The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-25 00:00:00

CO.IST OF AFRICA.

Advice, to to the 3cl of September have been received
f.ma our Settlements on the African coast. It will
be recollected that the inhabitants of Cape Coast had
engaged to pay to the King of Ashantce a contribu-
Con of 500 ounces of gold, in return for a stipulation
on his part to abstain from disturbing the tranquillity
'of their territory. This engagement was entered into
sr:th the permission of the Governor and Council of
the Bristol Calory, who, at the same time, annexed a
rondition to the Treaty, that the King of Ashantee
should recognise the inhabitants of Cape Coast as Bri-
tish subjects. The 'deices from Cape Coast Castle
►trte, that the Treaty is in a course of fulfilment. The
satires have been assisted by the Council, tinder the
sanction of the African Company, with a grant of
2114) ounces of gold, and they had made sush progress
in collecting the remainder of the tribute, for the re-
ceipt of which an Ambassador from the King of
Ashautee was waiting at Cape Coast Castle. For this
assistance rendered to the natives, they hare engaged
to keep the country round Cape Coast clear of under-
wood, which, it is supposed, will render the climate
much less detrimental to the health of the settlers.

This expence will be defrayed out of the funds for re-
pairing the roads and for the general improvement of
' Africa. A letter from Fort Accra, dated August 29th,
eJntains a sho t narrative, characteristic of the firmness
and vigilance of the Commanders of the British ships of
war anointed for that purpose, in checking, by every
mess, in their power, the disgraceful traffic in slaves.
His Majesty's ship Pheasant, Captain Kelly, having
anchored in the Danish roads on the 25th, received
information that the captain of a Spanish schooner
had sent on shore, at Dutch Towo, ,number of slaves,
and placed thee► in the custody of one of his agents,
to be detained there for hint till his return from a voy-
age to windward. Captain Kelly sent on shore to
demand the surrender of the slaves,allowingonly a few
Lours Cw compliance; at the expiration of which, haviug
learned by a signal, previously agreed on, from
the fort at Accra, that nu slaves had arrived, lie com-
menced a caiiiionaole on the town. The chief men of
the place became alarmed for their safety, and sent to
annoatice their intention to deliver up the slaves, if a
stop nas put to the firing. They shortly after sent in
20 slaves ; but Captain Kelly, relying on the infor-
mation he had received that the actual number was 53,
recommenced firing, upon which the remainder were
sent over.—Care had been taken to point the guns
.above the roofs of the houses, so that little or no da-
mage was done to the town, and the inhabitants were
more frightened titan hurt. They were, lion ever, pro-
perly .admottisionl for their conduct, and threatened
with the utmost severity in future if they presumed to
repeat it.

- - -
NEAPOLITAN AFFAIRS.

We received yesterday Naples Journals to the 6th
inst.; the following are extracts:—
Nketax, Dec. I.—" News having arrived in the
Abruzzi) that the Congress of Trofipau had iletermine
e t to violate our rights, end that force united with
pelitical sophistry was to trample justice and reason
untier foot, all the population of those three provinces,
considering the bulwark of the liberties of the king.
dom, flew to arms. Nut only the militia, the legions,
'hut every WO/ that could wield a sword, hrandishedit
in defence of the country. ,
•'Yesterday lieneral Pepe passed in review 7,000
leeionary troops, composed of that class of ci
wit° recently Were the terror of all gisoil subjects, anti,
threatened the destruction of civil order, but who now„.i
animated by the sacred love of country, pant stillmorni
than the rest of their fellow citizens for the moment
of encountering the enemy.
" At six in the evening of the 24th alt., about 250
soldiers of the new levy of the 3d regiment of Hight '
infantry, who weve in quarters near the britlsk..al
'biaddalina, deserted with their arms and bag*:
Whether pro.npted ty their vivo tree will to *tins, .etc,t,

...

of wickedness. or by the insidious arts of some internal
enemies, is unknown. The cavalry followed on their
traces, and overtook ab .ut 70 of then., who, intimidat-
edanti trpeutaut, retie led to their quarters. Others.:
who attempted resistance, were taken prisoners. Some
stragglers were arrested in the streets by the city
patrol, and the residue, who took refuge in the pro-1
since of Salerno, were ail taken or killed by the
tia of the district. Only one of them escaped the re-
ward of his perfidy.
Dec. .).—" On the subject of the desertions which
took place on the evening of the 24th ult., we have
ascertained that no symptoms of a similar disposition
appeared in the regiment while stationed in the pro-
tince, and must theiefore exprem, with much regret,
our conviction tkat secret enemies, dispersed and con-
founded with t!.e population of this immense ca-
pital, have produced those desertions by their ass-
. chi:milting."

