The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-29

Mr. Owen.
We cannot refuse to obge gentleman ike MI
Owen, for whose philanthropc character we nave 50
much respect whatever may think OF the pracuca-
bility of his plans His name is well known to the
world and his productions have frequently appeared in
the Union He is on the eve of leaving the United States
for England and he asks the privilege OF laying the follow
ing communication before readers We cannot refuse
him. nor do we TO comment upon the scheme
which he proposed to accomplish in ls2s, nor do we un
uerstand the scheme to which he refers. We com
nit ourselves neither the past the futureour sole
object being oblige whose philanthropc motives
are SO we'll known and who has thrown so many curl
Gus incidents into the communication which he now sub
mts to the public We cannot vouch OF course Tor the
correctness of the diplomatic history which accompanies
his memorial
For the Union.
The subioined memorial of Robert Owen to the Mex
lean republic, dated 2sh October 1928, predicts at that
early period the now existing between the TWO ma
TONS and refers to the from which was 10 arse
This memorial was at that time forwarded by MI
Rocafuerte the Mexican minister at London to hs gov
ernment along with various letters from influential par
ties high in official stations recommending TO the Mex
lean government to accept Mr. Owens proposal;
The next month after these documents had been Tor
warded Mr. Owen embarked from Falmouth Tor Mex
ico as he strongly recommended to dc by MIR no
cauerte the diplomatic representative OF her Spanish
American Sates who took deep interest IN Mr. Owens
proposed measures, which they thought calculated favor
ably to influence their respective countries them as now,
so liable to be disturbed by petty. warfare.
Mr. Owen, after remaining few days IN Jamaica with
his neghbor and friend the late Admiral Fleming then
commander of the West Indian station, and from whom
he received important letters of introduction to the high
est ecclesiastical authority then in Mexico the late bsh-
op of PuebIa old friend of the amraPs, arrived to-
wards the end of the year, after landing for short
time in ST. Domingo, fat Vera Cruz. On his journey
from thence the city OF Mexico, he and his party I'M
expectedly found themselves on entering Perote IN the
49, Lore comtn cd Santa
generalissimo of the armies OF Mexico MIR. Owen had
here preliminary interview with him, and, as the coun
try was much disturbed the general ordered hun an es,
very satisfactory preliminary interview with the bishop
then the only one in the republic.
On Mr. Owens arrival in the city of Mexico, he deliv-
cred the dispatches given to him by the British cabinet,
to Mr. Pakenham, their minister to the republic. Upon
opening these, Mr. Pakenham informed him that he was
instructed BY his government to and MI Owen to pro,
see the President Immediately, and obtain an early APP
ponment for him to enter at once on his business r
Owens time in Mexico being limited by an engagement
which required his presence given day at Cncinna
H. Ohio) and, if agreeable he would interpret between
the President and Mr.. Owen, neither understood the
language of the other MIR. Pakenham the same day,
informed Mr. owen that he had made an appointment to
be with the President OF the republic Victoria the next
day at H.
considerable length explaining what Mr. Owen had done
in his own country and what he proposed to do for
Mexico and concluded, he instructed by his gov
enment to recommend the Mexican cabinet to adopt Mr.
Owens proposal
The President in reply said that the Mexican govern
ment had received by the previous monthly packet from
England Mr. Owens memorial, with numerous letters
and commendaory documents in favor OF the plans pro-
posed by him. These had been well considered by him
self and cabinet but Mr. Owens request for Texas and
Coahuila nadmissble inasmuch as it was free
federated State and the choice Of the governor and laws
vested in the people but the general government had
served the right fifty leagues broad along the whole
line of the frontier between the United States and Mex
90 avfen from the (,uf Of MeyicO the Pacific
Ocean, and supposed to be upwards of fifteen hun
bred miles long This tract OF country the Mexican gov
% NOW w se s to Mr.
Upon Mr.. Pakenham's explaining to MIR. Owen this
liberal offer of the Mexican government Mr. Owen re-
piled that, as his position would become of great
spOnsbilty, two conditions necessary to his
cess First, that this new government should be guaran-
teed to him by all the powers interested for the purposes
which he had stated Secondly that the population that
would settle within these boundaries should have secured
to them entire religious liberty, each to have per-
feet right to worship in the manner and form agreeable to
his conscience, Mr.. Owen would not undertake to
govern any population without giving them full religious
liberty
This being explained by Mr. Pakenham to the Pres-
ish government and the United States were willing to
sanction the measure there would be no difficulty with
Mexico the first conditions that, as to the second the
Mexican government had supposed the restriction
lgious liberty would be obstacle to prevent Mr.. Ow
EMS acceptance of the grant, and the cabinet had in con-
sequence unanimously agreed to propose to the next Con-
act which should place the religion Of Mexico upon
the same foundation as that of the United States.
This liberal proceeding OF the Mexican government
was highly gratifying to Mr. Owen and he requested Mr.
Pakenham to say the President that with his best
thanks for the beray Of the Offer he would, as soon
the act respecting religious freedom was passed, be
prepared to enter upon the arrangements requisite TO COM
pete this important business and to commence the new
government of peace and permanently increasing pros
perlty.
After this very satisfactory interview, Mr. Owen
formally introduced to the heads OF departments and to the
most influential men in the republic who in the city
Mr.. Poinse was, at this period, minister from the Uni
ted States, and from him and MIR. Exter, influential
English merchant, in the full confidence of the Mexican
government, Mr.. Owen derived considerable assistance,
added to that which he received from Mr. Pakenham.
On Mr. Owens return from the city of Mexico, he had
two interviews at Puebla with the bishop an old friend
of the then reignng Pope whom Mr.. Owen informed OF
his arrangements with the government in Mexico MI.
Owens intention to endeavor to unite the heads of
the Protestant and Catholic churches in efforts for the
race, by inducing the Christian governments and people
TO their powers, abundant for the purpose,
gradually to replace the inferior circumstances preva
lent in all countries by those of superior character, AS
THE ONLY MEANS whereby the condition of the
human race can ever be relieved from the evils hitherto
and alsehood which in the appalling mass OF
misery crime, and sin everywhere exhibited lie pro-
posed to the bishop (whose annual income, he told
Mr.. Owen, had been reduced from one hundred and
twenty thousand dollars to eighty thousand to per-
son to Rome this God-lke mission of good for all,
and to assist in terminating hostile religious feelings and
conduct between Christians in the first instance, and at
forwards between them, the Jews, Mahomedans, nc.
This good man much taken with this new view
of the subject and much pleased with it, that he said
he would willingly undertake the voyage, and use his
utmost influence, induce the Pope and cardinals to en-
fer into the measure