Star.
London, England, 1830-10-07 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY.-(THIS DAT.)

Opening of the Special Commission for the Trial of Capt. II et,
utast, charged with the wilful murder of Lieut. CitowvitEe.
This being the day appointed for opening the Special Commission,
and swearing in the Grand Jury, to whom the bill of indictment was to
to be preferred in the above case, there was a more than ordinary full
attendance of the gentlemen summoned to attend on the jury by half.
past nine o'clock. A few minutes afterwards Capt. Heisham. with
111 r. Alley, one of his counsel, entered the Court. Capt. Helsham took
his seat at the council's table, and frequently consulted with his solicitor.
The witneries in the case had previously assembled in a room prepared
for them. At ten o'clock the Judges, Mr. Justice Bayley, Mr. Justice
Bosanquet, the Recorder, Lord Mayor, Aldermen, &c. took their scats
on the Bench ; Mr. Alley, Mr. C. Phillip, and Mr. Bodkin, appeared as
Counsel for Capt. Helsham.
The Commission having been read by the Clerk of the Arraigns, the
following Gentlemen were sworn in to serve as the Grand Jury, the
first mentioned Gentleman being chosen as Foreman :—T. Watkins, J.
Gray's, B. Gibbons, F. Hay, W. Hyde, L. Howard, P. Johnson, W.
Woodward, J. Scott, J. Stubbs, J. G. Simpson, T. Hall, J. Kay, T.
L. W. Heaton, F. B. Herring, J. Smith, G. Hodirkin‘un. J. H. Tibbs,
T. Fraser, R. Stelling, W. Smith, end W. Thoroughgoud, Esqrs.
Proclamation being made, Mr. Justice BAY LEY addressed the Jury,
and explained to them that they were now assembled under a Corn-
missioa issued by his Majesty under a modern Act of Parliament for
the trial of a case in the event of a bill being preferred and found by
them, the circumstances of which did not occur in this country, but in
the kingdom of France. They were not assembled at the ordinary period,
but no fault was attributable in any quarter,as the moment theCommis-
akin was presented it received the Royal signature. The Act of Pahanient
which took cognizance of the present ease was the 9th of his late Ma.
jesty, which provided that a subject of this country might be tried here
although the offence were committed abroad. To bring the charge
home to the accused, they must be satisfied that he was a subject of his
Majesty's realms, a resident in them, or had admitted that he was
a subject. His Lordship, referring to the evidence that might be
call 4 suggested to the Jury the neassity of their not allowing any
of the witnesses to commit themselves without caution, as the law stated
that any_penon aiding or assisting were equally guilty with the prin.
cipaL He then distinctly laid down the law as applicable to duelling,
and having Intimated that in the event of any doubts arising in their
minds on points of law, the Court would readily assist them. The
Jury retired to their room, where the bill was presented, and the wit.
names called in to give their evidence.
The Judges consulted for • short time, and the trial was fixed to
OEM en to. sorrow morning at ten o'clock.
Contain Helsham, on barbs the vadiet of the Grand Jury, rut.
rendered, and was removed into die gaol.

MR. OW EN MEETIN!; al the FREEMASON'S HALL.

In the STAR of yesterday, we brought down the proceedings of this
Meeting to that pan which unannated Mr. OWEN'S dissection of the
daily press.

Having now laid down the Address, which he prcposed should be
pre.4ented to the King, and the draft of the Petition to both Howes of
Parliament. he should hear what any gentleman had to say upon the
subject, and then put the question severally upon both.
31r. ROSSER said, that the Address having been, as it were, moved
by the Chairrian, he should now second the adoption of it. It must be
evident to all who heard him, that the people could not be considered
as otherwise than in a state of mental slavery, so long as they were de-
barred from communicating with each other on sullat4 conr,crt,vl with
their common interest. The press, though nor complete)y shackled,
was so to a very great extent, and the present, he thought, a most fa-
vourable moment tee the friends of freedom. They would be deeply
culpable if they allowed the present excitement to subside without
turning it to account in the advancement of that great cause
which every lover of truth, justice, and humanity. cught to consider pa-
ramount to every other. It was only by union that they could succeed,
and that union was only to be obtained by means of a renecily un-
shuttled Press.

