The Sun.
London, England, 1817-08-15 00:00:00

,

MR. OWEN'S PLAN.
There 4vas yeste;day numerous Meeting. at the
London•'l'avern,.,•ici; compliance «•ith ;lie printed
tequisit,ion Qt. 'Air,
.QmsN, in order into
considerarion his Flan for the extinction of Pao-
perkin, and the generaljr,oprov,enkent of !"oriety.
11 ItowcßoPT, after, some .4vsitatin,n, took, the

OwEN Ort,),.lodres.sed the eoniwilly,

and entered a comprph.enivr- cieTrlopepieut
t
of that
.Systeto or wine') w.e bate a'l,reqdy give.t),so
ample a sta.emeukitt our Paper, that op! Itsatlers
nitisibg folly competent to form a general opinion
of its py,acoeohility ant) subsequent aftvantagts.-7.
theicott:rse of his Speech Mr. OevtN proposed

. _
the following ltesldlitions
I; cif the poor and working classes
in Great i;ritaio And i.relantl cannot now pro-
cure employment ito..enable them to earn a pro-
per subsistence.--Cried, unanimously.
2. That in Great liritai,n andilreland, the poor,
the unemployed,, • and tbe_ineffic,ientky employed,
are now supported at a ruinous, expense to many
parishes, and by extensive and injurious private
charities. .

3. That under these circtonstance;s, the poor
and Working classes generally expetience, priva-
tions and distress to a greater extent,

. .
than they have suffered at any former period: in
the history of this eountry.—The above two Re-
solutions carried nearly unanimously,
4. That this arises from manual labour being of
less value now, compared with the price of pro-
visions, and the habits of the people generally,
than it has been at any former known period.
5. That it is not prohabie manual labour can
regain its proper and necessary value, under cir-
cumstances beneficial to the eoutory, unless other
artaugments shall be formed by society, pur-

posely devised to give productive employment to
all who are competent and willing to labour.
6. That it is the highest Oracti.i:al paint of poli-
tical economy, as it most essentially involves the
well-being and happiness of all ranks, to attain
the means by which the labour of any country
can be the most advantageously employed.
7. To reduce the Poors' Rate, and gradually
abolish pauperism, with all its degrading at►d in-
jurious consequences.
8. That as a soleMn and grave judgment ought
not to be given hastily, on a subject in which the
vital interests of this Empire and other conoi ries
are involved,—the plan now proposed shall be
submitted to the scrutiny and investigation of a
Committee, composed of. many of the leading,
most intelligent, and best disposed from among
all ranks, who by their previous acquirements may
be competent to give a useful opinion upon.the
subject. For something must he done.
9. That the Committee of General Investiga-

lino be composed of the following Nobleman and
Gentlemen, or such of them as may be-inclined to
perform this high and important duty, for them-
selves, their country, and for posterity. ' The
Committee to have power to add from time to
time to their number, and to be a quorum.
10. That this Co••ttnittee shall report the result

of their investigations and labours to a General
Nieeting, to be called for that purpose, early in
May next year, or sooner, if they shall so deter-
mine.

11. That the Proposer of the Plan shall give
from time to tune to the Committee, all the in-
founation in his power, that they may ask or

requite.
It. Was not my intention to have proceeded fur-
ther at present, but a most benevolent and
public-
spirited Gentleman, whose name 1 an not at
liberty yet to mention, called upon me late last
night, and in the most liberal manner made the an
mil:wiled otter. of about 1500 acres of land, pro-
per in all respects to try One experiment upon, alt d
of at least 50 0001. in value, which I !night use
for such purpose, at any time after October next.
I cannot, therefore, refrain front proposing the
followine, additional Resolutions :-
12. That it is now most desirable one or more
experiment should be tried with the least possible
loss 01 time. - •
13 That for this purpose a subscription be now
opened, that whenever 100,0001. its money or land
shall be subscribed, one experiment shall he coin-
, menced fort It and a second when 200,000/.
shall be subs'eribed, and so on as each following
100,000/. shall be subscribed.
14. That the following Gentlemen, or such of
them as may be inclined to act, shall be a select
acting Committee, to direct and superintend such
experiments, assisted by the proposer of the
plan.
15. That the most warm and 6ordial thanks of
this meeting be given to the Gentleman who has
so nobly slept forward to offer his Land.to the
Country, for the use of an experiment at the mo-
ment it wits wanted.

The CitmaNtAN then observed that he had a !
bundle of letters in his hand from different Ala- '
gisirates in the country, which had been sent to
Mr. Owen, complimenting him on his project, and
full of approbation of if. lie read extracts from
a variety of these letters, which consisted ofsobser-
vations on the progressive increase of pauperism
and the poets' rates in ditferent.,parts of the king-
dom, particularly in a parish in Suffolk, where the
population was 1300, the paupers 800, and the
poors' rates 48s. in the pound. The writers all
expressed their ardent desire to see this or some
other plan carried into effect. Ile then appealed
to the company to exercise a cool and dispassionate
conduct, and to avoid mixing up any political or
party sentiments with the subject tinder discus,ion.
He adverted to the plan of Mr. Obven, and oh-
set ved, that the seed was now thrown into the
ground, but the has vest must not be expected till
it was watered ; yet that which had been cast on
the face of the nation this day, might grow up
into a harvest and blessing, not only for the bene-
fit and happiness of this country, but perhaps for
those of all the civilized world. lie concluded by.
exhorting the company to avoid all personality,
and proceeded to put the first Resolution.
Sir ROSERT STEELE, Major Tottaßt4s, Mr
HUNT, Dr. WALKER, Mr. WarrnMAN, and many
nth• r persons delivered their sentiments on the
subject, :int as their opinions were in general
nut founded on a practical basis, and as those of
Mr. Watt are bottomed on experience, though

