Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-05-08
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.nessrs. Campbell and O.uen.

Mr.. Owen Of New Lanark to all the worl d. to prove
Ill controversy-''that all the Religions of the world
were founded in the ignorance of mankind they
are opposed the never changing laws ofour nature
that they are the oaly of vice. disnion and
ry-and that they the only bar the formation of
society OF nrtue ofietigeace and of charity in its
most extended SENSE" He has also heard wo pre-
sure-that the gauntlet thus boldly thrown down, wns
taken up by the Rev Archibald Campbell, Divine of
the Presbyterian Church The challenge and its ac-
ccptance created great sensation Ohio un formal
preparation made for the meeting of the comba-
tan.s. This took place at Cincinnati on Monday the
18th of April, and the debate continued nine DAVIS
Seven moderators appointed to preside, a Ste.
nographer attended to take down the argument and
daily audience of 1900 persons, many of them from
| a distance, witnessed the encounter
| The Cincinnati Chronicle from which we gather
these particulars, seems to consider Mr.. Owen us
having been demolished, and that nine tenths of the
audience, considered his exhibition sfailure" The
gest of Mr.. Owens augmentation, may be derived
from the following "twelve fundamental laws for
geins) Of human nature as he calls them.
That his birth ignorant of every thing relative to
his oranzation and that he has bscu permitted
the slightest fany his propeses c
ties, or qualities, physical or mental
That no two infants at birth have yet been pos
precisely the same organizations; while the physical mental
and moral differences between all infants formed without
their knowledge or will.
3. That each individual placed a, BIRTH wi,nou, his
knowledge within circumstances which, acting pon
his peculiar organization impress the general
circumstances upon the infant child man Yet that the
Influence OF those circumstances, a degree mod-
ed by the peculiar natural organization of individual
That no infant has the power of deciding period
oftne or IN what part of the world he shall
tence; of whom he shall be bo What particular religion he
shall be trained believe by what other he
shall he surrounded from birth DEATH
mat each individual created, that, when young
may be made to receive Impressions produce either
false notions and beuehc injurious habits and to
retain them with great tenacity.
g. That each individual created that he must believe
according to the strongest impressions that
eengs and other faculties while his belief depends
That each individual mus, like that
which pleasing HIM. that which produces agreeable
satons ON MS individual organization. and he dislike
whch creates IN hm unpleasant dageeabie sensations
whe he cannot discover previous experience what
sensations shall be-
that each individual SO created that the sensations made
upon hn orgnza'an although pleasant and delightful their
continued beyond period without change disapecale
ana painful Winnie on the contrary, when rapid change
OF Is made on has organization, disspatc
ana otherwise injuries his physical intellectual and pow
g. That the highest hea greatest progressive mprove
ne'ts and the most permanent happiness of individual
depend in degree upon the proper cultivation of ali
fancy to maturity and upon all these parts his nature benp
duly called INTO action at their proper PERIOD and ienpetey
divdual Wv "
TO- That the individual possess and to ACQUIRE the
pounded of the most Inferior propenses faculties and qualities
oil our common and when organized has been Ia
ced from birth to DEATH amidst the vicious
cuEstalces
H. That the individual is possess and to acquire
medium character when his original organisation has been ere
ted SUPERIOR and when the which surround hin,
from birth to death produce continued pcious ntrorab
Jsr1or materials and The circumstances in which he has been
aeed from birth DEATH of produce srD
rior only Or when there has been mixture
good and bad qualities the original organization and when II
has also been placed through f in varied of
1,acn
Teon 10, of mankind. WV OO"'
That the individual made the superior of his spe-
e "hen is original organization has compounded of
the best proportions, Of the best ingredients which human
alue s formed and when the circumstances which surround
hh rom oifth TO death Of character produce ONLY
rio Impressions other words when the Circumstances
avs institutions and customs which he is placed are all in
Unison with his nature
On the controversy the Chronicle submits the fol-
lowing observations
How far these twelve dvinc or gems as Dir Owen
pleased to call them prove that all the religions fine world
are founded i'll the ignorance Of mankind and are the case of
an e existing vice aud misery is for the reader determine
author OF te seemed TO consider their pertinency to the
uect matter of debate great that he them as we
informed ,weves times the audience They constituted
indeed the sum and Substance Of the PHILOSOPHERS argument
and rsperscd with expressions the apkest adely and
the most dangerous hereics in morale they were repeated from
Gay to day, with fatguug nsidity; and applied without
appcaon IN every stage and condition of debate II viii
De perceived that these seve gos, which, until dsnteyred
by the forty years labor their covercr had lain buried for
two thousand years little than the substance of GER
tam lectures on the Soca System" of p1r1Hogram which
have already been pronounced by Mr. Owen in ali the great
cities from London to New Orleans That he has sncc.eScd
N hnPIesns ther truth upon single Of his hearers IL
wo be hazard'S too much admits and so far from having
esabisned or even sustained, tolerae extent the e
RAJ PoStons III his challenge, believe We are speaking the
opinions OF nneenihs Of his audience, when we saw that
greater failure has seldom been witnessed on any occasion An
adH' mat the talent the skill debate and the weight of
proof were on the side Of Mr. Campbell Those who believed
this philosopher of crcunanccs aud OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES N
oe great man. appear 10 be sadly dsspponed many toFo
cined to is theory ofsocia conpscs have reapeA into
state Of sanity while the disciples on6deiy have either been
shaken III teir iat or provoked that their should have
peep SO seriously injured by msmapagenent and ebleness
var as regards the of TRUTH this discussion has been
fortunate out 50 far as respects the peculiar of the
chaeger, unfortunate We have already questioned the sin.
ce 9" r Oeps expectation that his challenge would be
accePed ne reason for giving it, obvious enough Els
new system was falling into disrepue-his doctrines were
oeghhmg 10 pau upon the public ear-tose who had been
by us theories disgusted with their practical
.Suis,-aud New Harmony striking can hardly saw
og enoral OF The egcgous folly of his Uiopian schemes