Star.
London, England, 1830-08-06 00:00:00

COLONIZ4TION.

We are happt to give insertion to the following Letter from Mr.
Owtx to the COMMITTEE of the NATIONAL COLONIZATION
rwicturv, which that Gentleman ha• exclusively communicated

N se :
Glut TLEmzw—Having received the impression that your society
was established to give the most effective relief to the surplus popu-
lation in Great Britain and Ireland, under the existing system ofl
society, in which labour is made an article of commerce; I am-
mated to have my name placed upon the Committee, in the expec-
tation that this subject would be accurately investigated, and the m-
oult made known to the public.
Finding, by my attendance on the Committee, that you have
already decided that emigration is the only practical remedy for the
evil of poverty, so widely experienced among the British and Irish
population, and having my time rani attention very fully occupied
is preparing the public for other measures to effect this important ob-
ject, I must beg leave to decline remaining a member of your
Cimmnittee.
But as I am impressed with the conviction, that you have a real
desire to relieve the distresses of the industrious part of the popula-
tion, 1 will take the liberty of giving you my view of the subject ;
and, if the ideas which I have collected, from long experience among
the working classes, and much attention to their condition, an, in
any manner, aid you in your investigations, I shall feel pleasure from
the performance of this task which I have imposed upon myself. I
trust it will in some degree promote the public benefit. %ly obser-
vations shall be as brief as an explanation of such a subject will
ad.r.it.
Before any permanent remedy can be found fur an evil, the cause
of it requires to be ascertained and removed.
The cause, then, of the surplus manual labour in Great Britain
and Ireland, is di:amount of scientific power derived from late im-
provements and discoveries which are now in direct competition with
manual labour, and in which contest the latter, after every succes-
sive struggle, must yield and become more and more oppressed, until
the extent of their sufferings, and the enormous evils which the re-
sent system will inflict on the majority of the population, will render
an entire change in the application of this power unavoidable.
The immediate cause, then, of the distress of the British and
Irish population, is the competition of the inanimate, or dead, with
the living powers of productions.
And none of the expedients which have been propmed, either in
or out of Parliament, are, in any d calculated to relieve the
industrious classes from the d ful calamities which this unna-
tural competition, as long as it shall be permitted, will continue to
overwhelm them.
Emigration is not calculated to diminish the evil permanently;
but, by drawing off the attention of the public from the real cause of
the disease to a fallacious remedy, the general distress will increase,
and the population of these islands will be in a more hopeless con-
dition than they are at present.
Although emigration will not remove the evils arising from the
unnatural competition between the dead and living productive
powers, colonization, at home and abroad, may be made to turn that
which is now a real curse to all the industrious classes, into the
greatest general blessing that mankind bas ever yet received.
But the colonization to which I refer, will constitute a scientific
arrangement of society, in which, both the dead and living powers
of production will be the most efficiently employed—in conjunction
with a scientific arrangement for distributing productions; for edn.
eating all the members of each colony, and for governing them oa
laws founded solely on the laws of our nature. In both cases the
colonists will be selected, concentrated, and rendered adequate to in-
crease their numbers in the most effectual and beneficial manner for
the colonies, and for general society.
I propose to effect these objects by selecting such individuals for
each colony, whether at home or abroad, as will be the most useful
to it. By concentrating their operations in such a manner as to
enable any given quantity of land to support the greatest numbers
of individuals in the most comfort, with the least labour. And, by
the annually accumulating surplus productions, to enable the colo-
nists to provide for their increase more rapidly than it will be possi-
ble for populgion to increase either at home or abroad, until the
British Wan's. and their foreign possessions for colonies, shall be
fully peopled ; and then, which will be some centuries hence, the
most rational modes of limiting populations, will be, no doubt, re-
sorted to by our descendants, who will, in all probability, long be.
tore that period shall arrive, ascertain, scientifically, philosophically,
and rationally, the very best means of retaining population at its
most beneficial point.
At all events, white we shall know, on principles of fixed science,
how with ease to produce more annually than the population, made
rational, will desire to consume, until the whole earth shall
be fully peopled, it is a waste of time and intellect to devote one
hour more, to the consideration of the evils that may arise, many
centuries hence, from an excess of population over the means of
subsistence. This consideration belongs to future generations, and
sot in the slightest degree to the present, whose calamities have
been brought upon them by an excess of productions, and a de-
ficiency of political wisdom to discern how to distribute ho-
nestly, justly, and beneficially, for the whole population.
For this beneficial arrangement, the new and superior state of
society which we are preparing to advocate, will amply provide.
Emigration, when the emigrant has to depend upon his own un-
aided resources, is but a miserable alternative to starving in his own
country. There are some adventurous spirits who can meet and over-
come the difficulties of transplanting themselves into another soil
and climate, among a sew and strange people ; but a majority of
those who make the attempt, after a few years, perhaps, as in
many cases, a few months of toil, sink, unknown and unpitled, to
their graves.
But colonization, in proper numbers, with due selection, under a
scientific concentration, including arrangements for producing, dia.
tributing, educating, and governing, in the best manner ; with a
judicious application of their surplus powers and productions to
toms and aid new colonies both at home and abroad, would renovate
Great Britain and her possessions, and elevate both to the highest
point of sound and permanent prosperity.
It will be my duty, in future proceedings, to prepare the public
to understand how these domestic and foreign colonies are to be
firmed without any real injury to any individual, but with great
permanent benefit to all.
I am, Gentlemen, very respectfully.
Your friend and servant,
O. Bedford-square, 17th July, 1830. ROBT. OWEN.

