Star.
London, England, 1819-06-28 00:00:00

Eft

, under t.,
any _further
- condition of Lti
yerking classes, or of any part of mankind." Let net,
Mv. rever, my brother manufacturers be. alarmed. • 1
- - Indail to propose nothing that will not-itenefittlietn,
by. a judicious employment of the poor, equally with
all the other classes. The second cause, and which
is intimately connected with the first. is the rapid ,nerd
extensive increase which has been made to mechanic
anal other scientific power, and which is still in ac.
tive progress. lb give admit faint idea of this infl(nt,.l
but gigantic power, which in its rapidly increasing
yet almost unnoticed growth, will soon set at nought
all the cakulations of modern statesmen. I will state
one fact of easy proof that willdevelope to ourselves
, and to.surrounding natives, •:the new circtinistances
in which we now are. and in which tie are about
el:sexist. Front.the best data which awl* procured
it appears, that one in lotted thripopelehon-of Great
Britain and Ireland. thirty yeari ate, wens actual'
labourers—bat since the introdu4tion of t.rjrryytweli
children. and worries into' Maaisfettires, ithe Praise"-
don is now generally supposed to .hive rhea to, east
in three• of the *hole ansnber: Coasequent)ye if the,
population of Great Brkain . and /tifarid is now IS
millions, .6,0000000 ef them are in manual operation.
Within the last 30 or 44 yes.rs there has been as much
new scientific power created and applied to' perform
the operations in one branch only of one of our ester
. sive nreaufactines 41 masainthe spinning of cotton),
that, with the Ail of two bundled thousand persons,
can spin as much thread as on the single thread w
in common, use a few years no, could be spun by
twenty millions of expert aduk spinners. Now le;
provide that *amber, would require a populatiori (WI
indestnoits as our's now isy of sixty millions ; and
etipposing that each individual of . the working class
competent to labour was employed solely in spinning
cotton thread. In this calculation J assume that each.
individual. with the aid of the improved machinery
now:employed, is spinning cotton; performs the week
of one hundred on the single wheel. Observe, then,
the extraordinary change which the cotton spinning
machines alone have produced in society. The,two
hundred thousand parsec!: now employed is cotton-
spinning, stipposing one it three to be actin) labour-
Ms Zip Low give a population for coesumption ofj
.604,11PW,twhile they now produce as much as would,
ll:mired a population of sixty millions. to create
:Years ear 1: 'What thee is become of the old
• okr berweets reabstion and straillnetiow,.
slick d in the *MAI every palms* moue-
-414 .i . „has yet wattentelpen she saline ? This
arste
, is no longer to be feared., aid lot come-
idi,their reasonings on the,alient hemmer
--s- than* value ; they tau only lead the mead far
ly from the existing &ass anti rovolv0)4-144:11'
byriath of perplexity and Grew: ._ s-,.:%.„.i: , •
also Dukg of Kars heti damn. chenille, '
•en was made by Mr. Owen from, hii own pireomil
experience, and strongly proved the necessity of find-
'ng out new modes for the employment of the poor.
~-`Applause.)
.Ivii..9w EN theft proceeded as follows r..." But it is
one branch of one manufacture only in which
scientific improvements have been made; they
now to be found in almost every branch of every
piaaufecture in Great Britsia and Irelands; Every
subsequent inquiry I have made on this subject. since
occuned to me, has increased my knowledge
magnitude, and it continues to increase ender
prosperous or adverse times. My first and very hasty
inquiry induced me -
f Labour. performed
years, to be ,
millions ; and ,
1 millions
to know that
state it much ,
;ve progress, spurred
.dversity. Such ir
_ British Empire
deceive power,
' - whole world .
and abundant
lions, when ''
number.
the arrangements
now exists, '
, means to support
. superior comfort,
empire may be
' .itis to ' ~. again
in war, a.e rapidly increasing in numbers. and
they are ready to. receive an addition to their .popu-
lation frbm all parts of the world ; while we le* tee
-iinciplea quite the reveals, and pursue utallusien
cannot fail to weaken ourselves, and strgthen
, who may become our opponents. The (nit war
which we shall be engaged, will make us feel the
extreme folly of this conduct."