The fullun lug is an extract of a letter dated Naples,
Dec. s:—

We are happy to state that France has offered
her mediation between this country and Austria, and
that it has been accepted by our Government. It is
hoped that this will prevent a war, and that we shall
shortly see the country revive from its present dis-
tressed state ; for to proceed lung in the way we have
been in for the last few weeks, is impossible."
In connexion with this intelligence, we may men-
tion that a letter, dated Dec. 9, from Genoa, states
that little oouhr was entertained there that a few posts
would bring the news of the breaking up of the Aus-
trian army in Italy.

SPF:RDY, EFFil7lll4L,etsul PERMAIVEAT RE-
LIEF fur the DISTRESSES Va. CULINTRI.

The press of temporary matter prevented the inser-
tion of the following letter at the time it was original- I
ly intended. 'l Le object, however, at which it aims,
will always make its topics interesting ; and the cele-
brity which its author has deservedly acquired, will se-
cure a reliectfill and candid consideration, whatever
may be the objections it may raise. The publication
aFpears the e seasonable at the present peril d, not
only from the distresses which threaten the country, but
on account of the attention which Mr. Owen's plans
have recently olstained from the gentlemen of the
county of Lanark, who, of course, are peculiarly com-
petent to ap;ireeilte th,ir merits:--

A LETTER FROM MR„ OWEN TO TIIE EARL OF

• LIVERPOOL.
TO THE SIGHT 110. TOE EARL 07 LirLamm, VIIIST

LORD ur TOR TIMM:RV , &4. &C. 4cr.

New Lanark, ISO.

MY Loan—Unwilling as I have been to come to
this decision, wv duty to my fellow-creatures, to our
common native, which is mot. su grievously oppress.'
ed, compels me thus publicly to enter the lists in direct',
opposition to those measures of political economy upon
which you have declared it to be your intention to act,
under the mcumulated and accumulating distresses,
Which threaten to overwhelm this and many other
countries.
For your private chareter, my Lord, I entertain feel-
ings 9f respect and kindness; but the beat intentioueil
individual in the world, in your situation, may, by
his errors, commit such mistakes, as to plunge an
empire into an abyss of misery, and then coolly say,
as you dill on the Marquis of Lammlowu's late naution,
that you knew of no remedy, except time and pa-
tience."

