owen, der to justify such a proceeding. Mr. CANNING:
Machzine4 will become the only slave,.:ir 720 t the suggested- that the Plan of Mr. OWEN should
only servant ofthan. • . hereafter be submitted for consideration in a more
I ani• stwere- that it is a 'debateable point, digested form. I hope this will_ he donee •and
whether, as Society is now constituted, the then I have no donbt that his powerful eloquence
extensive adoption of . machinery -be or be -will be enlisted in a cause which .involves the in---
not a cause of the increase of pauperism.--a- terests of humanity, of liberty, of _order, of reli-
I believe Mr. OWEN has in some of . his pub- gion, of science, of all the arts that conduce to
lications endeavoured 'to trace. the evil to that the embellishment of society. To secure the aid
source, and hence -probably has arisen Mr.-MAX- of such an advocate, it will be incumbent upon
WELL'S misconception of the tendency of Mr. us to skew-that-there is nothing lathe Plan at va-
OWEN'S Plan: On the other hand, it, has been riance with the bestprinciples• of our nature, or
cohtended..by some-of the first authorities in po- with the physical laws and constitution of the
litical -economy, that the use of the steam engine world ;—nothing at whiChmodesty can blush;----
in our manufactories has not lessened the demand nothing at which sober wisdom can frown o--no-
for human labour. A variety of abstract propOSl-' thing which rank or property -has cause to fear;
tions as to the laws that regulate demand and or in which wit can fix . the shafts of. ridicule.
supply, and the employment of capital, have been Unless -this be done—but it shall. be done, and
ably stated by.the writers alluded -to, and their .then our triumph is secure. . .
argument has, it must -be owned, a very. scientific In my last essay I quoted a passage from• one
and imposing air. One can easily conceive, that of Mr. Oa Ex's addresses, in which he modestly
the cheap rate at which articles manufactured disclaims all pretensions to originalitys. It is, in-
with the aid of machinery can be suppfied, by deed, quite true that none of the principles which
reducing the cost, must tend to increase the con- ,he has brought forward, no, not oner is new
sornption of theise articles ; and it is very probe- they. have each and all been long
-"established e I
ble,,that while we commanded: the foreign-mare- - was about to say they are as old as the hills,
kets, the demand for labour in the aggregate Was and have been at all times more or -less ope-
not diminished ; perhaps it was-increased by .the. rative, in proportion as society has been advanc.
very means which appeared to supersede its use. ing or retrograding. -
I shall not attempt to solve this intricate prob- Upon what does a statesman- pride himself,
lem. One thing however-'is quite clear, that but upon the extent to which he has drawn forth
unless other, equally profitable-' employment be' the resources of his country, and combined and
found for those hands whOse labour the machine ,directed the energies of.the people.? -
performs, distress must be treatedtiand patiper-- Upon what does the merchant pride himself,
ism
,increased ; it is not less certaint in point.of but upon the knowledge. which he has acquired
fact, that on the first introduction ofs.new machine of the mutual wants- of nations, and upon 'the
in a factory. which had afforded employment for skill with which he has been able toset in mu-
numerous individuals, those individuals have-been tion the. numerous..agencies which are :requisite
injuriously affected; and we have beforeusthemost to the collection and transport of his well-as-
decisive evidence, in the enormous amount of our sorted cargoes. Paesing .over the • leaders of ar-
poor-rates,that,formany years paSt,themarfeet for rnies, let me ask what is it which. 'gladder's the
labour has been greatly overstocked. Surely it heartof the, Christian, -but the certain eapecta-
cannot be doubted that the agonizing cries of the tion that the little leaven once committedeto a
Nottiegharn frame-work knitters, and of shine few humble individuals, will eventually leaven,
other classes of artizans, indicated pain and suf- the whole mass of mankind. What but this full
fering. -But be the immediate effect of new ma- assurance of hope has showered down the sacred
chinery what it may, there is-nothing of which I Scriptures upon. the inhabitants of the earth, in
am more convinced than that the evil, if an evil every dialect that is spoken from the -utmost
it be, is not to be corrected by. legislative inter- Indies to the Frozen Poles ? What is the desire
ference ; and if Mr. MAXWELL seriously-- con- and expectatien of good, r4D.of all nations, .but