The Duke of KENT here called the attention of the
Meeting to the great importance tithe last observa-
tion which had fallen from Mr. Owes. It was high
time that means should be taken to resist that abo-
minable argument which was held out, that soci
_ find its own level when the superabundant
population pf the country had died or emigrated.--
( Applause. )—He conceived that, it was nee'
particularly to call the attention of every'
' to the propriety rather of employing
at horse, than suffering ' mto
country—(Applause)—and that the means ...
Iployrnent existed, the statement of Mr., Owen
- clearly demonstrate, even to four times the
.of our present population. His Rod High-
also called to the recollection of this.rfffeting,
during the long and expensive war in which we
been so recently engaged, we had been %Ada
necessity of spending our money in the pa
A foreign troops. How much more sa
would it be, in the tweet of a similar unhappy eve
N future, to devote our means ko the paymantuf

feelings,
• - advancing
to a dangerous extent, as soon as they shall discover
'that this depopulating system is unnecessary—that it
has no other foundation •than an ignorance of facts
and practice, the knowledge of which is now essential
to relieve the people from the distress they suffer,
and the Government from the accumulating perils
with which it is daily surrounding itself.—The fifth
• list cause which shall now be mentioned, is, the
important advantages which may he derived from*
- • great increase, to the population of the Briers
Empire, and more particularly to that part of it .a
eluded within the islands of Great Britain and Ireland.;
provided that the population shall be trained, as lima
educated as usefully empkryei, and circumstanced as,
beneficially ai the very ample means which •this
country now affords will permit. The wisestmen in
all ages have justly considered an increase of. popio,
lation, where suiScient means could'be. friend for its
support, to be 'an increase to the real wealth" and
Strength of any country ; and to " increase and saul-
tiply" will yet be found to be a dictate of the most
profound wisdom. In the islands of Great Britain
and Ireland, .there is at this moment a superabini-
dance of all that can be required to enable the pop*
lotion to increase to much shore than four times he
present amount, and Most advantageously for, call
parties. By this addition to our population, tinder
the circumstances which I obntemplate, there will be
far snore than a proportiossal increase to itil•that tea
be desired in human society-agood morals and kW
conduct will gradually improve on principles as woo
taro and fiiecr as those of mathematics—real stealth
will superabound—the political power of the cootilty
will become invulnerable, and by using it with AO
dom and moderation, you may secure a continuant,
of peace throughout the civilized world,' gradually
people those parts of it which are now wilds and de-
serts, and, by degrees, you may even improve •
harmonise the' most savage and unenlightened p •
of the earth. If advantageous commercial purse
are coming to an end, as I contend they are, these.
Will be aolack of occupation and employment. Yak
the utmost aid of our science, industry, and power,
there are ages increasing beneficial work berm;
p,
you. Your ca and skill will be kept in con.
scant requisition, and you will have the mo'st satis-
factory returns from both. So ably/ with his view
of it, has the subject beta handled by my friend Wit
Malthus; so deep is the fear which he has thus fiend
°tithe minds of the most intelligent, by his sup s/kir
powers of reasoning (assuming his data to be tra4
that L do not expect that any thing but facts can now
give relief to the- alarms of outmost profound gates.
Men, when a child is born among the working claiiei
It is curious, and deserving oirernark, that the power
Of mild of mie individual of high talent andpmemara.
fog Weary shiuld lead maakind in dread iglu at
an evil and a less which it would be batter to con-
ceive a great good, acid the source of gain. Vf)ilis
* faculties aod qfialif,ifis of 4infanis shall be knoll's*
"ed the power.wiliehsociety now possesses of &nisi
. the infant into span shall be wisely applied to
. ~ then for many agei wll
.mankind risoice,
'that! regret, when an infant is born.among ape
'king climes, I wish to dissipate your most tbs.
