Mr. Owen To The British G...
The Times, 1824-02-23T00:00:00

An extraordinary era in the pr-o7res -of civilizatidn has arrived. The ia~t salfecentury has produced materials sufficient to eff'ect the most beneficial change in the conditioni of humian society. And the period is, at haanil vwhen thiese materials must be so applied by someDowe, O som paty, n tis o insomne othier country. Th&shjeea ofyou eniire ave eenchiefly instrumaental in dis. coverng te mens, y whch tese aterials' have been so abuni- danty prduce andmadeknow: an you now possess resources whic, weneer tey hal be roprlydirected, will be found to l'ou are at this moment aJ the head of the civilizud word an-d all nations look to voui for an extrmple. There is. hiowe'ver, another country whiceh is following close upon youar steps -,and if you do not imumediately make a proper use of the van tage round whic-h N-'ou at present possess. thie hiizh and enviable situiation which you ha',.e ob)tai-ed _jIl sp)eedily belong to the New Wotld and thle U-nited States will, insteadl of you. become tist. gui(le anid peaceful am'eliorator of all nations. Thitt comparison between two p,owers-either of tyhicit, throughi a ei-se direction, may shortly give latws, not by force bait by wisom, to every quarter of the wtorld...is not madle to excite any jeailousv between themo, or to arouse any of' the tiegrading feelings which ij- nOTanee alone ran engendecr, e'ithier in individuals or in states it is milde to rivet thle altenttioni of both parties to a subject, calcuilated toI call forth theitr hirhest criergies,and to unfte thieto a one goyernmnent and one people, ir, aictitg each cthier to forwani( the tiuost important objects that hiumian beings have ever yet souight eo accomoplishi. No. I wisl tnot to create feeling,s of division among aniy portion of mv felow-creatures, ; buit, if possible, to remnove that ignorance I whicb is alone the causeofo ppos,ision anonigindlivieuals kand nations.1 It is for this purpose that I now addres' iiys-elf' to you. I know thats-ou atre in l'ull possession of all thepnow,er requisite'to obtain arad secure this olbiect: anid thie reflectingz pairt of society pa,rceive that thle tncsntsl ignorance with whicli the worldl is overwhel-Med tiunst be witthdtrawn, as a preliminary measure, before any substantial, per- mnanient, anti geneTal improvemnent ran be effectedl for eutr species. H-aving thiis great end, in vicwe, I dto not notv address you merely as the- dir-t:Ing piower of the Bri' ish empire, bttt as the legitimaizte leadi;ig head of ttte civilized world. Ard as sorb,. it is no, Inv' intention to consider that Youl will be henceforth infl"tiened by thie limited ciewe, of class. ert, or party or even by tltose 0f coln,.ry. ctinir,te, or colour. Libctmhries youIr duity, as it is your interest: and as It til rove to Ile your hiighest hpics,o acknowledge optenlyv, fsanklv,anid ilonerstly .such priori. hpesanti adlopt sutch practices alone as will preomote the public good. Ostes r0u~,ll, it is nsy duty to stniak to you thie laniguage of trothl only. Y'ou a-e well aw'are thIat I ltave tio intention whatever toi hurt thec fehcings -of anv miember of' the (iovcrntiient, siller in Church lie State, or of ant' parties rontiected with it - and that I aitl gu1ided s"lelY tY the dcsire to relieve myv ftllow-creatures firor the miseries i, iIh whtichi thev have bethi so flo'g afflirted. I e,sw11 state to vuoTlt t yo at this momnent, possess a suiclcict sutiply of' stiaterial to enable yo.u, Without itsjory to) any parties~. to aldopt'eiiective lueasuies, whlich shiall relieve th' poor' and wo'rk- ing classes fr-otn poverty, or the f'ear of pove-rtY.e Th"at vou tsosscsa the toast a6i'ndant ttiofrlenalc'55 frorti,ntignran-e,arnd of inakinthtt ueully andIrationallyvintelligent. 