Mr. SAVAGE moved, as an amendment, that Parliament he rot pe-
titioned—that the Meeting merely confine itself to addressing the
King. Obviously the most convenient course would be to put the
Address to the King first, and consider the Petition to Parliament
as a separate and distinct motion. As a conscientious man, he could
not address the Commons House of Parliament, though he saw no ob.
jection to addressing the King--nay, he thought it would he highly
advantageous; and he fully concurred in ,he Address ahiclt had
been moved.

Mr. OWEN said he meant to put the two queaions separately.
After a few words from Me. ARNDT.
Mr. CARPENTER said that he differed materially from 51r. Met,
in many of his opinions, yet the Address to the King should have his
most cordial support. There was nothing in that Address which wet,t
to inculpate the present conductors of the press. The conduct of ti e
Government was no fault of theirs, and now, at a moment when every
nation in Europe was asserting its rights, why should the English he
backward ? (Applause.) After referring to several of the Statutes
trenching upon the lilserty of the Press, he put it to the Meeting whetlice
they would allow such a national disgrace to continue as tl:at which
petted the spread of useful knowledge? It might be said that those
Statutes had begome a dead letter; but he be his hearers to foment.
bee that so long as they remained upon the Statute-book they might, by
a corrupt Attorney-General, be used at a critical moment, and perhaps
serve to turn the scale in favour of despotism. It was the grossest pos-
sible mistake to suppose that the taxes imposed upon the tree
circulation of knowledge were for the purposes of revenue. Why. the
whole amount of revenue raised in that way would not pay the 115 Privy
Councillors. Things had now arrived at that pass, that if their Rulers
determined to keep knowledge from the people, they must come forward
and state why they did so. It was a question which be had resolved should
be determined within the week. He was in possession of documents
whish would compel the Government to confess that revenue was not
the object which they cud in view. He was not weak enough to sup.
pose that the King or the Parliament would put an end to that odious
and destructive tax, from anything that could be said or done at that
Meeting. His hope was. that that fleeting would be the parent of
others ; and that the deeds done in the metropolis would be imitated
throughout the country; that before long, public opinion would pro-
duce its natural and just effects ; and that the people would no longer
submit to a system through which they lost, not alone in the form of a
direct impost, but in the means of becoming acquainted with moral and
political truth.
dlr. G. EDMOND/ said, he rose to second the excellent an:endeetei,
proposed. The time was come when the people of England should no
longer disgrace themselves by petitioning the House of Conintutts.—
(Much cheering.) Experienced diplomatists attached a vast deal of Im-
portance to recognitions. Even up to the present moment, the Govern.
meats of Russia, of Prussia, and of Austria, bad refused to recognize
the brave French people. Let the brave people of England thus refuse
to recognize the English House of Commons.—(Cheering and laughter.)
Let the people petition the King. (Bravo.) The gentlemen conduct.
ing the London press were not more corrupt than their neighbour..
Literary men worked for their bread. The atrocious stamp.tax was the
great cause of what was called the general corruption of the London
press. If the press were free, the press must be honest. By political
honesty, he meant the general promotion of the general interest. That
great patron, the sovereign mob, would only purchase such journals as
uniformly devoted their political columns to the public interests. Look
at the French newspapers. The aristocratical French newspapers, the
Qs:Adios/a and the/Milieuss were actually given away to the h rench
Prefects and Mayors. (Laughter.) The Thousand the Currier would
be given away too next week if the stamp tax was repealed. (Renewed
laughter.) If a popular journal deserted the popular cause in France.
the remedy was easily applied. A new paper was established. (Hear.)
The expense was hiding. Last year when Mr. Davenport complained
of the suppression or perversion of his Parliamentary speeches in the
Then, the Times very politely counselled the hon. gent. to set up a
paper of his own. (Much laughter.) Suppose a man complained of a
dishonest decision in an English Court of Law. Suppose the Judge to
tell the injured man to set up a Court of Law of his own. (Chant.)
The two tyrannies were equally mischievous to the public interests.
Repeal the infamous stamp-tax, and the people would soon set up jour-
nal of their own. The 7'imes, for instance, was conducted with con-
siderable talent. But the Times was, for all that, a great Jesuit. Yes-
terday, the Times, finding that the King of Holland was beaten by the
brave Belgians, said that they defied any man to show that that jour.
nal had ever calumniated, or used any irritating expressions towards
the people of Belgium. (Laughter.) A few days ago the Times said
