The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-06-28 00:00:00

ezin an.

LONDON, MONDAY JUNE 28, 1819

N's SR I,RGT MI4:ICTiNG,
FREEMARONr•HALL

Oa Saterday the Nobility sod Gentry, who bad
bees expressly invitodfnr the purpose, attended edit-
play,nt eindrls, and au esplausilno of their purposes-,
• hieh Mr. Goer had prepared to illustrate his sew

%leo of society.
T. Hall was rtoll, by a sloping almellon of
mats, into • sort of amphitheatre, the sides of which
ware crowded with fashion and rank ; the eras was

formed by the lorpiable, epos libido ilo appetites

sae placed.
The Duke of K BOIT llfwaill.d i 6114 well lloPPorti'd
At the Duke of Sestet aad a sesteress trais of Gen-

timen of dioittrii.n.

TiIP ROT AL Cu.sasna spooked tile basin's. by

observing, that he f►lt the duty lbs. Ih►n devolved
to bin beldam'', ton each for hit seeeessfal ma.

nagement. He trusted In flair indulgence. He was
west simians mot to be misunderstood in the pert
which he bed taken llr by no steins pledged himself
to rho support of Mr. ()men's plea. It Will his be.
Anomie sehmit it to their &Ohms,' consideration
He Imhof' Mt. Darn to .I;‘lain eves) part of his de.

tail, which sitnold not opno the first hearing be per-
fee.ly underst-nd; he begged .a) whn thould toe dis.
void to doubt or tippete his views to a [dr.., their
obsorestions to the Chair. Tim.. shook, be taken,
and the utasnst prudence used in invostigatice it ; the
decision should be referred I. soother eppo t. ni.y.—
Thy 01P111 isisji-ct of Mr. Owen's tr..jre .es to re-
mote list worst of all a nation's c•lvasille.,
petiven. lie believed teat no men, Iglo's., might
be his rank, nr howsoever elevated above she reach

of necessity, could fowl that in proportion 114 the
comforts and decency of the poor are increased, so
are the rich Ind peter's! also benefited. If Mr.
Owen could sali.fy him that his plan was cep•ble of
reducing, end ultimately removitig..hem44l of misery
which now so generally afflicted the Immuring classes,
it should have his sonnet. The Royal Doke made
frequent and earnest repetition of his first caution
spinet his being atideistuoil to pledge h•toself at that
juodure to it: sopp rt, end slan against any rash ea-
pee stint's being founded on what was then shoat to
be discosaed Alt that could he done, even if they
were agreed oil.. Mr. Owen, whose homanity alone
induced him this; to toil for toe geed of his species,
would he to make a tiles of his scheme open • very
small stale, sod .hat would take so much time that
it would be enemies! with d.isgeroes conseqeseces, if
it were alma out in atoll a •ay as to lead to a sop.
position that Ito plait was intended to remedy /he
whole of the public divtrPtg. ‘• Ts.s treat eases of paw.
pusses, " s rid •t. " seems to he. that there
is a want of • ...On, (new for the I.rge body of out I
poor, sod the• thia want of emplo)mont 'irises from
'be gametal introduction of the powers of mactsi-
nery • for in propnrtion as our manafarteres ere be.
•reit4:d by mows et machievry numbers of bands out
swots° out of work. But now to come to the
point end Gentlemen, ..o not think that
•e nisei to hold out to the Public the possibility of
the diminotioo of mactlievry, or to represent to the
lower classes that any means resorted to f 4 the per.
past of deforming or reducing the use of machire-ry
will have she desired effect. 'lse object of Ibis Plan
is to apply tl.e is sir roarttintry, which is considered
drawback on .h • post, and to hring forward other
machinery in a way that will more than compen.
.see for the less ocresineed by it ; and if Mr.
Owen case ratisS'y too, that by hi. Plan this greet
•,hject will be effected, mid that the very mashin..ry
which has hitherto b. en considered es an injury
to the rat', may uliiMately tend to their heoe6t,
ry effaritiog them constant employment, you sill,
1 am sore. think the object at least worth • serioo•
trial. 1 have already observed, it most generally r e
I,:rnifted that same plea ought to be adopted
for the seliet of the poor. Lacal plans have been
already tried. Some were are that have done tempo-
rary good, unmans ',blip, mischief. Let me now
rime It. the Vend, which is, that the plan of Mr. Owen
ha. for its mail, object the permanent relief of the
poor. Whether he socceetla in proving this to you
or not, at least it most be admitted that the attempt
is one which renders it deserving of every attention
you no give to it. It was only this morning, that
in the course of a long conversation I had with Mr.
Owen himself, 1 learned that he bad commenced his
observations at an early period of life, being em.
ployed from these of to to IA years its a very ex-
tensive retail concern ; that the knowledge be there
obtained of life and of men, and, its short, of every
thing connected with commerce end business, en.
shied him to undertake the seporintendance and OW
nagement of an extensive cotton concern in Lan-
caster, and to set out with that great work which he
has since submitted to the Public. I understand that
ten years after he hsd been • psrtuer io this large
concern, he proceeded to Lanark, and made choke
of that place for the purpose of carrying his plait itr.
to lion. chiefly, I presume, because it was a
retired spot. and had a great command of water.
sod for the other facilities he found there. I may
state my opinion of this plan from the information 1
received from the Honourable Member for Islidhurst
—I mean Mr. Smith, from whom I underststol that
• population of two thousand persons were managed
by means of kindliest', good order, and the arrange-
ment of the different branches of the plan in sails a
manner that from year's end to year's end neither
complaint nor punishment were heard of, ants
that the work therefore advanced sod flautished
beyond the as;sectation of the moat saneeine.
—I mention this, b the great Imitate in
the life of Mr. Owen has been the management
of the lower eiders fly kindling, anti bring.
log them en social habits by a line different from
*Let Led becu practised before. jostled of the to-4