'I'hatt -otil posscss atnuple mneanis to im-prove to a very great extent, the- dlisp~sition-, habits, morals, atid general conduct 'of all theo pre- sent poor and wtirbitg classes.' Anti that it entirely deptenOs uporn youir owvn meaistures whethler vice, crinme, atid Iiry shall continue so abound, as at presenit or whiether threse evils shaill be giadually redluced, unrtil tliey shial.l be SCYcacely% ktnowen in alny part of your ~Wilv extendled dominions. Andleirst, "1That v'ou now possess a sufficient supply of materials to) enable Y'ou, -titiiott in iury to any, parties, to adopt effective inen- s'tres,which shiall relieve 'the ltoor a'nd working classes feomn poverty, or the fear ci' lovertv." Wle knotv thiat riclhes ace created solely- by the industrv of the working classes, and that tIle tiiore effiiien! is that irtldutry is di- rectedl. the greater isi thleamoutit of wealth iredluced. We know, tot', th-at thie effect's of tie itiustrv oIf the wrorkinig classe-s mtay be increased beyond an1Y aLss.gnable liiiit by the: aid of Ine0l~ailttrt, clivrniirai,%ndt otiler scientific inventions atId discoverie.. Prior to the introductiort of thhete ituprovemnents, the Manual Is- bour of'onie mnt, in ntina v sttuazit?ts, rotldt barelv simply common nvcessa:ries torhe imselt itid five or si-te othe-r. iu't suc,h invcntions aind disrosories have been rnai4c Withint'i te last hialf century in the MOs t sefil of' the sciences, thzat one mian (an, by his daily labour, nowv i11ore easily provide the necessariesof life toe-fifty or sixYta hiecouldI for five or six oanl. fifty- years ago.tyha These scientific itnproi-ements, howiever, hiave been apuired at randni, wistliot foresight andt' witnhout an v general beneficial ar- rangemient or direction. They have been gtrierahll ap;,hied to ecrate a useless ai:elihurt-ful stuperfliuty of wevesth for. a1very fw,shile the great niass of' the people have been deprivedl of tile co mon nece,- saries oflf and gerievou lv injured by themr. These scientific iflver~i6otts and discoveries have ben ls geal limiite!d in number and extenlt, by reas-on iof tile faculties eatable of prodlucing themi beiiig allotwed to remlaia uncii!tivated,exrept in a ft-tv instances atnid. in conseoquence, oven, in gre-at Britainl. scientific iterprovementis nlay still be conit.;Icretl to lie only hi their, infatry, btlt limiited as thay yet are, their amount is nmore than is re'1uisitc, undecr proner direction, to saturate tl',e Britishl em iire wvith wvealthi beyond th~ po'ssibsle us.e or wantit its subjects.. it has bieit estimated, that fifty Years ag,-' the actu~a Produ'acing poiser of Orest Britain and Irel,I d tid niot exceetl the unla:ssisted inanual laibour of diiteen miillions of men it is now estimiated. to e.vceed the uosss;tst,d miantal labour of four hujndred mnillions ,tf mien, Its intcrease, in both iQndasi, pmceedis ait an average equd1 to rue manutal lubou,r of at !east Ni % o- seven millions of'n Citii ?antt- ally, anMd It isNths ertu!lct to those WhO arTc versed in the subject, thaz t it is raaltaile of being titadle to inicreas,e in, a costint:aihy i:lcrra-s-_ ing ratio, anti far bryouidi tite possible wtanits of society, 'wictiiever 2soehety shall heZ itrop l arran-ed. Te ittit rihaseatt-t l ticc-f the. present systeon is, then, thttitier the nanual nor scienitilis Power, applicatble to the cera- i on. of wc,,itit, Can lie berielicialIv brought' into acti- n0 1 itt conse- quence, pecuniary dist;tess, abi-et poverty, atio tlies fear of ;anot. tIre unnecessardy'aillwed t aflict society~, wlhile the Bri,ish Gio vertrment is in possession of' tle niost antjule means to give fulil and beneficial cntploymtent to all its mianiial andl scientific productive power-s, so long as 'siverty or thec fear of" wailt shall be exper enced by otie single ineividuial. It was stated, in the second place, " That the Biri-ish Governi- Meleit p,ossesses the monst at,indar,t inveats of'rtliering all class~es frotit Igrakrance, aluet of maikingz th"ni u-sefully aid rationally intelliglent.'' It is evident to every- one, thiat as matl is boriiignoi:ant, lie ran be tiiade inteiligent by i;n strri'tltin only ; and that illssttrlti'in cannot be, given. uni, ss arrailgetrets are devi-ed and execttred for tltat pttrtose. iThebe aerangensesets have not bt;en fo, m ed. Partial ansic imuer- feet 1plans to give to a sn-all ,r'srtioii of' tilepeople a