'ttr
slit fears on this Subjeet i and tte assured, that if my
'altperience has afforded me any correct knowledge of
huxhan nature, that at, no Naha period of the world
can we experience any thing like the same evils lad
misery from an excess of poputatios, as we now from
_ :_ - inflict won Ourselves frotn the fear
world ever attain the full extent
'bill give to each iacnybilmattha
a earth and moiety can afford,
distantperiod, it will be then,
of• society which experience
much more easy to limit po-
me or misery, than at present ;
. remote a contingency, that it is
folly to waste one thought upon
, are the causes which in-
attention to the subject before
combination, the parts of which
detail. In the progress of my
, that, to give permanent
, employment to the wekinet
,cenary to combine laud,
intellectual power, in Web a Mehl*
---417 aid the other; and thek
co-operation, when carried into be
injure any other pan of •
Permit me, however, to request you Will
bear in mind, through the -whole of the following ,
plassatiOns, that she eersegesbents before you- "..•
wised for the most poor and dostitiste miemberi •
ciety, and whose sole dependence' for tubitettor
from want of employment, on their own parishew-i
The first consideration is forming this plan Wali,
what number of individuals could be combined isa.l
gether to render to each other the greateetadvaalhgei
with the fe west inconvenieocies ? Experialkee Viers
that about one thousand men, w Ilad children,
would give‘ a decided superiority - piper
grater e --

to unite for one purpose ; and the experience also
which I have had -in re-modelling or changing the
habits of a whole people, opposed to me by all the
prejudices of strong feelings, arising from different
habits, notions, and supposed interests, you can form
but a very inadequate conception of the advantages
`which may be acquired by such arrangements. In
the first place, the form of the village combines more
economy, comfort, and advantages, than perhaps
any other disposition of houses and public offices. It
admits of econothy of building, of fuel, of cooking„
of cleansing, of police, of inspection, of labour of all
kinds, in a very remarkable manner. It combinei
the cheap bat invaluable comfort of air, light, acid
space, and the parties are in the midst of all that
occupations. Such are some of the benefits arising
from the form of the village. The two farming eip‘4
sablislrments, each of them being placed in the centre,
• half of the land, and the workshops and mantiklo
Wks being situated_ at a short distance from fits
lege, have been arranged on the same principle's 44.
economy of labour and convenience. The same prin.;
ciples prevail in the disposition of the schools, kitcheue,
eating rooms, church, lecture rooms, gardens, and in
short of all ie appendages tothe plan. The particulat'
use and object bleach part I will now particularly ex'
Threesides of the parallellograth form dwellings
for the married persons ; two apartments, a sleeping
and sitting-room, one in front of the square, and tbal
other looking into the gardens, will be appropriated
for a man, his wife, and two children, under two years
of age. The fourth side don§ists of dormitories for
children above three years of age, boys and girls
apart i and this range of buildings is terminated on-
one end by apartments for the sick—on the other by
arrangements to accommodate strangers: The build-
ings in the centre, contain the kitchen and eating
tooms for 1000 persons. Into the kitchen is to be
introduced all the science and economy known on the
subject of cooking; and the different families will
have private tablet in the public rooms. On the right
of this building is the infant school, and above is the
church ;on the left a school for older children, and
above it a library, reading, and lecture room. Around
the exterior of the village are gardens; on one side
of these the workshops and manufactories, and on the
,other washing houses,. drying greens, and other offi-
ces. The two farming establishments, one of which
only is seen on the model, have been already men-
tioned. We new presided to the general arrangement
arid employment of skages. I have already placed,
a man, his wife, and two children in the ordinary
dwelling apartments: when a third child Is born in a
family, or the eldOst attains the age of three,gsst
moved to sleep in the dennitones, and it "
the day-time to the infant school; in which, ed:*

d the' pTets oninia near to it, the child is
• . .
