The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1825-11-10

covered General Clark also returned sick to
St. Lawrence, but we are gratilied to learn that
he also has recovered
The Potsdam, St. Lawrence American, states
that all the cedar and spruce swamps, together
with all the parairies, and marshes from the Cas-
cade in Lower Canada, to Glengaiy in Upper
Canada arc on fire. The fire is said to extend
back nearly SO miles srom st. Lawrence, about
the same distance up, making $500 square miles
of land on fire. In swamps it burns from to
feet. 1t effects both man and bcast-Cattle
arc said to be dying off in drovcs, and it SO at
fc"ts the eyes and lungs ofpeople, that business
OF all kinds is nearly suspended.
Arrivcdat Ncw-York Nov. 9th the pack
ct ship New-York. Amongst the passen-
gers in this vessel, are Mr.. Owen OF Lanark
and his son.
NIr. Owen, sends the following precursor OF
his rct;lrn to the American people. II VIII pe
perceived that he intends dcvoting his time and
talents, chiefly to the improvement OF the cltl-
zens of the United States
III Sea, Ne,o- York PACKET, Oct 1925,
Americans-l am again fastening to your
shores, and return with fixed determination
to exert all my powers for your benefit, and thro
you for that of the world at large.
In your industry, mechanical knowiedg and
general enterprise; in the quality and cheapness
of your soil, in the extent and variety OF your
climate, in your liberation, in part, from the pre-
iudices ofthe old world, but more particularly
in the freedom of your government, you amply
possess the means to secure Immediately inc
most important private and national benefits to
Yourselves and to your posterty, and to give
them to other nations still more i'll want OF them
1t is true YOU have derived many advantages
from your European ancestors, but it IS equally
: true that YOU have transplaned a very large por-
ton of their errors and prciudices; YOU cannot,
;herefore; enjoy to their full extent the benefits
to which | refer, until these errors OF the old
world shall have been removed
: : The greatest and most lamenta,lc OF these
are tho notions that human nature has been SO
formed us to be able to believe and dsbelleve,
and to love and hate, at pleasure, and that there
. can be merit or dcmcrt in believing or disbc-
lievng, and in loving or hating.
These false notions are the origin OF evil, and
: the real cause OF all SIN and misery among man
kind; yet they are received and continued III Ill
rect opposition to every fact known TO the hui
man race.
Every one may easily ascertain for himsei
r that they are errors Of the imagination
u Let any one endcavor by his own will alone
: TO compel himself TO believe what lie disbe
licved, or has been taught to think he dIsbc
lieves. For instance, let any one who is a sin
ccrc chistan, endeavor, with all his power, Il
compel himself to believe that Mahomet was
true prophet; on devout Jew, that Jesus was TIM
true Messiah and only son of God; or a consci
entous Musscnan, that Mahomct was chea
and an impostor Oragin, let any one endcavo
to dislike that which by his nature or education
:, Ihe has been made to like.
: THIS experiment, if fairly and honestly made
II will be sufficient to convince every one, that be
d lief and disbelief, love and hatred, are not unde
a the control of the will Itis therefore irrational Il
the extreme to MAINTAIN, that man can be account
IS able for either, and unjust and injurious to force
: any such absurdty into the infant mind.
) YET all religions and laws have been hithcrt
founded on this error. Hence their want OF sue
= cess; hence the present irratonable state of tn
e human mind in every part ot the world; an
" hence nearly all the evils, except those OF clm
J. ate, which afliict the inhabitants Of the Unite
States.
When these errors shall have been removed
there will be no obstacle to great Improvement
r III education, rapid advances in valuable know
, edge of every kind, the creation of wealth, an
d the arrangement and government Of society Il
n. the well.bcing and happiness Of the inhabitan
A. Of every state in the Union.
But this change cannot be effected until soci
'' ty shall be re-modclcd on principles in strict n
to cordancc with our nature, nor until men shall b
v. taught the facts upon which these principles al
4: founded, viz: that no infant ever formed any pa
- of itself-that no two infants are alikc-that II
'e f;,nts from birth are gradually formed into til
er characters which they afterwards become by tll
,e circumstances which exist around them actin
upon the peculiar combination OF faculties qua
ar tiles and propcnsitics which has been given
l. each infant at birth.
,c knowledge Of the facts will develope the r.
al nature of man, and show the Importance an
as necessity of well directing the crcunstanc'
Xt which shall from the characters of the next an
p future generations, anil which may material
amend those of the present.
" Having devoted many years to acquire
knowledge Of the various circumstances b
Ill which men have been hitherto formed an
governed, and in applying this knowledge
It. practice, am induced to think that tho e'
pelience thus obtained will enable me to e.
plain to the world the science of the Unfit
GO ence of circumstances, through = knowledg
of- of which society may be in future SO arran!
ch ed and governed that it shall almost alwa,
II. produce happiness and scarcely ever rpr
ducc misery.
ny 1t cannot be expected that subject
Is comprehensive in practice and SO new to IL
III, world should be readily understood by
ali verbal or written explanation, except by
few superior minds. have therefore h;
fe a model formed explanatory of the propose
new arrangements, under the influence