linliited edu'ca- lott in is fete of the v'iore lisettll acqttrent'nts, are all that now' exi,t Ieve, itt the Bri:ish emipire atil( in Anieric:a. Noth ing lias yet been) done to- relieve thie itass of socicts from. the low es t state of de.c.aifaion, by ilistructing I-)rn to kitow themselves; anti wvithout thit kinowledge the nrre arqutsition of' sciecel is of little conilpatative value, excep-,t or peettoiser puctrioses. Tie facts wshicitilth pa.st hiistory of' our S.PrCiCS pTresents are now Abtndanitly' sufficient to eniable you to dlevse arrea-gernents, by whiich, wi~th ease and, e(oornOm, everY 'c Otneo youtr sviriLcts ~ may bse taught to become usefulily ani1 ratittaallv inteillc14ent. Ptu t this tItoOtet, havt in y'nur hands tile tioweortf ecent ill, thlis tlie greattest Of all goomi immtediately. to ever~' individual of'thie rising~ genera. tion t o tile g;adual adcertaiti exclusion1 of iAnorance from vour doiiiiniionis. Again, , The Dritish Goverronent po-sesses atuple mieans to im- plrove, to a very gres,t extetit. tite dispositions, liabits, rairals, antd i;eneral cortlurt of'all tilec )Tresent poor and weorking cet. It is, rot7 known to all reflectinig atsd selitoxe etn.ta the disnokitoni, hab)its, mnorals and general conduct o&t alt nies~n,taret essentially inluncned byv the tciilunstancesin whiich theys are placed; iii it thesie itis be torn-ed to produce, Vwitit a few ex~cptions, tile w orst Slispo'sitons. habits, ior-alsi, andI general1 tondutut; or,'eil!t ti,' fewv exceTiOno.,, th'e b es t dispositlions, niorals, ltt'bits. aiid genecral conduct. 'Now ine,e elcrnumtanees are almost till at vtir colnmand; or itiay easilh, e iv'dc tt be an, to art extent qut unfficient to citable you mtt2Cdilvr to imnprove, islost miaterially, the dispositions, habits, ne r,tls, general charac~ter, antd conduttofual(l itho are 'utider your ecu-i trot At d the ctourse to adopt 'in, order mu efl'otct this- inipor: it title peSo is Simple. open. strai,lht i'urtvar,t, and lutist c,sv o'f execcttiotn. AndIl.. e ttaitl_ 'rhat it ent,irely depnd- ipoi ou ae thee vice, cr10'', attd mistry, shall c l,linuite to abound,dp5as at pre- -ent - or wiiether, be' ushng ihe po-werokrlich votpossess, for thc be- ncttit of ait ou shtif rett-e these evils, untilttyhl be scarcely know n iii isart of vour wivAely extended hi iiil. It is ntisto p'ttfleoe.r one, wa'iose_ iattthg nt has net been Perverted by prCjUoilZCer s trt v fin-ilo in'is tl itud, ' itlat tite chItaler o of every huts:iianbt-ieg is Trwitid fur himi at birth, turnsn. tdi't v b'' IIdie Pure,vr Whtichcrtetei shirot. istidltat this mita:orr.l c rarter is sub" quently uittified be each 'of cthe;rirc-.'sittncstehtich are sues'nnsttLtd itt su5ot:)ntd lti, fcom birtle tIettit.'I Ti-is is the founadation of all knowlo-ilrge that rats beof ntis roal utliyitt to vOernn ig tusakii1d. Itc c-n alonse direct t'o an,' h'cnefirAiat restilts. it ran alonte remtove v-ice, cri-me, atid misierv froill soMcity. It is the sottrce from a'whencealtite we attain a useu'tl vlsi practic.al knOwLeslge of the faculties, qualities, atitipropenoist he,of"tn-n,-ettchs a knowledige as shiall teacla us correctlv Whet t itan 1', Itow to culti- vate his pht'.sical and niental ptiwe_rs in thie best nltari'er, antI hots to secure hils miarittent httpp.nes,s; a krno't'let. , whtr-t etables us to look back uponl all th- ust aspotceedines otf Illankita nd, aalmi- nutely to tract allI the reTors tcliat persad,~theash Thiis knowledgv. htowever, simplhe and (ivtelr,t's ag t is to those who h avec been ettabled to) ove1rc'orote te effects of ta-i,' imbtord pre- judiceics and errors, has ItithIeree becuhiddvn frornmimnktrtn for all uIsefUl pract"ical PUrpose3. The sole cause of this Ion"c r,nontnidc -ain fte ua a culties, hans beret the error of forcinlg siteetlatife opinioni upon the weak anCiticntder infant inind, instead et' tCpiati-ltg 6tboAe inrctntro- vertible facts which esapec.I'nce has idistovTeved to US, and by a know- lede o tviet srin aound and cOrrect judgnment cani ever be formel. Hfere lies tito error if hutnan procee.littg. The w'ork.'j