tenting a similu distribution of that fund. In January, 1828, the
Master reported that there was another clear sum of 2261. appli-
cable to the sane. The balance due to the legatees did not amount
in that, but so much of it was applied as to discharge the balance,
whatever it was. Now, the result of these operations has been this,
that as soon as the Court ascertained there was a surplus which
might, with perfect security to all parties, be applied, it was directed
to be applied in liquidation of the principal and interest due to the
respective legatees ; those payments have been made from time to
time until the whole of the legatees have been paid off. Ay the last
report, the Master made a clear fund to appear of 343,1;701. be-
longing to the estate of the testator. The residuary legatees claim
this fund on the one hand ; on the other, the particular legatees
make a claim either to the whole or to a part of it, according
to the result of the calculation they say ought to be made..-
No order was made on the petition in 1814, and the subse-
quent appropriations were directed without prejudice to this
estate. The terms of the order in that respect are, however,
not very precise ; but still there is a reference in the orders to
statements that the payments shall be considered as made,
without prejudice to the questions in the cause. The particu-
lar
legatees therefore, now say, they are entitled to agitate the
same question they undertook to agitate by their petition of
1814, and that it ought to be considered that the apportion.
meets have been made and the money paid to their separate ac-
counts, according to the prayer of that petition ; that a calcula-
tion should be made of the accumulations—the aggregate sum
should thus be estimated on the footing that the estate should
have credit for the sums that have been paid, and that the par-
ticular legatees should be paid the balance. The question is
whether they were so entitled ? In the tint place, according to
the ordinary rule of this Court, in administering the estate of a
testator, the Court, in the first instants, waits until all the
claims are settled, and the aggregate sum is ascertained ;
when that is done, then the particular legatees do fund their prin-
cipal and interest at four per cent. if they are entitled to interest up
to that time. In this particular instance, on account of the fund
being so large, with reference to the claims upon it, the Court
anticipated the payment to the legatees ; it allowed them to
receive from time to time their interest, whenever it could be
paid with security to others, and so much also of the principal,
as the sums to be so appropriated would justify ; and the question
is, whether in this casethe Court will depart from that ordinary
rule, for the purpose of granting them that which they pray ?
My Lord Eldon refused to make any order on the petition
of 1814, be continued in office twelve years afterwards, and no
attempt was made to renew the application before him. It appears
to me, that the consequence of acceding to this application
would be, that the Court would establish a new principle, and
that new principle which the Court would establish, would, unties
it were laid down as a universal rule, be productive of this 'noon.
venience and this injustice—it would be to give an election to par-
ticular legatees; the particular legatee, if the funds were very low,
would apply to the Court to have an appropriation, for in that
case be would receive more than the four per cent. interest
which the Court otherwise allows him ; if the three per cents.
were for instance at 60, instead of receiving four per cent. they would
receive about six per cent. and they would take their chance it
the funds rising. If, on the other hand, the Three per Gets.
were at from 90 to 100, they would not make the application
for the appropriation, because it would be better to take the Four
per Cents. which the Court allowed. This, therefore, would le
to give to the particular legatees a benefit at the expense of the
residuary legatee's. The question in the end resolves itself, con.
sequently, into this---Ought we to establish this as a general rule—is
it a better rule than the Court has acted on hitherto! I think
not. I think it better to go on the rule the Court has fixed and ap-
plied in all past cases, and that, therefore, this fund must be con.
sidered as belonging to the residuary lert
The Boum oa-Gx lkdetahis order might bo made
on the petition of the residuary to which the Coast as-
sented.

crown piece. Prisoner that asked if he had taken up any other per-
son? He replied, be believed Sheather was taken. Prisoner de.
paid he did not break into the house, but found the property at the
blacksmith's shop, next door.
John Avery saw Sheather next day. He said he did not think it
was Leigh who had committed the robbery, and was afraid they
mish4earge him.
Leigh, saddler, at Tenterden, had some conversation with
the prisoner Leigh in prison about the robbery. He told him he
had not been on Mr. Judge's premises, but the robbery was planned
some time before between him and Sheather. He took the
goods from the blacksmith's shop.
William Clark, formerly a prisoner in Maidstone gaol, said he
had a conversation with Sheather in the gaol. On telling the pri-
soner Sheather that it was hard of him to rob his muter, be replied
his master was apt to snore in his sleep, and when he was in bed,
and fast asleep, he took the small clothes, with 22 sovereigns.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Mumers—Had been con-
victed of stealing twopenny-worth of wood, and sentenced to 14
days imprisonment. Had been in the King's Bench, but never was
in prison for any offence before. Wan a tailor by trade. It was
customary to try the prisoners in gaol, and be (the witness) had
been asked to sit as Judge and try them. Witness admitted be might
have said to Mr. Dann, of the Fortune of War, among other things,
" if he did not go to Maidstone, he would forfeit
1001." No further
evidence could be elicited from this witness, and he was ordered to
withdraw.
Mr. Dann was then called in, and stated that Clark told him he
was subpoenaed on a trial at Maidstone, but he knew nothing at all
about it.
Several witnesses were called, who gave Sheather an excellent
character. The other prisoner also received a good character.
The Jury acquitted Sheather, and returned a verdict of guilty of
stealing against Leigh.
The JUDGE said that amounted to an acquittal, and ordered the
prisoner to be detained, in order to be prosecuted for receiving the
stolen property.