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Show 68 Early Western Travels [ VoL 26 nies. Mr. Owen was sanguine of success. On the 4th of July, 1826, he promulgated his celebrated declaration of mental independence; 19 a document which, for absurdity, has never, perhaps, been paralleled. But all was in vain. Dissension insinuated itself among the members; one after another dropped off from the community, until at length Mr. Owen retired in disgust, and, at a vast sacrifice, disposed of the establishment to a wealthy Scotch gentleman by the name of M'Clure, a former coadjutor." Thus was abandoned the far- famed social system, which for a time was an object of interest and topic of remark all over the United States and even in Europe. The Duke of Saxe Weimar passed here a [ 38] week in the spring of 1826, and has given a detailed and amusing description of his visit. About ten miles below the mouth of the Wabash is situated the village of Shawneetown, once a favourite dwelling- spot of the turbulent Shawnee Indian, the tribe of Tecumseh. M Quite a village once stood here; but, for some cause unknown, it was forsaken previous to its settlement by the French, and two small mounds are the only vestige of its existence which are now to be seen. A trading- post was established by the early Canadian voyageurs; but, on account of the sickliness of the site, was abandoned, and the spot was soon once more a wilderness. In the early part of 1812 a land- office was here located, and two years subsequent a town was "" Declaration of Mental Independence" delivered by Robert Owen ( not Robert Dale Owen) on July 4, 1826, was printed in the New Harmony GaweUe for July is, 1826. An extended quotation is given in George B. Lockwood, The New Harmony Communities ( Marion, Indiana, 1902), p. 163.- ED. 10 For an account of William Maclure, see Maximilian's Travels, in our volume Txii, p. 163, note 81. In reference to the Duke of Saxe Weimar, see Wyeth's Oregon, in our volume xxi, p. 71, note 47.- ED. n On Shawneetown and the Shawnee Indians see our volume i, p. 23, note 13, and p. 138, note 108.- ED. |
