Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-12-18
From the New York Evening Post.
DEATH OF ROBERT OWEN.

Our dispatches by theEuropa announce the death
OF Robert I'VE at one time, perhaps, the most
famous man of his day. He was in the eighty
eighth year Of his age having been born in Wales
in the year I'LL. He distinguished himself quite
early at school, but before he was eighteen he en-
gagged in the cotton manufacturing business, into
which he was instrumental in introducing the ma,
chinery of Arkwright, then a great improvement,
Hit factories, called the Chorlton Mills, were sit,
uated pear Manchester, and became very lucrative.
But he was induced, after q few years. to remove
to New Lenark, between Edinburg and Glasgow,
in Scotland. where Arkwrigbt had founded a
number of factories, in connection with David
Dale, an enterprising and benevolent man. Owen
married the daughter of Dale, and was taken into
the partnership. His sym pathies in behalf of the
working classes concurring with those of Dale,
they commenced together q practical reform in
regard to their dwelling,houses, their hours of Ia
bour, and the education Of their children, which
was conducted for some time under such fattering
promises of success, that it attracted the attention
of philanthropists and statesmen in oil parts of
the world. As there were more than a thousand
persons employed in the mills, about half of them
under eighteen years of age. q fine field was pre-.
scented for the display Of their benevolent activi-
ties.
Oven succeeded, We believe, in shortening the
duration of the children's labors, and in enabling
them to attend his school, where the intellectual
system, as it was called, or the system of teach,
ing by objects, was first put in practice. In the
evenings and on Sundays the adults were instruct
ed by lectures, objects, diagrams and books, 30
that the place soon put on e scholastic air. quite
unusual in the manufacturing towns Of Scotland
or England As Owen instituted at tho same time,
a police which, though it was carried On without
punishments. was rigid, hs community was re.
garded as a model community. lie himself con.
sidered it so, and he began 20 commend it as an
example for all the earth. The great Duke of
Kent. father Of the present Queen of Great Brit
ain, became very much interested in Mr.. Ovens
experiments, and through his Influence the aristoc:
racy and clergy of England lent him their coonte..
nance. But, unfortunately, Mr.. Owen connected
his rchenae for the practical improvement Of the
working classes with certain religious and social
doctrines, which soon deprived him of the support
of those eminent orders. Adopting a grossly
materialistic theory of life, be held that men were
entirely the creatures of circumstances, and that
all that was necessary for the thorough regenera.
tion of society, was q change in its external con.
diticns. Improve the circumstances by which the
child is surrounded, he said, and you improve the
child. All the difference which subsisted betw cen
the most polished and kind hearted man Of civil,
wed, and the most rude and cruel man of a
Larbarous country, is a difference in their circum,
stances The civilized man, placed in New Zea,
land. would have been a savage. and the New
Zealand savage, placed amid the means and appli-
ances Of an educated family in London or Paris,
would have been a civilized man. ri sr.4s, me-
There was enough Of truth--and of the most
important truth lin Ovens theory to commend It
to the a~tteaaon OF the world. and particularly of
the classes for whose benefit it was specially ia.
tended. lie was considered an oracle by them,
and, indeed, the fame Ehica he acquired and the
reputsd SUCCESS of his practical scheme attracted
towards him the regards OF soEsrsigss. The
hins OF Prussia, we think il was, sent for him.
and eensulted him in respect to the establisan cot
and management Of model villages in Prussia.
lie lived, also, on terms of familiarity with tho
King OF France, and he made several voyages to
Mexico. at the request Of the government, 10 in.
troduce his reforms ;nts that country. On one Of
these Visits lin 1928 The requested from the Mex.