red until it arrives at the age of six yeas of
s this is somewhat new, permit me to ex
myself maze fully. I have tried the effects this
part of the arrangement for three years and a b
and the result is quite satisfactory, and beyond thy
most sanguine hopes I had entertained. This inii
school' affords the means by which children may by
prtvented from acquiring bad habits, and no hum
being, I believe, can yet estimate the benefits whirl
may be given to mankind, br this simple, econo-
mical, and certain means, for the prevention of bad
habits in the rising generation of the poor ; they m
be made althost a new race of human beings. I
not now detain you longer by dwelling on this part
Of the subject ; but I can state from experience, that
society now possesses the power to do more sood to
itself, by training all the children of the poor m good
habits from infancy,
,than it can effect by a tenfold
labour and expenditure in any other direction what^
ever. I speak now under the correction of those,
who have given themselves much trouble to investi.
gate the subject; I hope some of them who are
eompetint to do justice to the subject will state what*
has been already done in this way for some of the
,poor children of Westminster. The public is much
Indebted to several individuals, of whose valuable
'serried in this respect they are yet uninformed, Baf
I must return to the immediate subject before us.—..
When the children have been three years in the infani
schools, that is, Ott the age of six, they are to be rol
moved into the second, or elder school, in which they
are to remain Ur years; but during this period they
will be taught habits of physical, as well as.of mental
industry, and application. The gardens are to be
cultivated by the' women, aided.by the children frit*
ibis school, who in the first year, or from sir to seveig
Vi re to be employed for one hour in the day in the
14E4m ; from seven to eight, two hours ; from eight
to nine, three hours ; from nineeo ten, four holm;
from ten to eleven, five hours; andi froth actin t
twelve, sit hours • thus, in the last year, dlviding the
`day equally between instruction and manual employs
ment. Under this arrangement, at the eat age .
twelve, they will have acquired good dispositites, a
useful - education, superior manly habits,
•

prebend. I have given but a slight and bass
of this arrangement—time will not admit
but I will, with pleasure, give any further e,,
in my,power, that may be required by any
sent. If it will not fairly meet every oy,e,
the most intelligent minds can tir3e agait;si.
estimation it would be of no value. Noy
in the object is to relieve the working
society generally, from the evils of Nap(
ignorance. I have no ambition to gratity
will accept reward of any kind from any
any service I may do to the public. In then
forming these things I secure all I wish, 01
one. moment contemplated.
This statement was received throughout
most profound attention, and was occasional]
by approbation.
The Duke of Sussex now rose, and obsei
be should not take up much of their time,
manner in which the subject had been opei
Illustrious Relation, and the able explanat
plan which had been given by Mr. Owen.
trious Relation had justly stated, that it
much reflection before any man could venni
'an opinion upon it, and therefore that he
of Kent) did not pledge himself to any (
He himself would do the same, and would
it was folly in any one, withont deep investi
pledge himself in such a way. He had,
heard enough as to its importance, to be
that it ought to be taken up by every one
to relieve the distresses and sufferings of
But it ought to be impressed on their r.
tame time, that no result could be iminN!.
petted from the execution of the vlan,
wise it would only be encouraging the h
suffering multitude, by adding disappoii,
distress, and perhaps laying the foundation
serious evils to the community at lax
saying this, he hoped he should not be
stood as hostile to the measure, but merel,
of caution to those for whose distresses he
sincerely. He could not help saying that
another consideration which weighed doi
him, and had not escaped the reflection of
trious relative. It was this—how far die pi
of this plan might interfere with the existi,
general, and in what respect it would be
to alter them. Perhaps there was no one
which called on them more seriously to -
never ought we to pull don n an edifice ti,
something wherewith to replace it—(Loud
He wished it therefore to go forth to the
be investigated, and to see what could be
His Royal Highness then proposed,the.
