Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-08-16
UNIVERSAL INQUIRY AND REFORM.

urrvrRsAI. INQUIRY AND REFORM.
The Products of the Soil. To whom
do they belongs To individual men
Or 10 universal man? There are those
who are ready 10 admit that the soil be-
longs TO the family of man at large, yet
contend tina. its products may be monopo-
lized by individuals. Some plausible
reasoning has been advanced by those
who undertake TO show the difference be-
tween property in soil and property in its
products. But it is all founded on false
assumptions. There is begging Of the
question at The outset. The first step con-
sists in taking Tor granted what has not
been proved. and, as I maintain, cannot
be. The only plausible argument have
heard or seen is based on the assumption
that each individual human being is HIM
self his OWE property, and therefore what
he is instrumental in producing from the
soil is of course also his own property.
One has It that wha: a man produces is
his own, because he is his own, and what
he produces is sort Of extension OF his
own being.
The whole fabric stands on false found
alton. 1t is not true that individuals are
their own. They have no right to make
property Of themselves. They have no
right to buy or sell themselves, any more
than they have RICH. to buy or sell 9TH
-ers. On the game principle that they have
no more right 10 kill themselves than
they have to kill others. Ii is not for hu.
man beings to make property of human
life. What then may they make properly
off 1 answer - nothing. Everything
belongs TO Hpmanity To lay violent
hands on single thing. fix value on it,
convert it into individual property, and
take il into individual possession, is rob-
berry Of the common treasury. To set up
an individual interest against the COM
mon interest," is treason and piracy against
mankind.
This is not to be taken as an averment
: that every individual human being, OF
that human beings in general who have
done these things have been understand
ingly. designedly and wilfully robbers and
pirates. 1t is only an affirmation of
fact, irrespective Of the views that have
been taken Of it. Just as if those who
discover the nature and effects Of lobacco
and alcohol should effirm that to make
habitual use of them is to commit suicide
-or that 10 induce others to use them is
TO commit homicide. Whether those who
have used these poisons have known that
they were poisons OF not, the fact is moth.
ing altered as 10 the effects produced.
The work Of destruction has gone on.
1t has not stopped for the ignorance Of
those it has been working upon. So in
regard to the property system. Its Lane
full and destructive work has gone 90. i
has not stopped for the Ignorance Of il
victims.
say again, individuals are not their
Own. They belong to the family. They
are part Of the body. The hand nigh
as we'll set up an interest for itself against
the foot, or against all the other members
of the body, as for one individual human
being to set up against other individuals
or against the family. The feebler mem.
bers have claims on the stronger, and the
stronger cannot dispense with the weak.
er. Suppose crew of hundred to Be
cast upon a distant island. They &c
forth. and fading no human occupants
they take possession of it. They call i
theirs. Il has an abundance offruit upor
it Tor their sustenance. This they tax,
possession ofalso and call It theirs. They
60 Immediately about setting forth thei
declaration. asserting their right to IN
soil and its products, founded on the prior
ity Of occupancy. They frame constitr
ton and enact laws. And immediatel
alter they get things established and al
ranged in writing, 10 their liking. anothe
crew of City is cas-. upon the shore. Th
hundred meet the City on the beach an
say, the land here and the products of
are ours. As mu:h OF itas you will pa
us money for at our price shall be your
The Yeply is-we have no money. n
means for purchasing. Then you ma
have food for labor, on our terms. Th.
party interests are violently set up and e