PHU 7D.

beam being driven In his work with difficulty, he of edocatinn wastobeprelywientifir,cooderledhy the
hes come forward to it with (Wedeln/it, and when kindest and Most allerine means of instruction; it
it has been done, he has looked forward to the nest was to cronateece et the earlien period partible, and
day without that agony end misery. end hitter refire. was to be reclean) Weenier, its its duration sod is.
tine elite,s felt when working beyond hie strength : portant.% till by the sr of 12 it would be equal to sit
for the penrxean, when labeering• beyond his strength linen nut of 12, thebther sit being applied hy Oat time
for a bare 'obstinate, looks forward to the nest to cellitation in the gardens, which were to twinged
day of his existence, only as alsollser day of misery the dwelling% in compsny with the females to whom
added to the long list •f those that have paned.— that duly was to fall. Ile pointed nut the untold&
That Mr. Owen bee gear through the whole of able remelt which this would lead to in establishing
hit Alen wish a degree of Industry that merits the habits of industry and intelligence in the 'ninths and
approbation of every benevolent mind, menet be dis hehavither of the children, the peace, abendenre, and
pond I k.snw there are than who hold opinions in• happiness which each an equgl plan of training. and mt.
juries. to Mt. Owes upon points connected with re. defy must lead to, the vest economy that must
ligion ; I can only say, that after a very long coiner. hike place in damestie arrangements from the anion
,wiiran with that Gentleman, I have heart eothing of so noisy interests, antrthe estatnithrisent of a sir-
from him bet what confirms me in the opinion, that tunes, healthy, end rnpeetable population Ile
it is kis wish that the most 'Vended religions totem- enumerated the ceases which called upon the reentry
lion should be 'bairn to people of every sect ; sod that to resew. the leboarioe pripelation fromtheir die testes.
the bode Obis inatioction to youth Is that of charity The first was the increase of the manufacturing
end boner Wince; sad therefore I roncelce no reason system ; for the evils which had been generated by
of this bind caw be adduced to dixountenance his it, lie referred thiat In the existing state of all this
plan; upon its owe merits his plan must rest ; he manufsenning districts, and more particularly to the
will explain it to yin, to the hest of his 'Wily. Ile evidence taken before the Committee of the House of
solicits your paliettre—no person will be bound to, Commons, to enquire into the condition of the chit-
lite a decided opinion, for there wi:l be another dren employed in manfectories. Stroh en invest'.
Meeting held ie seen other plate, for the purpose anion would prove to those whose minds were wise
lof repeating the minetite 01 his plan.—ladiesprejediced, that the system, under its presentend Gentlemen, I regret that the task of intro- practice, was oat calculated to effect any farther
dicing his plan to year notice has nett fallen into melioration or improvement in any class of mankind.
hotter hands; the only sloths that has induced I This increase INNS the remelt of mist mut almost intake.
wie to take the Chair, is the hope—the confident lableimprovemeht in theteieetiectiower of macitierry.
hope, riat as fur as Mr. Owen's pint is applicahle to Before this improvement, it appeared from the last
la. lower Class of society, it may be henget Into t dais which could he collerted, that the number of
tifec:. so as to afford permanent relief to 'be poor persons repined in unease! operations was one in
It i. the permatiency of the relief, whirl. can alone ii four; sines that the number it had increased to envier
glee importance In tiny plan for bettering the condi. three. So that of 18 million, the sepposed amnion
lion of the poor. It is tw be wished, that a plan of of population, Mx millions were thus engsged.—
this kind had come from other cleaners. But not Now the power of machinery had in one case alone,
listing dome so, it becomes the duty of every one to that of spinning cotton, increased to such a degree