of Natuire are the direct emlanatiovns tfroui the universal creazinig Power ; anti thle facts which titey disclose a-c , indeed, the seeLrds of Deity, tin- cha,nging antt ulnehanueabic, never to hp nsistrnderstoodr~ b- - ut and spoken alilke ta 4all mar,ki'td. Tlis i-rttttd an y tie al itien and all natioins Ought t 'ocb guided a-, goend ni le rshall be so guidled anti governedl, 0o onle pass essiag a kniowle(ige of human nature will exe-ect to Iee malt trainedl to bcoujie,' i noral, in- telligent, anti Iappy beinig. Butwoshl dice'e,nd ierCl'orm th.. eiieseh fpe ever yet been accomoiil.ej~d fornman ?Wt halr rehie it; ro thle ignorance which gene'rates his., weakness, his pissions, hi., vieWv, his crimesl, and itis nilsery ? , pincpls lahn cnaLe mrati to) become ho0nest atid( sinicere in hjiWa pri iple l eand le prac- tices? Wh'lo shall dlestroy all anger inmn. n fttrm him Into a beingx ittiiv'ersally Ikind, charitable, attd benevolent? You can biest do it, tindi by yott' it ought tti be dlotie. To attain these great resuttis youx have but to will it,wntl it is done; en able you, the British Gove'critment, tii perform elts ereati task andl the time is etrrived when it is descined it) be aecont,hiebed. Yoet. !tossens all that is necesaszry .to say to fie worhd-" Sttspend Your- coniteiit of opinions antI actions;- wait wpithi a little patien'ce, andf you s~hall witness the proretdittes by teltich errors in jnthietent and o-rmrs in practice shall be gr;:dually and certainly r&ruoved from soiciy."- All circumstances have boeen concurrimia for a long pnriori past (s to dleclare boldly anti openly to the worldi your intention to sp-eak what ytlu know, and, to act consistentl'v with your kcnowledge ; and yost will Stpeedily have thie whole world to think, tospeak,and to act in unison with yAtl. For by Speaking s'ourown tihoagfits, you merely disdacit thte genuinre feelings of' humai nlabure, and they wvill bein gtanuly recognized by cs'ery httman bly TIhen--,esi kro=w' that mhe litifint does inot formn himself, antl can. riot ha accountable for tite generil nature or individual comapound of. t, wvhich hiis creator hias givenI bin at birth. L, t it nae, thierefbre, be longer saitd u ltheryvottr pub lic Sanction, hat hulman nwtOre iIs bad by nature, and merits; everlasting puiniNh. * The annual inrleiase of prodiuctivo power In great Britain mind re~las'd, Is thits more than, eqhsal to the.totah stmotint -or-mHnnal Ia. sitr' at Pressnt emnPloyed terei,' If ive stiippose thwat htour~ unzls ty machinery. tlent f'or jti Oeplnawiyty tot it i's uiroducIstV' Of euaeie evits Inlvits cons,equence.s,,anidfs(the fitst stepsto deraiige,the hsxs'n;tinteUee-tg.I Yout kntow tbat the subiviqui!tnebachaxer of the infanit in fq&ied by, the hotirhi circurntittaces- which sire permaitted to mirrountiuim, to act upon his individual nature, eind thus to prodirce the more or lesseperfect lhuman being. Lt your Government, therefore',henceforward, cease to attempt t o direct the condlurt of man in oppos.ition to the circumstances wliich you- unwisely permit to exist arotind himn, for they are net in accord- ance with hMS natuire ;anid let all your powers be directed to create a new set of crcurriNtaricesa all of Ahith shall lbe purposely calculatecl to be in unison with human stature, and in consequence continually to imp"rove its character and incre-ase its happiness. This, also, is Most easy for you to effect in practice. Youi know that the will of man is power-less over his own upi- nhions that it belorngs nut to his naitire to be capable of himself to thiink that wbich is impressed upi6rt his mindI as true to be false, or. that which he has been made to believe false_, to be true. No sin- cere Christian can, by, his own will; make himnself believe that Alla- hornet wvas a true: prophet, or a conscientious Alahomnedan convin~e himself thjat Christ *as the ison of Gosd. Cease, therefore, in your puiblic proceedings to let the wvorld suip. pose that yout have not attaitied thils knowledge. No longer attri- bnte merit, or attach.demerit, to the conscientious and unavoidable