Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-05-11

ana 10 acquire medium CHARACTER, WHeH his
original organization has been created superb
or and when the circumstances which surround
him from birth to death produce continued vi
cious or unfavourable impressions. Or when
his organization has been formed Of inferior
materials, and the circumstances in which he
has been placed from birth to death, are Of a
character TO produce superior impressions only.
Or when there has! been some mixture Of good &
bad qualities in the original orga niza,ion, and
when il has also been placed, through life, in
varied circumstances Of good and evil. This
last compound has been hitherto the common
lot Of mankind.
XII. That the individual is made the most
superior Of his species. when his original or.
ganizalon has been compounded Of the best
proportions, OF the best ingredients of which
human nature is formed, and when the circum>
stances which surround him from birth 10
death are Of character to produce only supe-
rior impressions; or in other words, when the
circumstances, or laws, institutions and GUS
toms in which he is placed, are all in unison
with his nature.
How far these twelve divine laws or gems
as Mr.. Owen is pleased 10 call them, prove,
that all the religions Of the world are founded
IN the ignorance of mankind, and are the cause
Of all tn. existing vice and misery, is for the
reader to determine The author of them,
seemed to consider their perlinency to the SUBJ
ject matter Of debate, so great, that he read
Them, as we are informed, twelve times to the
audience. They constituted, indeed, the sum
and substance Of the philosophers argument,
and, in,ersperseJ with expressions Of the rank
est infideli.y, and the most dangerous heresies
in morals, they were repeated from day to day,
with fatiguing insipidity; and applied without
application, in every Stage and condition of the
debate.
1t will be perceived that these twelve gems,
which, until disinterred by the forty years la
bour Of their discoverer, hac lain buried fer two
thousand years. are little more than the sub
stance Of certain lectures on the Social System
Of paralleograms, which have already been
pronounced by Mr.. Owen, in all the great CT
lies from London to New Orleans. That he
has succeeded in impressing their truth upon
a single one Of his hearers, ii would be hazard.
ing 100 much to admit: and so faI from having
established, or even sustained, 10 any tolerable.
extent, the several positions in his challenge,
we believe, We are speaking the opinions ofnine-
tenths Of his audience, when we say, that a
greater failure has seldom been witnessed on
any occasion. All admit that the talent, the
skill in debate, and the weight Of proof. were
on the side Of Mr.. Campbell. Those who be.
lieved this philosopher of "circums ances" and
"paraleIograms" to be great man, appear to
be sadly disappointed; many Of those inclined
10 his theory OF "social compacts" have relaps-
ed into state Of sanity; while the disciples OF
in6delety, have either been shaken in their
faith, o. provoked, that their cause should have
been so seriously injured by Encouragement
and feebleness, So far as it regards the cause
Of truth, this discussion has been fortunate, but
90 far as it respects the peculiar views Of the
challenger, unfortunate. We have already
questioned the sincerity of MIR. Overs expec,
tation that his challenge would be accepted
l he reason for giving It, is obvious enough
His new system wa, falling into disrepu,e, his
doctrines were beginning to pail upon the puo-
lie ear,-,hose who had been enchanted by his
theories were disguised with their practical re.
sllts,-and New Harmony was a striking, we
can hardly say, living memorial Of the egregi.
Gus folly OF his Utopan schemes.
To sustain his character as moral reformer,
and CRAFTY his ambition for no,oriety, it
became important to keep alive public interest
upon the subject. The challenge was there
fore given in New Orleans for effect, and was
republished and perverted in its meaning, for
slIniiar purpose III LONDON. MT. owens
real or assumed enthusiasm on The subiec. Of
reforming the world seems TO be in no manner
abated by his signal discontinue at this meet
ing. We should not, indeed, be surprised to
hear that he left our city excIaiming, TO quote
his owl words, on former occasion: "My
friends in the day and hour, when discaimed
all connrxion with the errors and pre- u.
dices Of The old sys,em-a day TO be remem.
bered with joy and gladness, henceforward
through all ages, the dominion of faith ceased;
its reign of terror, Of disunion, Of separation,
and Of irra:onality was broken 10 pieces like b
po,ter's vessel. Now henceforlh charity pre-
sides over The destines Of the world"
Mr. Campbell after making an Intellectual ef
fort for several days, 10 con6ne his opponent
to the points in dispute between them, Sc: out
10 establish the truth Of revelation, and TO sp-
ply the precepts of Christianity to the present
condition and future hopes Of mankind. In
doing this he manifested an intimate acquaint.
snce with the subject He is undoubtedly
man Of fine talents and equally fine a,tainmens
With an acute, vigorous mind, quick ptrcep.
tons, and rapid powers of combination, he has