My Lord, the subject is too urgent and important to
permit the waste of time on useless ceremony ; fur a
conflict has now publicly c menced betsieen the mea-
sures which have produced the existing evils, and one
intended to remove them and prevent their recurrence
in future ; and which conflict, for the sake of the poor
and distressed, and the well being of all, oaght to be
speedily decided. '1 he measures now supported by
your administration are right sir wrung ; if the for-
mer, then must starving thousands either immediately
emigrate, or submit, uncomplaining, to their doom,
and die. But if these measures proceed from princi-
ples of mistaken political economy, and I can satisfac-
torily prove them to be wrong, then is there hope of
better times at hand, that our population may again
smile in pit:say, anti that our prosperity may grow,
side by vide, with the prosperity of other nations ; and
this task I me..o to perform.
The individual who thus addresses your Lordship is
insignifiraist —owe who sets no value upon himself,
who claims no merit, who never will claim or accept
reward for any thing lie may do; although, if he cuss
succeed iii the devolopement of a few simple principles
derived from the laws of nature, he must essentially
and permanently benefit his fellow-creatures. Hum-
ble, however, us he is, he has been engaged for many
year, in acqoiring actual experience in the art of go-
verning ; and lie has, during the same period, ac-
curately and eloscly watched the progress of your
Lordship's .I•llniuistration ; and be concludes that his
.proceetiings smelt:arty as familiar to your Lordship.
Tbe results of the measures of your avlesinistratiam
&aE Is, if von will forgive the comparison; are widely
aiElltent. The one, with every imaginable mirac-
les... has infii, ted misery over a once prosPirous Em-
1 ot
1 te
g;
ha. n.nd !hi:poi tiltileers,sutondae rtnovaionnyypecwtilliiiacrhdisadsvaantsageens; I
lof poverty and misery—a Colony which it was more
Idifficult to create at firm, in the midst of the prejnili-
ces which surrounded it, than it would be flow to go- I
vern a posy eratil nation upon the same principles, pro-
vided those prejudices were removed. Administration,'
of which you are the acknowledged head, has had the
most ample means ever put into the hands of men,
,to attain any great and good politic objet—means
created ty the extesordinary exertions of millions il
your fellow-creatures, abounding in wealth, and aided
by wonderful scientific improvements ; your adnsinis-
trktion, too, has had the willing mind of the most
psliverfisl modern Empire to assist, you, when's*:
v(iu required its servieeeound, with these, what
.4ve von done ? In one word, my •Lord, through
t4e errors of the system on which you bare been
turtles! to act, you have admirably succeeded in
1 rallsing industry ; in diminishing wealth ; in
~posing. the interest of manufacture* to agriculture,
loud of agricnltare to nranuf..cture*, without konWibg
Istow to reconcile them; in impoverishing and degra-
ding the working classes; in generating universal
Idirstuuteut; in soultielying the most frightful crimes,

and in the adoption of mesenres which pat the Empire
to imminent hazard.

These are the results of the measures ro long pur-
sued by your Administration, and in which you have
publicly declared it to he your intention to persevere.
While your Lordship's Administration has been thus
employed, the person who addresses you has been very
dilf•rently situated and occupied. From the most
thorough conviction of the error and evil arising from
old established prejudices, he has had to contend
against them ; and, to aid hint in this Herculean task,
he possessed no resources dilly kind, except a settled
determination to remove the miseries which he dis-
covered those errors were hourly proslecing through-
out society. He had to acquire, by his industry
alone, unaided even by the common learnin:T of others,
all the. means necessary to attain this important end ;
and, under such circumstances, " time and patience"
were indeed truly necessary to enable bins to secure
the object so near to his heart. By these, however,
he gradually acquired a knowledge of the science of
the influence of circumstances over human nature,
with the means of controuling them ; and, by the ap-
plication of this sci"•nce to practice, he hopes speedily
to save civilised society from the misery which it now
unnecessarily inflicts upon itself. lie has already, in
part, applied this science to influence the character,
conduct, and proceedings of a population the least
likely to heroine, u it now is, a striking example to
this and to other nations. In the midst of the misery
which the measures of your Administration has in-
flicted on this country in particular, he has been per-
mitted, through a knowledge of this new science, to
raise up a people, who, solely through the means of
their own labour, are in the actual enjoyment of more
substantial advantages, and more solid happiness, than
you and your Lordship's colleagues, without personal
inspection, after all that has been said on the subject,
can suppose it possible to give to human beings ; and
yet this is but a were preliminary step to the superior
benefits which this science can easily bestow on every
one. Stich is the individual who addresses your
Lordship, and these are his claims to the attention of
the public. The usual candour of your Lordship
will admit that the facts whirl' I have stated, if they
really exist, are of no ordinary nature; and as their
troth or falsehood can t.e easily known, it, is surely, in
the peseta state of the country, a duty incumbent un
your Lordship's Administration to ascertain whether
this statement be a fallacy or a fact.
Experience, derived from long practice, has de-
veloped to me tile knowledge of an invaluable moral
science, through which, when gradually and judi-
ciously applied to the business of life, the immediate
distresses of the country will be easily removed, an
abundance of vainable employment will be found,
anal a state of prosperity will be permanently secured,
such as, without a knowledge of this science, must
be deemed visionary and impracticable. On the
experience of nearly thirty years of successful exten-
sive practice, guided by this science, I now claim
from your Lordship a fair and full public investi-
gation of these measures, which, after great cost
and toil, and much mental exertion, have bees devised
solely with a view to give bread to the hungry, and
relieve the wretched f the miseries whicb now they
most wanceeasurilg suffer.
I offer to submit these measures for euminatioti
under circumstances, if they contain errors, the most
trying for the individual who bas to support and
defend them. I offer to he fully examjneti at the
liar of both Houses of Patlliament, respelling the
science on which they are foUnded—the detail of the
separate practical parts of which they are composed
—the immediate and remote results which are likely
to arise from them—and on every point connected
in any way with my proceedings, or with the mea-
sures which I have to propose. Under these circum-
stances, my Lord, if I am mistaken, the acuteness,
eloquence, learning, and practical knowledge of both
Houses, must put an end to my errors of theory and
practice for ever.
Yet, my Lord, for the benefit of my fellow crea-
tures, in a full consciousness of the rectitude of my
intentions, on a conviction, the strength of which no
words can convey, in the truth anal righteousness of
the cause to be defended, I willingly oiler myself,
opposed to all the prejudices of society, to this fiery
or teal. I have the honour to be, my Lord, very
respectfully, your Lordship's most obedient servant,
ROBERT OWEN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN.