" the Belgian affair originated in a mob, and ended in massacre."---
Were these no irritating expressions ? (Much cheering.) The Times
said in one paragraph a few days ago, that the Belguan people were
" amusing themselves," eye, these were the inhuman expressions,
amusing themseloes,in sounding the tocsin, while in the next paragraph.
a leading article paragraph, the Thera described the streets of liras
ads as deluged in blood 1 (Cheers.—He pronounced the phrase to br
inhuman. (Renewed cheering.) Again, the Belgians, we were cor-
ruptly told, had no practical grievances. Englishmen were told that
the atrocious abolition of trial by jury for political offences, was no
practical grievance. (Cries of shame ! shame !) Aloreover, the ex.
King had done all that he could do. He denied this assertion. If the
shuffling King had merely said " men of Brussels, I am determined to
he an honest man," no Brussels massacre would have taken place. The
King merely promised that lie would hereafter make some promises.
Nobody believed the ferocious wretch as the King of Holland has now
proved himself to be in thought and in action. book at the Alf °ruin.°
Chronicle. The moment the infamous French ordonnances were pub.
lished, the Chronicle recommended the brave Parisians to tight the
matter out with the Bourbons immediately. (Bravo.) %When the
Times was hinting at regal interference in the affairs of Belgium, the
Chronicle bravely said, and let the %hole &assembly repeat the brave
expression, that " the first European King that drew the sword against
Belgium should be hurled from his throne." (Enthusiastic chtenng.)
This was plain speaking. Let the people always speak out. Let the
people not rest till the base monkish corrupting tax on English views-
papers was repealed. (Much cheering.)
Mr. NEWLAND was clearly of opinion that the great monopoly
would be broken up, if the people were only unanimous. and unanimous
they would be, if it could only be made known to them that this paltry
insignificant tax was the greatest bar to public improvement that had
ever been devised, being, as it was, the means by which all human
knowledge was confined. and darkness spread through every class of
society. Happily, however, Parliament was every day becoming moro
and more enlightened on the various matters of national concernment.
and one advantage of petitioning Parliament would be to secure a dis.
motion upon the interesting subject on whicti they all felt as strong an
interest. True, the people had no one but themselves to blame; but
what would make the people honest I (A voice in the crowd, " Vote
by Ballot.") What was first required to make them honest was, to
give them knowledge. (Applause.) He then contended. that Chris.
tianity did not tend to enslave the minds of the people, and proemial
to observe, that though there were tome exceptions, the Clergy. as u
body. were well entitled to the respect of the community. (Hisses and
applause.)
Mr. CAPE asked, what did the Resolution require of them? Their
assent to a few self-evident propositions. First. it enuociated that con-
siderable ignorance prevailed. it, secondly. :Armed that the ucqui-
anion of knowledge was a very desirable thing. But, it in the
third place declared, that there were many impediments to
this acquisition. It. fourthly, ascribed those impediments to the
operations of Goveromeot ; and in the last Flute proposed. that the
people should address themselves to thut Government for the re.
moral of those impr.liments, by the institution of an entirely free and
unrestricted Press. (Hear, hear.) Was there any difficulty in
yielding a ready assent to those truisms, or of crocurrirg in the
mode pointed out to attaining the objeit they all so desired ? What.
then had theological disquisitions to do with the question ? (Cheers.)
He would leave every man for as air to mink :oil tletetroine feu hint-
self on matters of opinion. (Cheers.) All that he asked in return was.
not to have those opinions. nor the systems tortoni tram oat of them.
foisted upon hint. (Cheers.) This, in fac:, was all that Mr. Owen
himself required. Was it to be conceived that the amiable philan-
thropist woo now appeared before thein was capable of so great an ab.
surditi, as at the very moment of time that he avowed himself the
friend and advocate of the best interests of mankind, he should arbitra-
rily deny to man the right and prerogative of individual judgment upon
those matters which concerned, or war deemed to concern, his highest
happiness? (Applause). Now, was it rot notorious that Fovea did
seek to retain the auxiliary aid of ignorance; conscious as it was that
wherever the rays of intelligence penetrated, dale must HI- ten and
ill.directed power give way. Adopting the lariguve of Mr.
he would say that means must be used to do go. : and he, thesetiore,
consented to use the 'sly legal means that existed, via. the House of
Commons, even as now constituted. The people might talk aid talk,
but unless they condescended to act by these instruments which alone
were available, no good whatever osald result from the* deliberations.
Let themothen, adders the Hot es of Osinnions, sad, netwithstandiag

