The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-24 00:00:00

SELF-SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS.

It .will.pe;https be known to some of our readers that
Mr. John Minter Morgan, a gentleman, we understand,
of independent fortune, has for some years past been en-
deavouring in the metropolis to raise the necessary funds
for the commencement of what he terms "Self-supporting
Institutions." His object is, by means of -an entire re--
form, or reconstruction, of the fabric of society, to re-
move the evils inseparable from the present system,
(particularly as affecting the working classes,) by religious,
moral, and industrial training in rural establishments of
so many families and individuals as can be drawn together
for that purpose, and induced as one common family to re-
trieve themselves from the destitution, vices, temptations,
!and other evils of crowded cities and communities, and
work together for the common good on that principle of
equality of rights, privileges, and rewards, which he ima-
gines to be the most conducive to human happiness, and
the most in accordance with the intent and purport of the
Christian religion. It may also be known that he has
been countenanced by some distinguished clergymen, and
that a prospectus to obtain shareholders for one " model"
institution has been drawn up at Exeter-hall, from which
it appears that, with an outlay of about £60,000, such an
establishment, capable of accommodating, employing,
and supporting 300 poor families, averaging four each,
may be fairiy put to the test—that £4,000 a year might be
thus realised—and that a petition from him was, in
March last, presented to parliament, representing his
scheme, and praying that in the Inclosure Bills now in
progress provi3ions may be made for eligible portions of
land, for such purpose.
Mr. Morgan, in furtherance of his object, has com-
menced a tour through the provinces, and is now in this
town. We had the pleasure of visiting him at his private
lodgings, on Friday evening, to hear his explanations.
The meeting was preliminary, wflearned, to a public one.
Mr. Morgan entered into a long exposition of his plan,
which he illustrated by a large transparent painting of a
community located under it, and which certainly repre-
sented a pleasing landscape, with a quadrangle of cottages
and public buildings, a large farm, gardens, and addenda,
and groups of well-clad individuals, young and old, in the
wooded foreground, with cheerful countenances—a pic-
ture, indeed, of happiness, the realization of which were
" devoutly to be wished." Although the theory was
pleasing, startling objections were raised by some of those
present as to the possibility, in the complicated state of
modern society, of bringing it into practice. We may
briefly state, that it appeared to us to be precisely the
" social system", so long and unsuccessfully advocated
and attempted by Robert Owen and his followers; but,
we must pointedly impress, with this great and redeeming
difference, that the author, (who admits it to be a modifi-
cation of a preconception,) in place of exhibiting a care-
lessness or a scJrn of religion, makes religious education
and moral training the basis and hope upon which he relies
for success—,his motto being, ", Love God with all thy
soul, and thy neighbour as thyself ;" and, in reference to
the happiness that might be enjoyed under such a system,
" Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added unto you.'
In his printed explanation he states :
Competition, a principle at all times hostile to the best inter-
ests of Religion and Humanity, becomes more Meuse with the
progress of machinery, which, although rapidly advancing the
wealth of the nation, reduces the value of labour, and thus,
misdirected, inflicts upon the people poverty, demoralisation,
and increasing misery. A complete Model Institution, discard-
ing competiti.,n, once established, a new and more happy era
of Christianity will commence. . . .

We much question the practicability of this doctrine of
non-competition ; for competition is, to our thinking, only
another word for that superior exertion. mental or physical,
or both, which produces superior articles or works, and is
the main promoter of excellence. It would be all very well
if mankind could be induced, on a large scale, to with-
draw from their present modes of subsistence (fluctuating
and uncertain as they are) ; renJunce all further hazaid
in the grand lottery of the noisy world, and betake them-
selves to secluded valleys or mountains, there to live in
quadrangles of given size ; submit themselves to strict
discipline and reciprocating employment for the general
good of the whole, without a desire to amass extraordi-
nary wealth, or to yearn after extraordinary distinctions.
This might do for those who have long been destitute or
unfortunate: such might there find a happy asylum ; but
while men's minds are so differently constituted as they
are, this cannot take place to such an extent as to amelio-
rate the general family of mankind. The liberty of intel-
lect would be bated down ; ambitious spirits would arise
demanding greater rewards for superior skill or talent,
and all would again revert to the present struggle for life,
competency, or fortune. The clever man may, it is said,
indeed, withdraw himself from the institution and exert
his talents elsewhere. If so, these establishments would
resolve themselves into mere seminaries or colleges of
education and industry. They seem to be best, if not ex-
clusively, suited for an isolated rural population, who
might cultivate waste lands to advantage,and by a division
or reciprocation of labour in the various handicrafts supply
each other with the common necessaries of life; but com-
petition being excluded, they could never become either
wealthy or great. For commercial or maritime pursuits;
for the purposes of science, in mining, engineering, &c.,
or for the promotion of commerce—without which civilized
countries must retrogade and savage countries remain in
slalu quo—they would be totally inapplicable. A Milton,
a Newton, a Cook, a Brunell, or a Stephenson, could
scarcely be expected to confine himself within the walls of
such a settlement. There are other objections arising
from the variety of religions, politics, general government,
&c., which form an inseparable barrier against their
adoption. The thing is impossible without an entire
change in the whole system of our internal polity. Flow
would the taxes be collected from persons who thus lived
in common occupation of ranges of cottages, and pos-
sessed no individual property ? How would they exercise
the franchise ?or would any of them be qualified ? e
could dilate on the subject, but we consider it unneces-
sary to say more.

