The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-03

The prominent position at one time held by
ROBERT OWENS a practical philanthropist, and
the attention which was attracted, in both hemi-
Spheres to his experiments and labors for the i'm
p:ovement Of the condition of the working classes,
and by his lectures and writings on questions of
Social Science, render it proper that the announce
ment Of his death should not be passed by without
some recognition of his genuine worth and virtues
as man, and some notice of the numerous
schemes of active benefcence in which he spent
his fortune and his life. ROBERT OWEN was born
in Wales in l77l-and was, accordingly, at the
time of his death, in the ssth year of his age
Before he attained his majority, he was largely
engaged in the manufacture of cotton, near Man
chester, and made an immense fortune by intro
duclng into his mills the machinery of ARKwRIGHT
at that time, q recent invention From Man
chester he subsequently removed to the town of
new Lanark, IN Scotland, where he continued the
same business, in partnership with DAVID DALE,
whose daughter he married. 1t was here that his
active sympathies in behalf Of the workng-classses
hrSt manifested themselves, in practical schemes
tor the ameoratOn of their social and moral con-
ditlon Having more than one thousand opera
were under eighteen years of age-he had a noble
held presented for the fulflment of his benevolent
designs. He shortened the hours of labor in the
factories, taking particular pains both to Tighten
and abrdge the tasks allotted to children: lie es-
tabshed schools and evening lectures for the
instruction of his people; he remodeled their
lodging houses with view to their health and
comfort; and institutng, at the same time, a sys-
TEN of selt-government which appealed to the
nobler feelings of the operatives-he succeeded
in almost banshing-from the model COM
nunity which he founded-ignorance drunken
ness, and crime. This happy result of his labors
he was not slow in publishing to the world.
Pubic attention was directed to the subject, and
soon the names OF ROBERT OWEN and New Lanark
became famous throughout Europe His ROYAL
Highuess, the Duke of KENT, Gather of the
present Queen of England became interested
in the success of his schemes. The King of Pms
STA sent for him to consult with him about the es
adjustment of model villages in Prussia. The
Church and the Arstocracy both lent him their
countenance. For while it seemed within the
range of probability that the theories which he
had preached would ultimately meet with universal
acceptance, and that he himself was TO be the
LUTHER of a new Reformation. But unfortunately
for Mr. OWEN and his plans-Christanitv had no
place in the social system which he sought TO in
troduce He himself was believer in no form Of
Religion, Natural or Revealed. He was Nate
rialist-and an Atheist, and adopted as his cardi-
nal doctrine the maxim, that 'man was altogether
the creature of circumstances" These alone-be
areued-made one individual to differ from another.
If one was good and another bad-one happy and
another wretched-the circumstances of their res
pective conditions and of their bringing up, were
sufficient, in his judgment, to account for the
difference. Once abolish all social inequalities, he
thought, and place men upon the same
level-surrounded by the same circum-
stances, and with the same advantages
and let their condition be that which is
most favorable to the development of the finer and
nobler traits of mans nature, and all men will be
equally happy and equally virtuous. This was
Mr.. OWENS theory. This was the practical con-
clusion which he deduced from the success of his
experiment at New Lanark. But no sooner was
it proclaimed to the world, and generally under
stood by the public than there was an immediate
and visible falling off of friends and supporters.