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1

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the materials of which it was composed, they might rest assured that
their constantly reiterated appeals would operate a most eft'octual moral
reformation upon it. (Cheers.) With regani to the Ai! these to the
King, it was true, that, constitutionally speaking, the people tax them.
selves. But practically the people meant the Ministers for the time
being. It was they who caused :he reduction of, or an addition to tax-
ation. An Address., then, to his Majesty, setting forth the urgent de.
mends of the people, founded upon a just knowledge of their wants, and
of their rights, would be of great practical utility; for, should his
Majesty be persuaded of the expediency of the measures demanded, an
intimation of such opinion would be given to his Premier. There was,
besides, sonieti•ing of tact, perhaps, or it might be called prudence, in
thus addressing the King. It was well known that the present Premier
had aforetime denounced such public meetings as that to he a mere
farce ; but now that the Field Marshal had reason to consider them
snore a tragedy than a farce, lie would not he slow to catch at every
!item incident that might occur calculated to impugn motives ;
and should they refuse to address the Ring, it would afford their
opponents an opportunity to charge them with disaffection to the State.
He then adverted to the charge of corruption brought against the News.
p.pir Press, and declared it to be his opinion, that, under the present
circumstances, it was almost:impossible that the Pressicould be free from
it. Every thing tended that way ; but more especially the fact, that
tit St/11•1111triCe of the existing laws, none but persons of large .16
ISLA could adventure upon the establishment of a newspaper. HIM,
it was that such coolness was evinced by the daily press towards the
cols, which the meeting were then discussing. Hence the sneers at,
time 1 meet:dings of such meetings, or the entire omission of any no.
till of their proceedings. Nor could it be supposed that those who
piolited by the monopoly which the enormous taxes upon the press
e, is gave to a few. would cordially unite their efforts with those of the
r.ople, to remove those taxes, and thereby throw open the trade to a
/air and generous competition ? As an illustration of the spirit in which
smith discussions as these were received by the press, he would mention
tircuinstance that had recently occurred. An able and masterly ar-
ticle on the Newspaper Press appeared a few months ago in The Es.
anainer, showing in what manner the conductors of that mighty power
could, and did sway it tosheir will, regardless of the general welfare. Now
it was notorious to all the friends of the writer of that article, that he was
visited with the resentment of the great leading Journal of Europe, to
the considerable detriment of the writer's pecuniary interest--(Hear,
hear.) What, then, was the practical inference to be drawn from these
huts ? Why, seeing that the Daily Press had an interest opposed to
the general interest, it would be worse than useless for the people to look
for their co-operation in the task they had undertaken ; and that, there.
fore, it behoved them to feel, that, in order to accomplish the grand ob.
jest they had in view, they must work it out by their own unassisted
views. As a test of their sincerity, he would, in the conclusion, say
(and this be did without the slightest knowledge of the gentleman to
whom he was about to allude, beyond what he had gained since being
in that room,) that every person present ought to become a subscriber
to the publication about to be issued by Mr. Carpenter (cheers), so that
lie might be able to cope with the Attorney-General, and obtain a
thir trial of strength upon this all-engrossing subject with the pow.
era that be (cheers).
After a few words from Mr. CLEAVE,
Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR observed, that not one of the faults imputed
Oleic or elsewhere to the public Press which had not their origin in the
monopoly then so loudly and so justly complained of—it was that mo-
eopoly which laid the foundation of those complaints of partiality in the
reports of public meetings, and at police offices—a partiality which
nude some men doubt whether the Press, shackled as it was by the ex-
isting monopoly, tended more to good or evil. If they could but suc-
ceed in destroying that monopoly, they might hope to see the Press of
London as respectable as was that of Paris. It was well known to all
ho had opportunities of turning their attention to such subjects, that
the provincial Press was more respectable than the London, and, for this
reason, that the men by whom it was conducted were known ; but in
London, perfect secrecy surrounded those by whom the abominable ty.
ninny was carried on. Nothing was known of them, nor could any re.
dress be obtained for the injuries they inflicted. Religion and supersti-
tion had been spoken of as the same ; but though they might so appear
to the Gentleman in the Chair, and to others near him, he trusted those
words were not in the minds of the majority of the assembly considered
a. synonimous. (Hisses and applause.)
Mr. OWEN said, as some allusion had been made to Sir James Scar.
lett, lie felt bound to observe, that when called upon with reference to
the new view of society, he said that Mr. Owen was the first man who
had ever proposed any system of relief for the people apart from reli-
gion, and he (Sir J. Scarlett) would give 1,0001. towards a trial of the
experiment, and that if it were proceeded with, he would not hesitate to
give as much as 5,0001. Human nature, they would thus see, was not
all evil—it was better than many men thought--no man was
without some redeeming quality; though he might be to blame
in many respects, he still deserved praise in one, at least.—
Ile proceeded to say that, he did not agree in the sentiments expressed
by die gentleman who opposed petitioning to the Houses of Parliament;
Inc thought the new parliament should have a fair trial. The House of
Commons was not only composed of many new members, and of
old members in new positions, but the state of Europe, and of the par-