lead his shoulder in all at least of a trial of his pito. that 200,000 persons mould do es mock of this kind
It he shall bring lor•erd the proof that his object of laboor by the machine, as 20 millions coeld Uwe
can be obtained, I shalt be amply rewarded fur' accomplished with the single wheel ; this would
bowing undertaken the atdootos ink of introducing' require the population to be sixty milliora, accord.
ibe subject to yner notice. It will be a s erce of jog to our present rate of labour, if ell the labour eI
the high.., satisfaction to me, es it meat be to every : the country was laid out in spinning cotton alone.--.
benevolent mind, if the I.lan to be proprosed shall ln (bit calculation, he affirmed, that each individual,
be found likely to afford relief to the lower I with the aid of the improved machinery new em.
orders of sori.ty ; for such a plan will not only be . ployed in cotton spinning. performs the work raga,
adventuress to those it proposes to relies., but or ,ou the single wheel. The 2110,000 persons new eme
the meanie, at large. I now call upon Mr. Owen to: ployed in cotton spinals', supposing one in three tw
proceed with what be proposes to lay Wore you.— !be angel labourers, would give a population of
Sbeeld he make soy allusion to his plan, which
they:
six bandied millions, while they prodeced a• math
Lady or Gentleman may *into have repested,if as would have reqdired a population •of sissy mile
will address themselves to the chair, it shall be my, lions to entity 40 years ago. This increase of ma.
molesvoer in give every assistance, in order that the I chine patter was not confined to owe brands of mace
explanation may be more clearly undentoad ; for I nufacteres; so that the old proportions of cone
repeat, that it is not by hurrying through a subject 1 sumer. and producers was ehtirely done away.
of thit kind, but rather by understanding the con- —Neither did citreendances tend any ether
minion of every pert with the wholes that success is way than to increase it. In a prosperous state
ultimately to be In. fed up to. It is not by non& of the markets the manufacturers sought to improve
col observation the plan is to be understood ; bet the the power of the machines, became* they could se
whole must be followed up by otie link of the chain readily diepnee of the article; when the markets
this ought the other. It commences by taking the child were overstucked they soeght the improvement fee
fur education at three years old; and elms before it the sake of cheapening the commodity, that they
arrives at an adult pooled of eee, tenderilig It capable might be able to offer an inducement to purcheserse
of supporting itself. ladies and Gentlemen, every Every iniquity he had made sobtequently on this sob-
idea of pauperism mast be J. i.e away with, should jest, since the ides first occurred so him, had increased
tech a benetuleitt plan as this succeed ; that it may his knowledge of its magnitude. Ilia first hasty one
succeed, is en) most ardent and moons wish."— guides induced him to state, that the aggregate
[ltepeand Ones tattooed the delivery of this amount of labour performed by machinery within the
speech.) last .10 years, to be equal to 100 milliners, the next to
Mr. Owes mounted !Fe table. While he relented 150 millions, end a more extensive and morale 1111.
hi% most respectful sod annelid acknowledgments to quiry to 200 millions of labourers. lie bad good res.
bit Royal Mentes% he declined any imputation of son then to know that he should not eseeed the troth
puticeler merit for himself. The arrangements which if he were to state it much higher. So that the Brie
he was about to propose to them were the result of sish empire wielded within itself a scientific power
thirty years of observation end experience. If, equal, which would have 'needed the mensal !shear
therefore, he should Dot succeed in convincing them .14 ihe whole world fifty yearlog°. Il was competent to
of the propriety of his view., it wield not be for a full and abundant supply of more than 200mQlion
want of thorough and unalterable conviction in hiar whenever the population could be Increased to that
