Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-10-30
Yours, with much esteem,
JAMES ". GARNET.
To TaI LIaIsL,rr.K q, v,,.,,

Z u" TIKI tEGisLlTpgE NInstxIa
me petition OF sundry citizens of Essex.
respectfully showeth-
That having become thoroughly convinced
OF the daily Increasing neee.,Ifv for .on-
change IN our laws relative 20 enclosure, ue
nave al last determined Co apply 20 YOU. n.
our only hope, for some remedy Of The exit
ing e'h--That this determination might no,
appear 10 have been made either hastily. or
rom considerations merely selfish. your PeIi-
TONERS beg leave TO state the chef reason.
winch have induced them 10 adopt their pre-
sent course.
In the first place, the Law OF which us
complain Is palPable VIOLATION Of all other
avs relative 10 property, whieh principle ..
10 compel every one =. 80 20 ass AZ, s,~u -,
not 10 i.Jsus fh-i rLsoA belongs 10 aastAsr -
but the Law OF enclosure actually p<r,.sf. ~.
10 inJure others BY means Of our ,toek. IN
iess hsS make fence OF . certain height 60
guard against those very injuries which JUS
uce oemsnds that the perpetrators should De
P'o"'oatea IRON committing under any CIR
e"hstanees- Instead of compelling sneE-
o'eHers themselves 10 restrain their ,toek FINN
dePreda'ins upon other peoples lands, which
Tue ABOVE cited principle clearly enjoias. the
is"a-SrHtTs are forced 10 protect both q and
IS P'oauee al an enormous expense 81 xtr1
iiencins-or, To suffer Ithout the smallest
compensation, all the losses thew NAV Ine.r
from The want Of ihis extra feaeinE
Ia The second place. We complain Of this
law, as the very unnecessary cause Of more
quarreis-more III wilI-aad more fa.tIa.
~himosIties between individuals, and oftea
whole families, than any other Lao m car
whole code; indeed. we believe q nav Dc
uuly said, OF more than al tie Others PAT To-
ge.her.
Lastly. II imposes upon every land owner
ana eultiVaior far heavier tax than All has
other taxes united; and ~ hat saak-. the u.at-
T Ter worse -, that not . cent o( Il goes into
tue public treasury but q y utterly - lasted
ana lost, inasmueh As It consists an the extra
'Aoor which each has 20 besto~ On his eacIo-
'ures 10 protect their products from oshs r
people stock. This legal oppression !. great
" aggravated by the fact, that the saasII lind
o~oer-the small euItisaior-in otheE uorS.
'he poor farmer. suffers much more Al nm
Poru0a to hrs property than the rscb ssae : Gor
having 10 ieoee q IN, and daily Go catch a %
AZ 10 guard against every other Persoa's
Aock, and being IN general not % vel pro-
''dea' as richer land owners. 18th a propor-
iIonate quantity Of labor, more of hss rre-
c'ous time aust generally be spent an making
such enclosures a. this ssost unju.s asa s.rs
Pres'i'e law Preseribes, 20 say EOsAisg e ti.-
tine lost ga repairing sod supervising ne
shoie. We may ventuFe 60 ssy thai thss
tiHe, upon an average amounts 90 tee zaoasks
20 every year. aud that q certainly oOuld Be
aoFtdsed ono moath OF more. thereby SAVING
~ least obe-tSelfth. CO more, cf the uhogF
labor besto~ed throughout The state, N The
single business Of fenciRg. e the lac ca thss
SUBJECT were exactly the revere q shat q .,
ComPei each P~rsVn 80 10 take care u his
oSn stock - 90 prevent their islufsnx hj.
netghoor's property. and not . epitivAior 81
ia"d ~ our Shsie coH.manIiy. v4etssr hs y.
proprietor OF mere tenant. bst would -
thoroughly cOntSneed On less than . wear. a
The tmmeu-e advantages of the ehanEe 90
deed, Se know no reaectlax p~f.sps 40,
Sbsre, sith Whoa ne haze covered On
THIS susjcct, ho d. cot adaast tLs tr,rth Il
ihs forsrotog arguments
Your Petitioners ~ lssvs further 10 repre-
icht- hat the cfcuElstznees of.s@r cozltry
~hr" thn iaS wss passed. hastar satirsgy
ehsnEed, the law Etssf cannet fsos - iasfi-
ned, q q ever e0sid b. .ssa a. she srors e
pniicy We have ~ innEsr fat least 81 ti.s
ii'ies a;ef part Of our slate satssssts trsetsaf
euitissted. 4senci0sed iasds deemed q httks
90 no tnmedisie value o. he proprisior. fsn-
cinE naiertals are bcr oaling comparatfsalg
very scarce. and thereby the aetaal snpsnss
q labor ~ collecting and appiy inx thsss 49,
beea eUermousig sshaursd, shsis sks 49,
eucts q Our Impoverished ksid esn vsr, "a,
Sustain thfs most unnscsssafy ds4set,s. o.,
iht ~ ust prVcseds 80 o. this, 49, opssts- -
daily Esinisg Eroand. that sses useaitSsnas4
lands siil much inprovs b ssefudiax ever
ktud q stock frutn tiera az thess rsr~.,.
stances caaatined. fst.4er isgislstive ,.t.r.
! iefcace imPeraiifsly reesssary fE ne ssii,