t:Cs in this country, was materially changed since parliament last met,
and it atom wise and prudent to give the new House of Commons fair
play, and to wait to ascertain what it could and would do to relieve the
people from their various difficulties and oppressions. He promised
the me sir.g that it' the new parliament could not, or would not, lis-
ten to the explanation of practical measures to well educate, beneficially
employ, and cordially unite, all the people, that he would enable
them, without violence or disorder, to work out their own salvation by
their industry, rightly directed.
As to the observations made by the parties who advocated the cause
of religion, and lie had no doubt advocated it most conscientiously, he
would say, and he requested the calm and sober attention of the meet.
ins to what he was to advance, that the error respecting religion
arose from none ot' the supporters cf the various sects over the world,
under the difference between conscientious conviction or individual
moral truth, and the unehanpiny and everlasting truths of nature.
That the CS ristian was by his education forced to receive one kind of
individual moral truth the Mahonittlan a second ; the Jew a third •
the Hindon a fourth ; and so on over the whole world. These several
individual moral truths, or conscientious convictions made upon the
minds of the respective patties, were opposed to each other, and had no'
'elation whatever to the truths ef nature derived from facts, always con-
sistent with each other, and in harmony with all the knowledge that
man has yet been permitted to acquire. (Immense applause.) When,
(added Mr. Owen,)socicty shall advance so far as to detect the present
errors on which individual moral truth is founded, and shall train the
rising generation to have theirjrnoral truth, or conscientious convictions,
in never-deviating accordance with real truth, or the everlasting truths
of nature derived solely from. and always in unison with facts open and
known to all, then will moral evil be removed from the world, and a
Milleniuin state of society may be made to commence • and this period,
my friends, is near at hand. The present shaking Of the nations will
not subside until the means of obtaining this state of society shall be
conquered from the errors of old antiquity. (The most enthusiastic
cheering continued for several minutes.)
The Chairman having sat down. Mr. Pitt endeavoured to obtain a
hearing, but without success.
A man in the garb of an artisan stood up to defend the Christian Re-
ligion from the attacks of Mr. Owen and his supporters, and
Mr. O'Brien contended that the meeting should not confine them-
selves to an attack upon a single tax, bat should make their complaint
more comprehensive.
After some further discussion, in which several persons participated,
Mr. Owen proceeded with the reading of the address, as follows :
We now come to a subject, the importance of which is equal to any
that has yet been discussed lit this or any other assembly, and it is in-
timately connected with the previous proceedings of this meeting. It
is to consider the best mode of giving the people real knowledge. The
present methods employed for the purpose are—' The political speeches
of the members in both Houses of Parliament, as published by the re-
porters ; the religious doctrines delivered to the population from the
pulpit ; the education given to the upper classes in the Universities and
great public seminaries ; the training of the middle anti lower classes in
the ordinary and charitable schools of the country ; the instruction in
our codes of laws by the courts of law ; and, lastly, by occasional and
periodical writers, who have themselves been instructed in some of the
previously stated methods.' These several models of giving knowledge
to the people have been in active operation for hundreds of years, and
yet the great mass of the people, nay, 1 will say of the whole popula-
tion, has not yet obtained as much real knowledge, beneficial for prac-
tice, and for all the highest objects and attainments of society, as might
not be given to them with ease and pleasure at a small expense in less
than ten, probably is lees than five years. The British empire, after
making all due admission for the late brilliant proceedings in France,
is still, owing to various circumstances, the centre and head of the
civilized world, and London may be said to be the focus of the British
empire. in London, then, the metropolis of the British empire,
and the leading power of the old worn-out system of the world,l
under the reign of irrationality, ought there not to be established a su-
perior mode of giving real knowledge, valuable for practice, and highly
beneficial to all ? Those who know the world, who have been behind
the scenes with the present state actors upon the public stage of life,
know well that each one of them is in abase position—that to maintain his
continuance in his caste he dares not in public, in any one of the insti-
tutions mentioned, speak the truth, without as much error as will ren-
der the truth almost useless for practice. The instructed in the present
ways of the world know that there is not a single individual of superior
capacity and attainments in the Government, the Church, the Law, in
the Universities, or in any of our public Seminaries of Learning, as it
is called, who dares in public to express what he knows to be true upon
those subjects, upon a full knowledge of which the permanent well-
doing and well-being of mankind depend, and without a knowledge of
which happiness never can be obtained ; nor yet can any of the writers
venture to give to the public any of the great fundamental truths re-
specting which it is the most important that the public should be well
informed. In Parliament„ in the Church, in the Courts of Law, in the
Universities, and the public and private seminaries, there is a conven-
tional language used which never expresses the views, feelings, and
knowledge of the s to their full extent, and they therefore al-
ways lead the uninitiated part of the public astray. This evil,
ermines, as it is, aaawat. at this moment be avoided. It is a na-
tural cassequanas of society having been formed on a funds-

