Star.
London, England, 1817-07-30 00:00:00

IF

love hitherto been dormant in their hands, and in
'bete of their predecessors.' If they will study the
subject as it deserves to be studied, and afterwards
make A proper use of their power in legislating on
the principle of prevention, under the influence of a
peii.evering well-directed kindness, the distress of the
i.ountry will be found to vanish, the ignorance, po-
verty, and misery of the lower classes to disappear,
though it were by a miracle ; and they would
tlii a look in vain for disaffection, discontent, or op-
position to any of their meAsurcs. The present period
:s of allothev the best adapted to introduce the change,
every circumstance now imperiously calls for its
to mencement.

I would here rivet the attentinhUf the'world 1 It
.tai been said that there are numerous difficulties in
I:3 iiing children to good habits and right conduct,
rveu previous to their having reccimak--any contrary
bits: but here is a proof that the most deep-routed
and Inng-continued habitz of depravity may be easily
speedily overcome by a system of kindness,
v • Ic!,, when properly directed and persevered in, no
"11,f1 beings have ever yet been found long inclin-
ed t., resist.

This principle, wlien it shall be well understood
rightly acted upon, will effect more for the sub.
happiness of mankind than all the moral and
ragiblis systems that have ever yet, at any period,
or in any country, been forced upon the human mind.
Hitherto the world has been tormented by useless
tailing—by much speaking; all which has proved to
he of no avail. Henceforward acting will render pre-
cepts unnecessary; and, in future, systems for the
government of mankind will be estimated and valued
by their fear in /practice only I
I must tone refer to that which is mereerary. Imme-
diately before and after the late meeting at the George
and Vulture I discovered that some secret emissaries
v.-err at work to counteract'my progress, by insinua-
tions ef various kinds, which evidently produced the
'.Feet intended on. the minds of some who had pre-
vi nisly eyprelsed themselves favourable to the plan.
All tl.'s se:•1 eery natural ; no ordinary individual
canli attack the errors and prejudices of mankind,
at I !rive done, without encountering at each step
opposition of every dpicription. When the weapons
used in this warfare, however unfair and illegitimate
they may have been, were directed agaiset the individual
only, they were disregarded. I cittedio'ithd Ido still
care, as little for- the individual it fifty of his oppo.
nests did or c.-n. I make him, si they shill now be
made, an imtroment to ferwarirtneasnies for our
mutual, and the general benefit.'jliti has been hi-
that° r' employed, without regard to his vanity or
self-rontequclice of any kind; and until the object
shall b etFect;:ally secured, he shall continue to be so.
But as the absurd and ridiculous insinuations now
set afloat are intended to retard the work I have un-
dertaken, they must be met ; and they have deter.
mined the neat step that I shall adopt, and about
which I was deliberating.
It is, that a public meeting shall be held at the
City of London Tavern, on Thursday, the 14th day
of August, to take into consideration a plan to be
proposed to relieve the -country from its present dis-1
tress, to re-moralise the poor, reduce the poors'-rate,
and abolish pauperism, and all its injurious conse-,
quences. At that meeting I invite those parties, and
any others whom they can enlist in their cause, to
come torward and make every thing they have to say
4gainst.snepublicly known. I with to gratify them
tO.trla• Utterlllo4 of their desires; and as they may
not pos.ess all 'the requisites for the purpose, I will
give thein•the chic by which they mny pursue and
discover all the errors of my past life.
I was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire; left it
and came to Lond, ti when about ten years of age;
soon after went to Mt. lotted M'Guffog, of Stam-
ford, in Lincolnshire, where I remained upwards of
three years; returned to town, and Was a short time
with Messrs, Flint and Palnier's, London-bridge.
went afterwards' to Manchester, and was sometime
wish Mr. John Sattersfield, whom I left, while yet a
boy, to commence business on a limited scale, in
making machinery and spinning cotton, part of the
time in partnership with Mr. Jones, and part on my
own account; afterwards I undertook to manage the
spinning establishments of the late Mr. Drinkwater,
.4 Manchester, at the latter place, 'mania Norwich, in
. Cheshire, in which occupation I Wmeined three or
four years. I then formed a part*Ership to carry on
'cotton spinning business with Illesin:Abblion and
&earth, of Manchester I built the Chaflton Mills,
and commenced a new firm under the designation
of the Charlton Twist Company, along with Messrs
Borradaile and Atkinson, of Londcin, and Messrs. H.
and J. Barton and Co. of Manchester. Sometime af-
terwards we purchased the mills and establishments
at New Lanark, where I have been before the public
foe 18 years past, and I am now 46 years old.—
Hers is a ciao to my. whole life for' any parties who
may with to make' use of it ; not because the con-
duct of the individual, whether it has been the best
or the worst, can alter one tittle of the truth or false.
hood of the principles and prastices for which I con.
tend s these stand solely on their own foundation,
and will ultimately resist the shock of ages. Nor be.
cause be has acted better, or with more wisdom than
the average of persons at the same time of life, and
under the same circumstances; far he has never, in a
single instance, set any value on himself, or on any of
his actions. But, because I wish that every thing
which can be said against fir individual may be urged
by those who are desirous so to do, in order to have
dote with these trifling and insignificant personalities,
and that I may proceed onwards to the accomplish-
ment of that which is of real practical utility. Let
them, therefore, at such public meeting, bring for.
ward every saying and action of mine that has di:-
pleased them ; I only ask that the attack shall be fair,
open, and direct ; it shall then be met, and it shall
be overcome.

In the mean time I ask no favour ; let them be in-
dustrious and be prepared to secnre.all the success at
which they aim. I shall not ask for,.ur accept any
quarter ; my purposes have long betn Axed, and my
dtttrmination is, not to give any quarter. to the errors
and evih of the existing systems, civil, political, and
religious, until they shall become so obvious as that
their removal shall be desired by all parties; even by
these who seer feel the strongest interest in, and in.
ctination, to, support them 1 The Rubicon is passed,
and the- public will soon experience the beneficial
consequences. ROBERT OWEN.
P. S. A more complete view" of the plan, acconpe sled by pee-
welt.% &wrap. sod a fell detail of all its practical advaatases,
%al be Aunty submitted to the public.