The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-26
Robert owen-on Ireland.


be ihf nFnednie cause OF the regeneration OF the world
fro dsunion and crime to union and virtue 1t general
~ admitted that Great Britain i the most advanced nation
under the false system Of civilization which has hitherto
universally prevailed and in consequence the British
isles severely and strngy than any other
part OF our globe are now exhibited in practice the evils
| OF this system.
But the greatest extent OF suffering has fallen to the
lot oil the Irish population, upon whom, by long train
OF circumstances, has been accumulated the whole
weight Of the oil social state based principles
OF dlsunon, crime, and nationality, called civilized.
| In consequence, Ireland, which might be- and il is
hoped will be soon made 10 become under rational sys
TEN OF society," based on one OF truth which will produce
union and virtue, second garden OF Eden but without
| its forbidden fruit
Laierly Ireland has proved itself to be the rock on
which have wrecked 80 many administrations, and
which, while the present system oil dIsunlon shall con-
hHue. will speedily the downfall OF any admins
traon that can be formed the government OF Great Bnt
ain remaining IN the meantime IN a state OF uneeasng
excitement and dangerous agitation, which can be kept
within bounds only By organized power Of coercion
demanding vast military expenditures
Yet is is now manifest 10 all that the British govern
ment and the British people most DESTROYS To erm
nate if they knew how, the OF dsunon, Of these
suferings, these evils, and this dangerous excitement
With this unanimous desire strengthened by an ever
increasing necessity 10 change the adverse for prosper
Gus circumstances, why, with the enormous power and
wealth OF Great Britain, cannot this change be effected
One true reply alone can be madenamely: that lre and
is eiecnaly governed than any other part OF the
world under institutions based the dsunitng laws oil
men, in direct opposition TO the eternal laws OF God
longitude the earth the laws OF men declare that
there is nestlmabe merit IN particular opinions or belief
there advocated by the strongest party while the laws OF
God proclaim IN universal unwrtten language, that there
cannot possibly be merit or demert justiyng praise or
blame reward punishment, any opinion or belief
whatever conscienuousy entertained by any individual
forced by the irresistible laws OF God TO form them in
accordance with the strongest impression made on his
mind at the time being which impression, whatever 1t
be, he rs compelled to receive, often against the
strongest inclination his part to retain the very oppo
site sentiments.
This fundamental and most fatal of all errors the cause
of so much disunon and hearbumngs among the human
the writer forced to perceive when about ten
years OF age.
He had been made an early and most Conscientious
gious sectaran, according TO the peculiar forms and
doctrines prevalent in the latitude and longitude in which
he born and so far educaed; and his earliest and
strongest Ieeoss'ea feeling Was an desire
of religion And until he had heard and read theological
discussions he surprised to learn that there could be
difference of opinion the subject OF religion. He
then read with deep interest works written by the leaders
OF different sect and the first impressions on his mind
of disbelief in the doctrines forced upon him from infancy
were most painful and horrible. lie read, aud thought
more but the more he read and deeply thought the
he compelled against his strongest wishes, TO aban-
don what he had been taught to receive undoubed D-
vine truths ..,
By attentvely observing facts around him. and turning
his thoughts inward, TO notice his feelings and SEN
saions, the laws OF God, which ever in harmony
with themselves and in accordance with every known
fact gradually became obvious to him, and, although
first directly opposed TO his Wishes forced him to re-
ect utterly erroneous his earliest and most cherished
opinions He then discovered that he could have no de-
merit for his first errors or merit for the latter acquired
truths although they invaluable to him, and will be-
come equally so TO all the world AZ.
Being thus against his will compelled TO abandon these
errors OF latitude and longitude, and highly supe
rior moral world gradually opened to his vew and the
causes of the error, crime and misery which ahilc hu-
mainly became manifest to him. ..... s...
By degrees, his experience in the business OF life
tended and his knowledge of the condition and prac
ce OF nations increased, the mode to counteract that
which produced misery also become apparent to him.
The REMEDY Tor these evils, all emanating from IN
attention to the unchangng laws OF God was more
clearly and distinctly perceyed and with this increasing
knowledge increasing and lrrepessble desire to
apply it to practice for the benefit OF ALL his fellow
men. . .=
And circumstances occurred which favored his wishes
he partially tried the application OF governing popula
ton of five hundred for several years in Manchester and
upwards of two thousand for thirty years in Scotland in
accordance with the laws OF God and the moral results
most beautiful far exceeding, under such counter
acting circumstances, the most sangune expectations OF
! him wis applied them. .. -
The writer asmale fully aware of the difficulty and
danger to any who should openly undertake to combat
the deep rooted prejudces of latitude and longitude as
they have existed and now exist in every division and
subdivision of the earths surface, everywhere forming
one set of ignorant and most irrational preudces OPP
position to all others; while each again. within its own
locality, is divided and subdymed to give continual
rise innumeabe insane contests about ncomprehensi
BILE and most useless matters; and all these senselcss,
endless errors arising from not knowing openly ac-
knoweiging and bearing in mind OF the most bea-
! tifu and simple laws OF humanity, namely: THAT MAN
DlSBELlEvE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, BUT
FORCED TO ACCEPT THE ONE OR OTHER AC.
| CORDING TO THE LAWS OF GOD.
This is the real of lrelands misery and of its diff
| fcuity and danger to the British government.
The most numerous part of its population, the Roman
Catholic has been forced, through long line OF succeed
ing teachers to believe those trained to differ from them
to be Justly hateful; and also with the less numerous,
but more wealthy and powerful, Irish Protestants, as
regards their Catholic brethren.
In this insane manner and useless contest, each child
is forced to imbibe of the crudest notions, and
with them an abiding hatred toward his equally ignorant
and innocent fellow-men, whose interest it is to be
brought up from birth as children OF the same family.
! Among these hateful notions, forced into the mind OF
each child the most fundamental the belief that he and
every one else forms himself to be what he is that he
makes his own opinions, qualities, character and that
just he should be made responsible to his equally OF
often ignorant fellow nen for what these opinions
and qualities may be- and for the actions they produce
although the original qualities Of each are forced upon
the individual at birth by the Great Creating Power of
the Universe and then cultivated for good eya by the
circumstances in which society places the infant from
birth through life Each child is also taught that he
like or dislike persons or things at pleasure love hate
them according TO his freewill and that therefore, is
his duty TO like and TO dislike TO love and to hate in
corlance with arbitrary dictates OF of dictates
formed in direct opposition to the unchangng laws which
the Creator has imposed upon man by giving him his in
stncts and affections Now, with such training from
birth maturity. how is il possible for to be formed
| into rational being
These errors all opposed to his nature tend to max,
him, in some respects, inferior to those animals who ar
wisely guided BY the laws given to them by that Powe
which creates all things; and man. diseg ardng ah
er opposing these laws, is, therefore, more subject to