Resolution :
" That the plan now explained to this Meeting involves
derations at all times interesting to society. That at this
cider period the subject is fraught with additional claims
regard and attention of every part of the community ;
larly as it admits of no exclusive principle, but is suited
signed substantially to benrfit all parties. 'That consid,
long and extensive experience from whence this plan ha.
sated, and tie time and greet expense which the promoter
has devoted to form the arrangements before us, it i=-
earring the attention and investigation of all thou
interest in sodas a termination to the present sniff
Pbor, and the numerous existing evils of pauperism.
Mr. 3. SMITH seconded the Resolution ;
what he had seen of the establishment of New,
expressed his conviction that ItlnOwen had '
society greatly, and he believed that a great
`tie p,Trr • n would be effected by what be wa
'Resolution was then put and agreed
The Duke of Sussex then moved a Resolution
the formation of a Committee of leading men
parties, as he trusted ikwould never be considered
party question.--This was agreed to.
Mr. ROwcbOFT then announced the following •
as Willing to be Members of the Committee:
The Dutet of tent and Sussex, Sir Wm. De Crespigny.
'Raison Peel, Sir Thomas Torten General Brown, Mr
Bourne. Mr. T. IL Budd, Mr, Bads Montague, Mr.
Mr. Harmer, Mr. Joshua Peel, Mr. Rovrcreft, Mr. a
Mr. Smith, Mr. Fester, Mr. Clarke, Rev. Wm. Gurney,
Mr. FR A slat (of Malta House, near Edit,'
begged leave to request the attention of
Highness for a few minutes, as he had to state
cumstance not yet known to the public, wl
was certain would afford great pleasure to kis
Highness and to this Meeting, and which
some degree connected with the great object i
lioratiag the condition of the lower classes.
he alluded to was a plan for the formation
and villages on the sea coasts of Ireland.
had proposed this plan of colonizing the
of Ireland fifteen years ago, but could
wards it no active attention, until he had
done himself the honour of making, a r,
tion on the subject to his Royal Highness,
Regent (,a copy of which he begged let,
sent to his Royal Highness, the Chairman
Meeting); that in consequence of the approbation of
the Prince Regent, he (Mr. Fraser) had taken an op-
portunity of laying the whole of his plan before a
Committee of the House of Commons, acconipan)-
ing it with the heads of a Bill for carrying it into
effect, and for the further encouragement of Landed
Proprietors and others to build such towns and vil-
lages, and to enable Government to be at one half of
the expense in making harbours and other necessary
public works. He therefore repeated, that as soon
as the Report was printed he would be happy to
lay it before the Committee, with such observations
,as he might wish to submit to their consideration.
IMr. Fraser begged to apologize to his Royal High-
ness for the liberty he had taken in addressing hint,
as there were several Members of the louse

present; but as he did not see any of the Hon. Mem-
bers who had been on the Committee, and the report
not being printed, the Members present could not
allude to this important measure, which he trusted
would now go on without interruption crhindrance.
His ROYAL Hionxitas the Chairman said, the
Mr. Fraser had his best thanks for the statement he
had made ; that he would put his name down on the
Committee ; and should be happy to have further
communications with him on so interesting and im
portant a subject:
Mr.ltecit IMO concurred with thecommendatiors on
the Illustrious Personage who presided at the meetin.
It was an example of zeal for the public good, ani
of benevolent intention, worthy of the highest praise.
In a limited degree he thought the scheme likely
to succeed, and to ptodesce, where it did succeed,
considerable happiness, comfort, and morality, b 7
giving employment and instruction to the lower
classes. No person could admire more than he did,
or appreciate more highly, the be,nevolcnce that

--
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1.0 4.- arn subjects, and tghavepur.s*u• protected by- .oRor,andlif the working classes, as much as experience
wise .s. avow these causes to force society into the bravery of Briton" ilOde:--.(Agiteuse.)—This 'and .Ifie`preseitt habits of the world will permit? The
Table ionfosion. These causes all"rass i cook. only be affected by In increase of our popula-I 'Caliinatiaii before you is formed with a akar to.