luir.ions of anyv Individual;- forbysodloinzyostact unjustly,andpro- duce incalculablecrime. and conseqtuent misery thoughoutall society. Youi knots that it is not the nature of nman to like that which is isgreeable to him, or to dislike thiAt wlhich is pleasant to himn; that be cannot prefer that -vhich is oppored, to that whiceh is congenial to his nature; in other words. that htis sensations are the niecessary results of external causes ac-ting on the character wyhich has been givren to him. Hluman nastiie has nlot been formed to hate what it believes to Be an angel. ner to lovre what it belieres to be a devil. Cease, therefore, to sanction such practices as ~re'supposc that mnan can like and, dislike by theo fiat of hisown wilU;foel thdteby vms firs,t implant insincerity in'lhuman society, and then throw the milnds andi actions of men into confusion, sow tile seeds of endless crimes, and~ iniflict iflisety upon almost every hlum.in beinig thiat comes into You know that lnwo requires a fiall suipply, (If the ileceqsaries and comiforts of life to reneer iii existence happy., Youz knows that these are created bv ithe industry of n4aj, aided by tilechanic and other scientific powirs ; and that the amount and quality of such productions depend upon the direction anti arrange- scent Of those! powers. I-ou knows that circumstances imay be sio arranged, that the indus. I try of each working individualI may be macis to produce Mu Ch forothers, aind a s11perfuitv for himnself'; or that he may be allowed to exert the whnole of lila streisgth durting a long life, atid yet produice little for othiers, andI not sufflceiett for himself. Le:t no iman, then, heuceforward continuie to) labour in vain inanyv profyoulr dotninions a it is a direct injury botli to the individual andri to society it is tile Cause of poety f lci eta n bodily affeifr ots anti it is the source of all crimes, relative en pro. lperty. IL. is an evil, too, capab'le of the m-ost easy remedy'. itt fqul kno-s thtat tile imost probable mode of forilling an fotzlliet active, virtuous, and happy character in ino, is-to place himi aitiWst those circumsitances w'hich are wisely dlevi sed to call forth all the intelli7enee, useful activity. v-irtue, atid happiness. that his in- divihidal natuire possesses. Anid you know, that it is irrational to expect more from any being than his nattire contains. CStc Le,t measures, therefore, be imimediately foriiued to comibine tc cireuinttances as samll draLw forth all thie inltelligenice, industr-y, vir- tue and hiappiness, contained in the indiYiduali natural capa'city of eacL ; that those wh'lo arc irrauediately under youir government may be an example to all other countries. It is youir first duty, an&y3our higrhest interest .it has never been dione, and is not at present done in any part of the Uniited Kingeomn. Favitig s!ated in tdetail what you do k,ior, tind the practice whiic h ought to follow fcrom that knowledge, it is requiisite for me to state wvhat vou do) -not ?: noze ;andt why, seeing that a rational przactice wouLld produce so tuany importwnt ptrmancnt benefits, it hias not be- comne general. You eo0 tot know, that the earliest taught ure,judices of mankind over the wtorld a-re error-, Wilrich pteclu(e't tile possibility of the humazn race perceiving the muost useful anul valuable truthis--that theyv place a strong batrrier in the way of the itidividual Rnowittg w ha.t he is. and what his fellow I reatuires ar,e; anid that as long as these prejudictes shall prevail, it will be a vaI.n attempt to inike mnan into., rational being, or to establisli a mnoral aisfi virtuous character thronurliout society. Y'ou ti n st knoiv that a knsowletdge of the most pla-in and simple, yet the most importtnt trutths cannot be taughit to manikind until voni determinec to chaogr stir whole of rthe presenit irrational systemt, by f'ormin.g a new coinbination of circumisatancezi, whichi shl'l be in accordance with the real iiattire of nman. Yo d rota pesent know lhow to torus thecirusacs In ouseitetie,you are beset withl diffculties not td; be stir- itotutted under