Mr. Owen To The Earl Of L...
The Times, 1824-05-28T00:00:00

Aly Lord,-I anm indebted to you for the speech which you made last night in the House of Peers, in reply to the Marquis of Down- shirc, when he presented a petition from me, praying for the ap- pointSient of a committee to examine aplan which I have prepared, to renmedy the evils whiclh for centuries past have been suffered to af- flictso many millions of our fellow-subjects in Ireland. I am in. debted to you, my Lord, because vou have opposed the measures which r have prepared to ameliorate thc conditien of our fellow-men, both in Ireland, in this coutntry, aud in other couatries, upon deft. ite groundr. Yoa express an opinion, that the principles and plans wbich I re. commend for the gradual improvement of society are sucl, that if they were carried into practice, none of the pesent Governments of the world could remain as they now are. My Lord. I fully admit this conclusion, and it is for this very reason that I havethus far persevered in bringing before the Legis- lature and the public, from time to time, those measures which I have advocated, and which, ere long, cannot fail to be geTerally adopted. Since these Governments were established in their present form, and upon their present principles, the greatest improvements have taken place in the various sciences connected with political economy; and the human mind has made the most rapid and extensive strides in the knowledge of human nature, and in general knowledge. It is not, then, that the devices of any individuals, however ac- tive or intelligent, will render a general imnprovement in governments necessary or practicablc their most strenuous etorts would little avaiL, it the late gigantic advances of thebuman rnind did not, like other great operations of nature, make it imperative that improve- ments in one course should be followed by improvements irn every other direction. Any attempts to stav orretard tbia march of intellect. or to pre- vent it from going forward in the natural coarse of events, you, my Lord, will be soon convinced must prove puny indeed. The well-being of those who govern society, as well as that of those who are governed, will speedily call loudly for improvements in government corresponding with the improvements in thearts and sciences. Permit me to ask you, my Lord, if you deem it possible, in the nature of things, that, after this little island, with -a population under sixteen millions: has acquired in less than half a centurv, a new artificial power o producing wealth which exceeds twice the whole unassisted manual power of the world, millions of its sub- jects should yet continue to be allowed to remain in as low a state of ignorance and poverty as if no means existed to supply them with the first necessaries of life,or to furnish them with the first elements of knowledge? WVould there be one particle, my Lord, of wisdom, or Justice, or even of regard to their own self.interest, in those who direct the affairs of this great State, if they were to stand by and sutfer such a system of misrule to go on from day to day, without applying some effective, practicable rernedy ? I readily admit, my Lord, that Great Britain at this moment de. servedly stands at the head of the civilized world. Its real power is enormous, and, under a wise administration, it would be inexbausti- ble and irresistible: its present resources, if they were judiciously directed, are sufficient, not only to place all its own subjects in a situ- ation of complete and permanent, pecmniary independence, but they are abundant, also, to enable this country to bestow a similar boon upon the populatien of every other country into which our mecha- nical and chymical inventions and discoveries can be introduced. But, my Lord, vie have not onlv attained a period, when, by ex- tended science, judidously directed, the population of this and of other countries may be with ease rendered independent with regard to considerations of wealth,-we have 20al been permitted attshesame period to acquire the knowledge by which, with equal ease and cer- tainty, the human character shall be formed to virtue, to intelligence, and to happiness. These are not the rash assertions of youth or ef inexperience, nor yet the speculations of one who is unacquainted with the world; but they are put forth by a thorough-bred, money-making, cool and de, liberate man of business, who is now ready to be examined at tle bar of your right honourable House, to prove the truth of the prin- ciples and ease of the practice by which these new and hitherto un. heard -of consequences shaU be established throughout socIetv. And, my Lord, if these things are as they have been stated, who is there that has an interest opposed to their ado?tion ? WVhose in- terest is it to place an obstacle in the way of attaming so much good for our present suffering fellow-creatures, and such permanent bene. fit for the rising generations ? I do caU to mind, my L-ord, that some years ago I had, for a con- siderable period, almost dailv communings with yeur Lordship re- specting some of the practical arrangements which I had then form ed in furtherance of some of