. .. . 'the sew ussillsoctssdug sYstemi. whiah has $ 'r6svier faili ; Itid inlegaleme haelnigaiis allied been sug- ailbee'l2l.the objects -which have been nientioned.--.--
i , .
:, • a .;.. a. ebiedwi,thlis.the last SO ram: For the evils wnsran Liked were -adopted, so desirable an end conadmiver .I have tried many of these parts incombinatios under
. . have bfto froevatasiloY thhilTabanita* You say!he • attained.' liii desired, by those observations, not. circumstances greatly more disadvantageous. than
I existing state of all dse issanufactiaring distsida in: to be understood as making gay tilMktiOn upon our' those before you, and in practice they exceed the
the kiqgdom, and mote paztitlibtrif to the evidence Foreign Allies, who had served .e 1! both faithfully most sanguine expectations I had formed of them
taken before the Committee appointed by the two and honestly. . previous to trial. I will now point out, on the model,
. ~
Houses of Parliament, to inquire into the condition Mr. Owmi proceeded.--w The fourth cause i—To the use of the different objects before you, and endea-
. of children employed -in manufactories. Such an in-
the itritation :and dis Content which- must arise.from your to give some idea of the peculiar advantages each
vestigation will pros* to those, whose minds are un- the misery that cannot fail to be engendered by any part derives from its connexion with all the others. I
.. , .
prejudiced, that th 4 system, under the present practice measures which tend to depopulate a country. But say some idea, because without you had passed through
1, , - _ is,-not calculated to effect any_further improvement these feelings, so hazardous to create among a peo- the same experience which I have had in arranging a
4.1 . altaarnelloration in the condition of the poor and ple hOurly advancing in knowledge, will be increased great multiplicity of different and.distinct operations,
~ ,_ ~ nil rilnce ! and the experience also

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ed me to state the aggsegate amours gross • inflict ipoi
formed by machinery withio the last 40 of it. ould the world es
equal to 100 millions ; the nest to 150 of population that'll/ill giv
a more extensive and accurate inquiry, utmost benefit that the earl
as of labourers. I have good reason which must be a very distal
that I should not eitseed the truth were in the improved state of
such higher—and this terartairer is still will necessarily create, nms<
ress, spurred on both by our • pulation, without crime or
. Such in truth is the teal sitn -al but in truth this is so remot
mpire, that it wields within kW* pa* very essence of folly to
r, which, exceeds the manual labour Of die Subject. These, then,
rid 50 years. ago. It is competent to a datiattme to turn my atteni
ichmt supply of more than two hundred you, atie to form that combi
en the population can be increased to I will no* explain in detail
The third cause for the introduction experiments, I discovered,
gemenrs before you, is the necessity beneficial productive empl
Lists, beyond any former period, to de- classes, it was necessary t
support a large increase of population good habits, and intellectua
union, that the political rank of the. that each should mutually
w preserved unimpaired. Nations with the result Of this co-operatsr
obe feared we shall again have to con- fell elect, should not rulers

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tral app.'em
be public, :a
be done.
the follossiri
tawdresiecnr:
at at this pail:.
4 claims to tfo
unity ;
s suited and sls-
consid,ring
I plan has orip.
pronsotir of a
5, it is well do
we who frd
Inficrings of
ism."
n ; and trem
Neir Lawn's,
sad benefitel
great moral
le was
oed to.
:esolution fir
g men of all
considered
•
owing names
ttee:
CresPirls Sr
rn, Mr. Stories
Mr. Preece,
, Mr. Ricardo,
Gsroey, ter.
Edinburgh),
• his Royal
o !Mt a &-
Lk; which he
to kis Royal
',hick was is
)ject of acne-
uses. What
on of towns ,
d. That he
e sea coasts
d obtain to-
had recently
represenra-
st, the Prince
eve to pre-
-man of this
Iprobation of
taken an op-