Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-06-23

evident violation Of natural law. Two men 20 in the
spring and settle upon ono Of the great Western prni
RIGS, where there is land enough for them BOTH and
both find equal means Of maintaining themselves
there. One goes TO work, breaks up the SOIL and
plants his potatoes and corn. In the fall he gathers
just sufficient support himself through the winter.
The other individual, with perfect knowledge Of the
consequences of his conduct instead Of Initiating this
laudabe example, has spent his time in dleness, and,
when winter comes, finds himself without anything
| 10 eat. To say that the idle man. under these cir
cumstances, has rs good right to the products OF
the earth tho industrious has outragcs all our
natural IDEAS Of justice and confounds our notions OF
right. Unless we are to have sionachs in common
and backs in common, and wives in common, we
must have the right to produce and appropriate what
the necessities of condition require. A man s
| right to particular piece of land depends upon his
Occupying and improving it, and the man who takes
portion of the earth as il came from the hands OF
tho Creator and labors hard upon it and improves i,
until by the sweat of his brow he has made il fruitful,
has right to retain possession of Il which no other
man can live. SO a community who cultivate any
particular tract have right to its products to the
cuson of others.
COLLINS. denyi'.
BALLou. Do yon mean 10 say that a settled COM
munty, who by Their industry produce sufficient for
their own wants, have right TO the fruits OF
their abors than any rowing band,i who may choose
to come and appropriate them1
Collins. Yes.
WHITING. The rights OF the two parties are Rradi-
aed by their necessities.
BALLou. Do you mean TO say that the man who
will not work has as good right to eat the fruit of
his industrious neighbours toll as that ncghbor has
himsefi
Collins. Yes
BAlLou. hardly know how TO argue seriously
against, theory that so plainly violates Scripture and
common sense. Instead Of removing the evils under
which society grOans, you invite and encourage rob-
berry and strife; for who is there among us that, after
having toed hard to produce something for FAM
lies, could cit unmoved and soc the man who had
| looked idly on while we labored, walk up when the
food was prepared and dip his noseup to the eyes in
our trough The attempt 10 carry such theories i'll
to effect only result in widespread confusion and
| strife
Here ArtoArL Fot.on, who during the discussion
doalt her blows right and left with praeworihy i'm
partially, assert that person might by per-
feet love-, overcome the greatest ures and favored
the audience with another leaf from the history of her
experience at No 46 Myrtle street. containing an ac-
| count of woman who Guar,ered herself upon her
there, and for several months ate her bread and burnt
her wood whou, once being guilty of the poiteness
Of asking for either.
| The Rev. JOINS DowL,so of Providence related the
| well known anecdo,e of Rowland Hill, who when
waited upon by = gentleman holding the same loose
notions in regard property that professed by
some Of the persons who had taken part in the debate
ordered his servant to show the gentleman out of the
house, and not to take his eyes off him until he was
clear from his premises. Mr. DowLINa concluded by
advising the audience, there possibly some Ia
zy persons present. whose necessities might confuse
their perceptions Of right to take good Of their
pockets.
JonN A. CoLlrSs said in reply to Mr. Baou, tina,
a man BY being lazy could not forfeit ALLEVIATE his
right 10 live, and commended that men lazy only
because labor is considered degrading That no such
thing is as a lazy child before it has arrived al
that age when can feel the disgrace which society
has stamped upon the man who tolls. That it is the
law Of mans being 10 be active, and that, in proper
etatc Of society, lazy man, lie man born without
| fpnt lot mi 10 nntxv ppld IA.
pltltd for his misfortune instead of punished for
crime. 1t is the duty of every man to labor to pro.
| duce what he consumes; but a man who Is so
stuted TO neglect that duty cannot thereby fofeit
his right to eat and TO live Men derive their rights
| from their necessities.
[Ayoung man in the auiience here nterrupted the
speaker byinqrng if it did not follow from his theo
| ry that the more lazy man is the greater are his
rights as his laziness evidently increases his necess
| ties 4?
CoLL,vs. Nc, a, all.
1t bad now go, to be nearly 10 o'clock, hut before
DESTROYS of saying one word to the friend who had
been so kind as to caution the audience to look wei
to their pockets. He would tell that man that he wat
the thief and he was the murderer, because he lived
upon the msfor,unss of his fellow men and took
a'ent, and that his argument vas just such one a.
might be expected from minister who could pray ir
his pulpit that the down trodden aborers of Rhode Is
lane might be still more wckedly oppressed,
general inquiry here arose; "Who is he 7" "Wha
is his name = &c, which the Reverend gentleman an
swered in rather consequential way, by stating tina
he was 'the author of Dowlings reply to Miller.
He then went to say that he should have behough
himself earlier of the saying that no honor could b,
gained in contest with skunk for though the crea
,ure might be vanquished, the victor would be per
fumed all over.
This sally was greeted with many kisses, and somt
applause, and the meeting Immediately broe up ,ht
philosophers regreting the slight discord which hac
occurred, but conso!ng one another with the refec
ton that the presence Of clergyman rendered ii in
evitabe.
On Friday the discussion was resumed at 9 O'CLOCK
W w o, H. nn of @ a sA IN evening
lings.l
This gentleman resided in Milford, and we Re
hundred persons, who are testing by actual expert
ment the principle Of association.