mental pAnciple of ettor, which, while it shall be allowed to remain,
will render it impracticable for any individual, with impunity, openly
to express his real thoughts and his feelings; and this error perpetrates
imbecility, insincerity, and folly, dwougbouttbe whole world. Since I
was ten years of age, this error has presented itself, with all its conse-
quent evils, to my mind. The object of my life ham that period has
been to devise the peaceable means by which this error and these grievous
evils to humanity might be conquered. I well knew that the obstacles i
to be overcome were of the most formidable character—that I had to con-
tend against all the deep-rooted prejudices of antiquity—the ignorance
of the lower, and the mistaken self-interest of the middle classes, with
the imagined privileges of the higher orders, both in Church and State.
The prize, however, to be obtained by success, appeared to me of too
high value to the population of the world, to permit difficulties or dan-
gers of any description to induce me from that period to the present to
waver, for one moment, in my determination to hazard all that man can
hazard to relieve his species from the ignorance and misery in which,
during all the past ages, this fatal error has involved the human
race. In this warfare for the happiness of the world, prudence,
decision, and perseverance, of no ordinary description, were re-
quired ; and, therefore, the only weapons with which I armed
myself were truth, kindness, and moral courage, and with these
alone the victory has been achieved. (Hear, hear.) For, my friends,
there is no opponent now in the field who will longer openly con-
tend for the truth of the one single fundamental notion on which
alone the whole fabric of society rests for its safety and security. No !
there it now no one sufficiently kid in ignorance longer to contend
that ma*, by his nature, has been fanned with power to predeter-
mine what the cosmic:ions qj his mind shall be on any subject, or So
decide, previous to the knowledge which he is compelled to receive by
esperiesta, what shall be the feelings produced in hint by the
impreuions received from any ester:sal object whatever. The fact
being as I have stated. a moral revolution is necessary ; an entire new
order of society, founded on a principle never yet understood or acted
upon, becomes unavoidable. It is a feeling of this nature, though im-
perfectly understood, that now agitates the minds of the mass of the
people in all countries, and this agitation, if resisted, will hourly in-
crease, until it becomes a wild storm, irresistible in its power, that will,
with violence, sweep away all the worn-out institutions of the world,
unless there shall be found among some of the leading Governments of
Europe men of sufficient penetration and comprehension of mind to dis-
cover the latent cause of these extraordinary movements, and with moral
courage sufficient to enable them now to make a stand against the Igo°.
lance of antiquity, and to induce them to form a new alliance of Go-
vernments to establish truth, order, and union, among their subjects,
instead of the deception, disorder, and disunion which now, nom-
wily from error, pervade all the kingdoms of the earth. That our
country, in union with France, may:find these men in the Governments
of the two kingdoms, is greatly to be desired by the people of both
countries. And to remove the obstacles in the way of such men coming
forward in Britain and France, it is most desirable that arrangements
should now be formed,by which the great and important fundamental
truth, previously stated, with all its mighty powers for the re-organiza-
tion of human society, to insure its permanent prosperity and hap.
pinese should be proclaimed to all, and in the shortest possible time
rendered familiar not only to the British public but to the world. To
effect this great object, and that the dire effects of civil war may
be staid, it is my intention to hold public meetings In this me-
tropolis, for the purpose of promulgating those high and important
truths, which the most deeply affect all the great interests
of man in his undivided capacity, and as a member of so-
ciety • interests which at the moment involve the immediate
well-being and happiness of every nation in Europe. As truth in prin-
ciple, and the application of it in practice for the advantage of the
human race, without regard to the opinion or private interest of any in-
dividual in this or any other country, ate the sole objects which I have
in view ; the proceedings of these meetings will be open to all who wish
to attend them, and were I in the possession of the surplus funds, which
I once possessed, they should be open to all without expense; but in
common justice to my family, I can now give you only my time and
talents, such they are, free of cost. In future, therefore, such small I
sums as will be t'ound, by experience, to cover the charges for room,
printing, and advertisements, will be collected on entrance. I have never I
received a penny front the public, nor do I ever intend to receive one.—
It may be satisfactory to the public to know what are the outlines of
the system, founded on the new fundamental principle to be brought
forward, and advocated at the public meetings. I will therefore very I
briefly mention some of them :
" I. Full and complete liberty of conscience en all subjects deemed
sacred or profane.
" 2. The preservation of all'private property as the laws now secure
it to individuals.