quillity, may perhaps withhold him from offering him-
self as a candidate. As the more riolers.a man pox-
messes is sometimes seen to create an app cti.e for more,
it might be ridiculous to affirm his political integrity
is ineorraptiVe; but those who have known him nearly
half a retorter affirm, that if he were returned, no
infiteeme rod:: be found powerful enough to ineho e
bin. to give a corrupt vote. Mr. Leyland began life
in an humble capacity; and he has hied two lifts by
high prises in the lottery. But as his demeanour
has always been marked as respectable and unassum-
ing, he is much less exposed to reproaches on that
head, than some others whose overwhelming pride
and arrogance are sure, wh rrrrrr conspicuously din-
played, to call forth the reminiscences of those who
knew them when poor, and living •in obscurity.
Amongst the local politicians, Mr. Leyland is classed
as a moderate reformer. Of course, he is not an advo-
cate for gannet: parliaments nor vole/crud sterege.
Amongst the ablest and hest informed men in Liver-
pool, i have found a great number attached to the
latter principles. Without condemning their motives,
I may be allowed to qnestiun the accuracy of their
judgment. What might have been the case in Liver•
pool lit) years since, I know not; but I am decidedly of
opinion, that the range of poverty is so widely extended,
that if Mr. Uobbett's system were tried here, it would
throw so many venal votes into the market, that
the atcnasr MAN who would descend to bribe the
corrupt and demoralized, might be returned by plu-
rality of votes, with greater facility, than at present.
I do nut presume to question the ferrate of the prin-
ciple, best alone its expediency. I am aware, what
powerful arguments might be thrown into the oppo-
I site seek ; but I am still sincerely of opinion, if an
election were to take place in Liverpool, and every
*adult male was to have a vote, that the reselt would
exclude the middle class from its proper weight and
infinence, and the members would still be returned shy
the least respectable portion of the inhabitants. What
Mr. Layland'sopiuions are on these topics,l cannot state,
but I should suppose he would not support any greeter
change than triennial parliaments, and every tax-
paying householder to have a vote, though I think
he would go thus far in his march with the refor-
mists. Those who know Liverpool, know also bow
very dangerous the streets and lanes in the most close
and crowded parts of the town are, from the vast
number of cellars inhabited by families. The Mayor
has endeavoured to abridge that dangt r by ordering
covers to be laid down at dark : he is also very rigid
with those who expose their wares for sale on the
foot-ways. By those regulations, be cannot avoid of-
fending those whom he incommodes by fines and restric-
tions ; but be has the praise of being perfectly im-
partial, never winking at any kind of irregularity in a
rich person, which he would popish if committed by
the poor. It may, therefore, be.justly said of the pre-
sent Mayor of Liverpool, that be is an upright and
Independent Magistrate, and a firm supporter of
popular rights. • • • s •

NR! " taw