ceived that in order to- the adoption 'of Me. that a. period will arrive when men shall regard
Owes's-system, it was necessary that Parliament I each other as brethren, whent they shall cordially
should interpose its authority for the purpose of- co-operate hi promoting the arts of peace., and.
checking the use of machinery, it is no wonder in strengthening the, bonds of union. eLet it not
that the' House of. Commons should have turned be said that a desire thus implanted in the heart
with aversion from a proposition apparently hie of mat* by his 7siilaker is never to be,satisfied; that
solving such a consequence. It is matter oficon- hoiyisiver beautiful in theory it is not reducible to
gratulation to those who wish- to see the true prictice. - We have. been too long deceived by
spirit of philosophy -applied to politics, to observe, this language. . . .
that our senators pretty generally admit the in- - " I-know it is common for men to say that such
expediency of multiplying restrictive laws ; and " and such things are perfectly right, very de-
are now intent upon devising the meaas of etnart-
." s,ireble, but that unfortunately they are riot
cipating trade and commerce from the shackles " practicable. Oh ! no, Sir, no. Those things
which have been imposed upon those branches of " which are, not practicable are not -desirable,
our industry.—The idea of attempting -to stint, " There is nothing in the world really-beneficial
the growth of the, human mind, by interdicting ". that does not lie 'within the reach of an in-
the free exereiseiof its..inventive faculties; is in-. " formed understanding, and a well directed
deed abhorrent. to the spirit 'of -the age, and, " pursuit. There is nothing -that- Goo has
thank God, no such notion is likely to be lis- " judged good for us, that he has not given
tened to in Parliament a j " us* the meani to accomplish, both in the na-
If, Sir, the Honourable and worthy Member " tural and the moral-world:'—(Burkee Works,
who lately endeavoured to prevail upon the .:col. 3. p, S 4 . • .
.-
House of Commons_ to depute' a Committee to 'These-are the words of a man, whom no one
New Lanark, took an erroneoua' view of the will suspect- of enthusiasm : -and -we thus have
principles upon which the plan of Mr. OWEN his authority, (Which I-know will have- its due
is founded, it must he confessed that the diStin- weight with roar" readers,) for a/fit:ming that dos
guished Statesmen, who spoke against the nees-• ,thing is desirable that is not practicable. But
tion, were still less acquainted With the genius it is onivetsally admitted, thatethe utmost degree
of that plan. Both my . Lord LONDONDERRY of union sie the interests of matikind is a conium-
and Mr. CANNING appear to have-been impressed reatici; detohtly to be wished ;
.and therefore
with an idea thatit was unfavourabie to" liberty ; 1 BURKE permits us-to 'affirm that it must Ire pray-
and if no other good arose fruni the debate, it tieable.—Sir, it is practicable ; and when the at-
at least afforded an opportunity to those traduced- tempt to reduce to practice what has too long
characters, to spew how truly British are the feel- bees .regarded as merely a beautiful theory,
ings by which they are actuated. I hope the shall be seriously made, it . will be found the
Radicals ;;ill not forget the horror which they- Casiest-end pleasantest of all experiments. We-
manifested at the idea of drilling and coeseing shall have Distuee on our side, and oar progress
into order the inmates of the paralielogreces, al- will be in a Geometrical Ratio. -. • - . •
though the people 'iliould be d.rafttal' fiern our In thus hilvidetifig to the' Debate of 'Tuesday
poor-houses, These Fe:es-sac-es teett_ •iienever, i evening, in the llcuse of. Cominonso I have
pardon me ft): sayirg:.tiim. Ti : L,.-;'.i.
,:r. ..': t/t1::i ;:'..1-7.- digeeeeed frets the path -which I had resceibed
pliment them for the too` ie he se :es ':','.2:7 :•.:::'.:,._.': i to. myseif, atd }lava exprosea .sorne .thoughts
the rzbtictr. ft inti!..'2.77, ',.' : v• :ZE 7.,,:: :::::::,,:-::-...-- '. which cz,l7ht In .progeiety to h.aee tie-en reserved

PI:/CE SEVEN FENCE.

until 1 had replied to the -objections that are
commonly urged against the of Mr. OwEN.
if you and your. Readers are not %Teary of me,
I have still as much to say as wall probably fuc-
fish. matter for a few More Essays..—There.is, it
must be confeised, some novelty in the. attemlit
to engage mankind in the systematic purSuit of
sublunary hiisz, which we have, been told a thon-
sand and a 'thousand times, for a tbonsand'yeats.,
is -never to .be secured.-That I deny.
I remaia with sincere regard,
Sir, Your's truly, '
INDEX.

July 6, 1821