• -
nn,a limited cleree, we do not think it necesstoy
to a►►btnit then to our Readers. After some Re-

solutions t)een pit)posed, which occAsione4l

ranch clamour and confuOmn,

, iVlr. OwEN rose to reply ; and was heard with
attention, Pe observed that there had been an

essential change in our political economy for the
last 25 years, by the introdnction o[ artificial
powers, in direct competition with manual labour,
which was equal to the, loss of 120 millions that
might have been obtaiaed by it. Time question
then was, how the persons thus thrown out of
work were to be employed ? Were we to be con,
tented to leave these .persons to starve day atter
day, or Was it not worth while to consider, %vitt/
they, ft. a I ttle expellee to the country, they could
be placed in, circumstances by which they could
gain their own subsistence, and nut in a degraded
condition,. as had been asserted ? lie was asto7
nished that any mind could imagine that there was
the smallest chance of ,such persons being in a
more degraded situation then than now. Did it
degrade them to give, them good living and in-
struction ? He repeated the outlines ot his plan,
and contently(' that sit could not injure any part of
mankind, or place them in a worse situation thJa
they were at present. He wished the objectors.
to it to look at what kind of castles or barracks
they lived in at present, and contrast them with,
those that he proposed for them, and then say
vvhether the latter would not improve their con-
(littion. On these grounds he detended his plan as
heneficial„ and the only one calculated to relieve
the eller!11 suffering.
Mr. W,miTHMmN rose to move a short Resolu-
tion, as vva.umleptood, in the place ot the sth ;
it was—" Tliatnthese alarming facts call loudly
on the Legishit.nry: for a reduction of all unneces.!.
sary public expenditures, and other salutary mea-
sures, best calculated for the removal of the
This being pat, a large portion of the company
declared it to be carried in the affirmative.

The CHAIRMAN said he was not bound to jodge
of the propriety at the Resolution, but he desired
lie might hear'no insinuations (alluding to some
previous remarks of Mr. Hunt, which he had an-
swered by a hint that he would satisfy him it he
would retire out of the room) ; hut he thought it
was carried in the negative. "l'his was denied by
the opposite party. Much clamour ensued, and
the question was put again, and declared to be
negatived. ,
Mr. WAITIH'iAN insisted the greatest sbew 'or
hands was in it 3 favour, and demanded a division.
The two parties then went to different sideS
the room, one crying out " Owen and Charity !"
the other, " Waithman and Liberty I" A long
time was occupied in counting the broils. The
attempt to ascertain the precise nutubeirs on hither
side completely failed. The tellers were unable
'to report, and in the confusion which 'ensued, the
tables at the other end of the room were occupiol
by ti; Chairman and a crowd of thoe who had
previously attempted to divide, and the papers in-
tended for distributirin were tratopled under foot.
It was in vain that Mr. RowcaoFT attempted to
obtain silence. The voice of the Presi'cut was
no longer attended to ; twenty speakers at once
addressed themselves to the Assembly, and as
many propositions were subMitted to their consi-
deration at the -same moment. Some 'Strong per-
sonalities passed between Messrs. WArrumAr4
and Rowcaorr, but these attracted little attention
in the midst • of the uproar which pervaded the
room.
Mr. owEta at length came forward again,' and'
was received with shouts of universal applanst:
He in a few words stated the disturbance which
had occurred, to have originated lroni causes over
which he had no control. He was unconnected
with any party, and had only come forward on
the recent occasion in the hope of doing good—.
(Cries of—" We believe it, Mr. Owen") ;—and,
anxious- that the subject which he had brought
under their consideration should he amply dis-
cussed, he now proposed that the. Meeting should
adjourn to Thursday next.
There was swine difficulty in putting this mo-
tion, as in the preceding tumult Mr. Roweroft had
expressed himself unwilling to continue to act as
President, where no order could be maintained.
Another person had been called to the Chair, but
the call was not obeyed. After some delay, Mr.
Owen put the question himself, and the resolution
was agreed to.
The adjournment carried, and the Meeting un-
ders«)nd to be.at an end, a vote of censure on Mt.
Rowcroft was proposed.
Mr. OwEN again stepped forward ; he declared
it to be his conviction that the present motion was
uncalled for, and was satisfied that Mr. Row-
croft had conscientiously endeavoured to discharge
his duty to the satisfaction of all parties. He
moved that the thanks of
.the Meeting, should he
given to him for his impartial conduct in tin

Chair.
This proposition was followed by a show
hands; on the question► being put, for and mains
the !notion. The:majority was evidently favour
able to the vote, and Mr. Owen having announces
the result, declined ,the Meeting to be dissolVed.