your present sytem. T'he progress of'knowledge dle- mentis eqtilal frced(oln of opinioin upon re3igiousand political subjiecis. Yout knrow these cannot be permitted, alid the errors of' the present ,vS'vrn he retained. Thre ProgreSs Of knowle(Ige demianids, thlat the representative part of the governmient should bu fairly autdhoncNtly chiosen.. Y'ou kn?ore this caniiot be cffecte'd, and the errors of' thc present syste-m be retained. The roere~ o knolede demands, that the existing coriuIli. catced ssteiin O." laws, founded its error, aLnd whiirls are breconcieimuch to ipoieto be of service to the poor iman, shiould lie simplified, tua e!e lai to ie xlnderstanllrlnt, and placed wititln the reacll of all telto are to Le governed by1 them. You know Ithat this is impracticable, so long as the errors of the pr~ee`t sv.temo are, etainetl. O, 'rie p-meress of knowledge tlenmanu, that the pauiper establiish- tuentt of Great Britain shlould be annihilated ; and ithe uneniploayed ,f thec poor andI working classets shtould be so placed and trainedi. that rhtcy insy produkce aburidantly for ttiemaseves, and to spiare for Others whiat it wvouldi be right wad beneficial for othciSe to receive jri-n Yua2 know this cannot b2 accomplished, andI the errors of the pre- sent systemn be retained. Th~ inrogrvss of krtowlerhe demands, that the mamn)a angd cen- tificl;mna'-rsof -ocetv aitoula be fatir btrotuvIt ilttoactioni, untU ali Youe knots tha, these powers are produictive of increased misery only. whimt the, errors of the p-esent system are retained. 'I'he proaress of knoieledge demandts, that iustice shouild be dlonse ins the eeiucatinis of elaCh child that Conmes hint exiateccc ; and that, for the interest of all. eachi should be lnacthe the best ttiat circum- stIances can be devised to form- him. You 6lorn' that this cannot be effec!td, rind the errors of the pre- senT, sy-stemn be retained. Thi rerr,ns of knowled-re demandls that ware slioultl cease, be. Causea war is directly oppo'sed to atl l te great interests of society-tn itbutuditant produticton, to tree distributiont, to economiical prearrvation and free entjoynry:nt of' wealth-to the formation of kird digpoFi. thins, to conti;nued linprovensentin niorals and virtue, so unlimiited charity' and univelrasi gootd wtill amonog imankrind: nonie Of these can be~ attained -while svar shall be permittedl. Y'ou kneow tha war must con itiznuc to be perrmitted,while the errors, of the tiresent systemi are retainedl. The progreSS of' knowledgc demands. that the cause or ill-will, rtncharitableness, and angel, osi accouttat of di!Zerences of optnonot, a,nd of htabits among -asakitnd, slrould for over be removed. Y-u k-ow thstt' this cannot lee done. and the errors of thc presenit sYsteim be retainetd. T'ite trok(ress of Know-ledze demands, that as tite mean's abun- daritly exist to provide amply for the wantis of all, completition, tip- position, and divisiorn of interests, shiouldi cease to exist. YenM know ttsat thlese caninot retta wlsile thie errors of thec present sys!ens are retained. 'Tie prog-ress of ltnowled2e demnands, that inil;viatinls an-3 nations should be inic,,adat' enti,t to conzt inue tite practice of dlecep- tion. now whmt all ace conscionts tttat it is dleceptions. You knoorr that otets hionest sincerity c%ntiot be permitted, if tho errors of' tue present mastens be retailned. T!ie progrsss of' know'Icieite deniands, that hencefosrward yostr coutsriis shoitld lie utnirifluenctid by the prejudices of' class, scect or party; bec-ause these leach to lautenrale errors in principle,' atld the li11st injutrious cirnsrquences it piractice. You kne:w Ihiat thiis advance in the art of=gvenng cannot be rnach, and the errm-s of tite prese%t system bereand The progress otf knowledgq klevia nds, that neither Mevital nor bolhicv ' laveru shai ll lie permnittedl in f'ree statep. YPun kiiecr that rit-cke physical nor mental freetlen can. bepsemrit_ ted in ;wy -ate' were the errors of the pre-sent systemn are rerr.iied. Tine p.r.gress oh' lno.ler peculiarly demands, tha tshe conahi- lion of the people of' Irelandc 