self, bet herniae be was incapable of drawing the amount. It winnow impossibleforcommercial specula.
necessary den from the information w hich sa it li himself Oen to go farther ; it had gonebeyond the present wants
was so perfect. Ile made ari apology for the drfi• of society through theaid of machinery, and it had left
Honey of his scholastic @flawless; he had, however, the labourer without occupation, He urged various
enjoyed an opportunity of studying the history of reasons of humanity and policy for replacing them
mankind ; he had closely esemined their winos and open the soil in a state of indepencienee and cont.
1 impulses; he bad established his system accordingly ; (enable enjoyment. The political reek of the I'm.
and, if be had not the result of experience to offer pire depended open it. Nations, with whom be feared
them in proof of the correctness of his theory, he we shottld have to contend, were rapidly increasing
never would have ventured to trouble them with any their numbers by emigration from all parts of the
1 espositioo. lie made two general divisions of the world, while we were pursuing means which would
'subject,—the outline of the whole, and the relation not fail to weaken us and strengthen ear oppoe
of the different parts. The first comprised trade, nents; the first war in which we should be engaged
'agriculture, minutemen% and occupations generally. would make us feel the extreme fully of this conduct.
-rho second included chiefly domestic and social The Duke of KEnT called the attention of the
economy, earl, training, and education : education Meeting pinicelarly to this petits! ;he reminded them
wee ilia chief moral ohject,—thc basis of the este. I that during the late war we had been ender the ter
blishments would necesserity he agriculture. lie cessity of romditte our money in the payment of
proceeded to e. eplain the model : it represented an foreign troops ; he meant nothing to their dispense..
estate of 1000 or 1500 acres, the proposed allotment I men% they hail served us faithfully ; but it would
for as many individuals ; 1060 he thought the pre. • Ire mach better to base the means of defence in a
ferable number. In Ilse ensile of the estate was a sturdy, intlestrions, intelligent population, which.
Ignite, three titles of which were to he in'asited by tas Mr. Owen could prove, might be increased with
the miens, and toreros under nine years 01 age ; the I advantage to four times it. present amount.
fourth wet to tie a dormitory for children .hove that I Mr. Ow( proceeded, and coo:tinned the last oate.
age, which wet to base wings bearing outward.; mem of the Royal Chairman. to the islands of Great
ono of them was to be en hospital, tlir other a house Brit .iit eel lie;in.l, there were superabundant means
csf accommodation for the visiting friends of tie inha• 1 to enable the p•pulation to increase to more loan
Wants. A maeufactory was represented at a ths• foe' turns its preseat amount, and most advantage-
tance an one side; on two others were farming es:a. I oust, for all. t•scies. lly Olio addition to our meta-
blishinents, which, with the square of dwis*lii.c., iii. lion ur,der .1.., circumstances which he rnotemi,lated,
sided ibe estate into four equal seetium. 1.1 the there a nool Int far m..re than a proportionate in-
centre of the square via a hall, where it was design. crease of all that ran he desired in human society ;
ed that the provisions should be conked and eaten ; rind morals and kind conduct would gradually fot-
o was bilked by two edifice% one of which Matt.- enn• create our principles, as certain god 4z,-.1 as thohr of
lain a afbool44toom, for the children of sit years of 1 mathematics; real wealth would supereb-und ;
age nod under, surninrinterl by a church or chapel., he v.,;itiell roarer of the cavalry titnioldi
1,7
wbich was to be common to ell the persualiotis; t• • come int 'stowable,
1 aid
by
6114'''
it
si.„
iwegla cats
other was to he a sound for the elder children, sir- and modorstion, they might
,st:.a,e a
icip t n
sal
mounted by a Wary and lectere.roote. The plan of pear: througheat the tivibrA our!. , usu. .