Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/155

 i82o.] Close of the War to the Death of George III. 141 sion. This continued for many a year, both before and after the first instalment of reform was obtained, to be the task which they had to perform, leaving the honour and the profit of reaping the harvest which they had sown to be claimed by the old political organizations, as one or other of them should in turn become convinced that abuses could no longer be maintained, and that reforms could be no longer delayed. The Parliament in which these events had taken place was not destined to exist much longer ; but before it resolved on the adjournment which preceded its dissolution one division took place, which is remarkable as being the first introduction into any modern European legislature of the question of Socialism, which has recently attained such great importance. Robert Owen had been for some time carrying on at Lanark his great experiment in communism. His attempt had attracted much attention, which it deserved as an effort to promote the social independence, the material welfare, and the intellectual culture of the people. On the i6th of Decem- ber Sir W. De Crespigny, one of the members for South- ampton, moved for a committee to " inquire into the plan of Mr. Owen for ameliorating the condition of the lower classes." There was a short debate, conducted with good feeling and temper, but of course the proposal was rejected.* It is worth noticing that Ricardo, the politico-economist, was in the minority. He voted for the committee, not because he approved of Owen's principles, but because he thought an experiment so serious and important ought to be fairly and fully examined. Parliament was on the 2Qth of December adjourned to the minority : Aubrey, Sir J. Lamb, Hon. G. Waithman, Alderman Barnett, J. Pringle, J. Wood, Alderman Compton, S. Rancliffe, Lord Gaskell, B. Ricardo, D. Crespigny, Sir W. De ) Graham, S. Palmer, J. Maxwell, John J Harvey, D. W. Sinclair, G.
 * The numbers were for 16, against 141. The following are the names of