5,hould be initnediately and esesrntially l'ou keno: thlat tecannot, hr accomplishled, andI the errors of rue prcsent.sse bea rnctineui. Therehfsre, the progress of knowe- ledg'e ir7eskisjbiv denln itts. thlat t!ic eirrors of the present ss'stetym stioltthl he 1nI lonizcr retainel tiand thtat a universal re-fcrm'ation shtoned nntw be eiThctstl in til-l rhie existing circumstanc-es of society. it is naillyal to rnouire hew this all importanit tad necessary chance cain be introitucedh into viractice withoitttittturbin~ the present social arrilttpeenttns oh'& soitk Yout andI vont alone pns;sesd the vower to artise this changze in aL short rime, arvaantaieeotisls for, yourselves, for every indLividual in ithe em-pire. and fur the GoW-e-ritiitecti anti peopile ofali other countrie,.- IliStrmd 6f supr'ortiog tite sotion of the individual formation Of character, Which is the fouintaili Of all the errFrs of tle existing aye- ten of soei ety throughtoumt tbe world, you liave to dleclare opeithly yoLur conviction, that thechtaracter ofmanie is formiedI For him ; and, as all facts prove thri. trutll, no one poSsea,sitne intelligcence anoe experi,,nce tllatep tin copose the przinciple upoim wvhich yoit will thus teuti l't nw syseem. As the character of tnan is formenl for hint, it becomes at pri- malry da1te wvitlt You to ascertalin what are the circustmansces witliia voiir eiire wh~ich the miost tend to fortm an irrational and in- ferior character amrnrn your puople. You will speedily discover, thlat virtuous and moral habits, improved dispoSitions, aild superior pley.sical and meittal powvers, are not likely to be generally formed anitiiist suct circetrnsetances as are w%lually found in St. (jiles's,, Wap. piz i( !r=Woq which isow'superabound in all1 th'e lart'e wretrhed. cealin, in and aiound which, except airrand light, scarcely one favourable crcu:nstance Ceists. As little are they to be met with in tile parishi pauper eAtablishitnents within your governmelst. This knowledige, inevever, wiil tiot lcad you pretnaturely' to demno- lish even misses or sintuilar unfortunate circumstnncec, which might have bce - peimnitted to be fornncs1 purposelv toperpetuate ignora ice, poverty, barl disir-.itions, the worst habits. vice, crime, and misery, from WtlIeration to generation. Pat it will lead you to consider well of the nieans. and then judi- ciouslv to devise the mode, I v whihls voa may build up and com- bitte a nca set of circutnstaices, wvhlich shall be ns roweerful in spn-edily creatitig intelligence. industry. good dispoisitions, good hiibits, g os morals, snd happiness, as the cxkting circumstiinces are. to cnPenaler :nl d n,.,>5el-ili nnd the miseries of vice. X'ou posscss a vast sui rfiuity of labour, of skill. and of capita], to enabie you to acc.rnplinlh this wortz and the application of tlese three p9lvers to such a purpose would imn,ediately bencfit the la- heuser, the t man tf skill anti scienlce, and the capitalist. .oa 'qoudl thereby create an adrvanta--eous activity throzhnout the ;aationl whichl could not fail to produce a beneficial prnsperity, ircaphable of reirogressiqn, and ccrt.in of extenpion and increase, uhrdl it good efitcts shall pervade all the ramiifications of society. ' The details of these measures for atneliorating the general condti- tion of t heempire, noE by words ancl mich speakine, btit by efficient well devised practical arrangements, calenot be entcredI upon in this F)To a ot' communication, lut I am31 ready to aeveltp theun whcnev, r t liall be cealled upon, without desiring reward of any kind, either frotn voa or from the nation. And it is for you now to detennine, whether this chapge, the most 'i-nwrcant that the world has yet.-Tow n, rshall be carried into execu- tion by you and the tmerican. Government in perfect unity anti harmoly,or whether it shall be honrodneced by theAmeriean Govern- mcnt alone, or by individuals a oder its protmtien. I have the bonour to he, widt} ell the repect due to your i'-ch stations, your 'faihful subject, 'ROERD OMWN. Iew Lanairk Feb. 17, 1824. SM. owptwv, 4 #O p fl1tsP 6!O/AfEYZt