" 3. The guarantee of existing incomes to those who have been
trained under the old institutions of society to derive their support
from them.

" 4. The formation of entire new arrangements to enable the rising
generation to produce and to distribute wealth, and to be educated in
the best manner.

" 6. The formation of arrangements to enable the existing producing
classes to supply themselves, by their own industry, with the necessaries
and comforts of life.

" 6. To effect these changes by reason, and not by force.
" 7. That among the producing classes a condition of society shall
be formed, which shall not exceed a state of neatness and the beneficial
comforts of life, until all the industrious classes shall be enabled to par-
take of similar advantages. The particulars of the state of society
shall be fully explained after the public mind shall be sufficiently en.
lightened to appreciate its advantages. The proceedings of these pub-
lie meetings to be given to the public by the daily papers now estab.
lished, or by others to be established, that will give a full and faithful
account of them ; and to be published as tracts in a cheap form, for the'
benefit of the present poorer classes. These appear to me the means by
which real knowledge, the most important for practice, may be given in
the best manner to all the people."
=_Previous to Mr. Owen's address, a Resolution had been moved by a
gentleman present, to the following effect, which was carried, amidst
loud applause.
" Resolved, That the men who made the laws to fettcr the press have
done so from hatred to the liberties of Englishmen, and that those who
enforce them ought to be considered as a nuisance to the peace and hap-
piness of society.
It was understood that a meeting should be held every eight or ten
days, for the purpose of promoting the object stated in Mr. Owen's ad-
dress, after which thanks were proposed to :the Qui:mans but
as Mr. Owen declined it as unnecessary, a proposal was adopted to
give him three cheers, which was immediately done in the most unani-
mous and heartfelt manner.