the extensive views which I enteztain and I do recollect that your Lordship was much enamonGred with what you were pleased to call the beauty and order of the practical measures which I placed before you, and in these feelings you in- dulged for so-me time, and also amused me with hopes of your Cor- dial aid and assistance; and I well knew how valuable the acuteness, the Intelligence, and activity wbich yoa possess, would have been to such an infant cause as mine was at that marina. I ao recollect, too, that one day, when I was dilating to you, with great satisfaction to myself, on the nunmerous advantages which the working classes would derive from the new combination of fa- vourable and virtuous circumstances which I had arranged for them, to replace the unfavourable and vicious circumstances by wbich they have tiU now been surrounded, that, to mny surprise and astonishment, you exclaimed, as though the idea had at that moment, for the first time, fdashed on your mind-" I see most distinctly the independence and happiness which you have prepared for tbe working classes, but what is to become of n-s? " AMeaning the aristocracy of this and other countries. And from that day to this, I could not succeed in inducing your Lordship again to enter upon the subject. If I had not been so unfortunate as to frihteu your Iiordshl wvith the idea of the independence and happiness to be givenby this systeum to the working clssses (exclusively, as yo0 then thought), Ihave no doubttbatl6should Boon have convinced you of rhat 1B really the fact_tbat much as the condition of the lowerorderswouldhaveheenameliorated, the improvement in the situatiou of the higher orders would be still more important. Inr. stead of the almost universal dissatisfaction which they now neces' sarily experience, they would possess in securisy aid abundance the highest enjoyments thathuman nature, with its present knowledge, can attain. But your l ordship said last nizht in your place in Parliament, that when youa expressed an opinion to me, that the plan which I proposed would overturn aU the existing Governments, my reply was,"1' that your l,ordshiV well understands the consequences of the proposed improvements,' or words to that effect. It is not only in private, my Lord, that I bave admsitted the ex- tensive consequences which -would naturally follow from the adop. tion of the measures which T propose and recommend, I have also uniformly stated, in the niost distinct manner, at every public meet- ing I have held, that this was the impresSion upon my own- mind, and that I oticipate. an elevation or the hunnan character and con. didon solely through these extensive changea. But I have as uni- formly added, that they are changes to beeffectedi not by revolution or violence, but by prudent steady advancement in knowledga and;' virtue; not by the overturning of any-government- but by X im- provement of alU governeuts. I have lso unitormly wocated the necessity that gheee great amdiorating drcumataucra ihnuId be i'nftodt:ea atnd &W4dBnietIsU netira, b'J. the *itineg vfmeTfg 2hL senimntIsli eteula,and ram every daymore conivinced that Iit would be the highs wisdomn in the present AdminiiiatiOonto t2ke a much more decided lea in adopting the improvements which the vast increase of science aud knowledge is stirongly forcing upna so- ciety. And I must'have expiressec1myself very-inaccurately, if I have conveyed to yourliordship as mind any other imnpression ilhan these. A most decided improvement in the condztien of all elasses nmust at this lieriod takec place. As well, may any of the Ettr6peatk Go., vernments, if they, were so disposed, attemtpt-to *tay anyof the othet great operations of nature astortrth bnfcacagead wisdomn would lead to maZe a virtetard thi cenesicity hn.-n To produce this chanxe without violenice, to render it easy for the! Government, and most beneficial for all classes, I tenderedmyg peti- tion by the noble Mfarquis, Who feels a deep interestin the welfare of' hiis suffeidng country; and I trust, for the bonour of Parlinment, that the prayer of the petition will be granted, andl that you, mny Lord, will see cause to give it your cefltin support. MVy Lord, the plan in questiouli to employ and educate tbe Irish peaisantry at the least pwisible expease, consistently with Ilthe effi- cient attainment of theseirnportant objects; it is the only practical plan before the p-blic; whicth has bee'n maturecl by extentiv e expe rnence, or which promnises the smalIest chance of pemnianent benefit It is my dutir to offer it to Oovernmeest irt the first instance. Should it,'hDweverz be declined, I intend, knowIing as I do its ca-pa. bilitles, tolose no time in presenting it so the public., who will thert ascertain its defects and judgeoitbnftsadI elntth least anxiety as to the result., fisbnft;adIfe o h oughtapoloize lbertywhichI have ta-ren vvieh your Lordhips nae; itti ha bee caledfor by a great publfic dluty. Ihae te onor o b, vryresecfuly,your Lordship's obe- dient servaROt,RT WEN. MIR. OTEVN T0 THE EARL OF LAITl7PRnfl.. IN ANSWVER TO SOME ODSERVATIONS OF HIS LORDSutl ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, IN THE ROUSE OF FEERS.