MR. CHARLES KEMBLE'S READINGS FROM
SHAKESPEARE.

his of
wsafcaoi
nhsrOdet!,
culni
imunTe
wiseaui
coursetsbae
aestls Tuesday
ocud,
rflaeaoayuwi
onndl
fddai
readingsesLtnd, thisexcited
n.
dic front
enhTo
meen, m:breaoeisi
teaen
hp,tcesalatniaki
knsityieent
oseaonsprc:evet
Collegiatel
interest,
trryc
abilityt
n, gave
tv which theewonaaislnumerous
s havet ifit ru stbti
and
eo
d
cl‘
rtoßomeothe
s
a Dramatic Reader, but also from that of the leading cha-
racter of the piece (Romeo) having been the chief d'oeuvre
of his career as an actor. The expectations of the audi-
ence were not deceived. Considering the advanced pe-
riod of life of the recitor, and the consequent want of that
fire and vigor which distinguished his more youthful im-
personations, the various characters were beautifully
pour' rayed, and the whole given in thebest and purest taste.
Mr. Kemble was greeted, on his entrance, with acclama-
tions ; and throughout theevening , in the mosteffective por-
tions of the play, was loudly applauded. On Friday evening,
the First Part of King Henry IV. was given, with a happy
union of force with comic humour, every character, from
the fiery Hotspur to the "inimitable Jack Falstaff,"
being nature itself, a little tamed down, it is true, stripped
of the rant and glitter of the stage, but still—nature. At
the conclusion of the reading, Mr. Kemble retired amidst
loud plaudits, due, we are sure not more to the talent dis-
playedjhan to the private character which this last:of the
distinguished race of the Kembles has carried from the
stage unsullied into private life. The reading for this
evening will be the tragedy of Julius Caesar.

SOLUTION OF A KNOTTY POINT.—A contemporary
of Saturday remarks that " the dispute now raging
between some of the local papers, relative to the
right of the magistrates to dismiss Orangemen from the
police office," (Query, force ?)" is a very simple one.
The point appears to us to be this :—Were the parties re-
ferred to found in fiaurante delicto?" It is a pity surely
that any parties should go to law to decide a question so
easy of solution. It may be remarked, however, that our
contemporary does not inform us what he means by
Orangemen being found in flagrante delicto." We pre-
sume he means being caught in the act of doing something
very heinous; but whether that something very heinous
consisted in drinking The glorious, pious, and immortal
memory," swallowing the Pope alive, or some other
enormity, we cannot for the life of us make out. Will
our contemporary inform the Town-clerk, the Watch
Committee, the Magistrates, the Lawyers, and our hum-
ble selves, what he means by the Orangemen in the police
force being " caught in flagrante delicto."
CURIOUS MOVEMENT IN THE DUBLIN CORPORA-
TION.—A special meeting of the Dublin Corporation is
fixed for to-morrow, (Wednesday,) at which Mr. O'Con-
nell and the whole body of the town council, it is ex-
pected, will be present, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the following notice of moion, which has
been placed on the books by Dr. Maunsell, one of the
leading conservatives :—" That a humble address be pre-
sented to the Queen, praying that her Majesty will be
graciously pleased to bold her court, and to summon an
imperial parliament to meet at least once in every three
years in her loyal city of Dublin ; also, that she will re-
commend to the consideration of parliament the propriety
of making such provisions as shall secure that the same
shall be done in future times." The motion will receive
the unqualified support of Alderman Butt, and the whole,
if not all, the conservative section of the town council—
and will probably meet with no great opposition from
derman O'Connell and the repeaters. The question in-
worth very serious
consideration, rious
Al-
volved in the motion is not, perhaps,
consideration, but any immediate movement which is
likely to combine the two antagonist parties must be re-
garded as indicative of a modified state of feeling with
respect to the agitation which now distracts the country.
IMPROVEMENT OF TIIE LITURGY
!—TheMercury of
last week has the following morceau in his notices to cor-
respondents, under the head of " Improvement of the
Liturgy :"
" We have for some time bad in reserve the letter of A Sincere
Friend to the Church. advising that the Sunday service of the
Church ,honld be rendered somewhat shorter, and, therefore,
more acceptable to thousands, especially of the young ; not,
however, by omitting any thing that is said in the service, ex-
cept the repetitions; it is too beautiful to be mutilated ; but he
thinks it unnecessary to pray three distinct times for the Queen
(late:y this was done tour times) in a forenoon, or to recite the
Lord's Prayer five times, to use two distinct but similar creeds,
or to repeat the " Gloria" so very frequently as at present. If
the prayers were always concluded within the hour, the offering
up of the Lord's Prayer being the most solemn act of the ser-
vice, and if the sermon were limited to half an hour, he con-
ceives that such a space of time at one meeting would be ample
for all the purpases of public devotion and edification, and he
expresses his better that the Church would receive a large acces-
sion of adherents. If we have room some day, we will give his
letter at length."
more
tthe
acceptablepsalms to
mightt h o b u
e-
We would suggest to this wiseacre, as his next feat in the
improving line, an improvement of the Old and New
pTestaments,Gos-
pels might
beto c
urender
down
intohem o"ne
;
sands, especially of the young." Perhaps the four Gos-
condensed, for instance, " Holy, holy, ' holy Lord God
of sabaoth" might be shortened into " Holy God of
libaoth." and other portions of the sacred volume con-
siderably simplified. Having executed this great work.
he might proceed to the still more difficult one of improv-
ing the Liverpool Mercury, after which any one, or all of
the labours of Hercules would be child's play to him.