New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-29
THE TRIBUNE.
The Anti-Rent Question.

TROY, sept Kun, ITO
Twas uleased with your defence OF your course
anon tho Anti Rent troubles but sorry that you felt
constrained to apologize for any thing had said
Won made most admirable reply to the unfair and
alnaturcd structures of the Courier s. Enquirer
Yon have sufficiently indicated your self-wiI
,ou give me a chance to do the like
In nv letter Of the l2th published in your paper
of,be 10Th instant, drew out an argument from
tex, extracted from the J0uraal Of Commerce. The
Jourpal called the habit of leasing land for long pc
RODS an abominabe practice and only reechoed
The phrase If the text is true, then there is no
sscape from the conclusions OF my argument. dare
,he Courier and Enquirer to publish the rh0fe OF my
le,er. If il will do so ii may comment from now
MI doomsday, and ! will not complain. But that
,sil not suit its purpose Its reply would not meet
NV argument but only its own version OF II. IL Is
very easy matter TO rnstate an adversary's positions
and then give them a triumphant reiutation. That
.merely the boys play OF setting up and knocking
overs cob house The fact that the whole substance
ofmy letter was but an ampliticaton Of the para
grsph from the Journal OF Commerce was studlOus-
yconcealcd from its readers Was this fair My
language was carved aud garbled, and / was repre-
sspted as saving what did not. Is this any better
than absolute ialsebood
Col Webb is always Dragging of his resDcctaJH
pesse comport with the character Of true geHttc-
aanl II mans arguments are weak. his positions
untenable the easily they reiutcd and over
lhrown and the less excuse is there for ialsiying
them.
You are wrong in admitting that the Legislature
has no power TO abolish perpetual leases. | can
prove tina, il has ample power IN two ways But
you cannot spare me the space. At a future time
and in another place | will do ii. II can bc done
according TO law, and without impalUng the Obhga-
ion of contracts 1t does not need tM aid OF Con
vention nor the change Of a single rule OF law recog
rzed by the Courts
The Courier Il Enquirer has much 10 say about
the obligation OF contracts Now contracts in order
to be obligatory at all, must be in accordance with
law and not contrary to public policy. Many and
many contract entered into honestly and solemn
lybY the respective parties is declared void by the
Courts Ii needs something more than barganbe
tween two persons to make valid contract.
Every body understands that the Bankrupt Law
impaired the Obligation of contracts PrOmissOry
notes bills of exchange, bonds, agreements. verbal
mwnilen. with or without seal, are contracts Did
Colonel Webb avail himself of the Bankrupt Law
TO impair any of his coniractsl What the diff
ference between his debts and his assets as sworn
bin bis schedules ii recolcct right. the Colonel
got himself released from contracts TO the amount
ofaboui $3.50 0O0 and If his creditors received one
half OF one per cent on their demands out of his as
sets never heard of II. And all this while was Inc
Rot living in a palace, of which the furnishing
worth sl0O00l And vet this man has most holy
horror OF any law which shall impair the obligation
ofcontrac,s lie has not particle of sympathy for
the poor tenant OF n mountain farm, not worth
$4,000, who tolls all the year to dig from the stub
born soil a bare subsistence for himself and family
and who asks of the Legislature 10 release his land
from an ABoMINABLE TENURE. that constrains HIM
Is he would avoid distress warrants and lails TO pay
yearly and forever 10 a distant landlord fixed tr
butte whether sickness or health has been his por
ton. and whether Providence has vouchsaed sea
son Of scarcity or plenty. But when a man is com
peely sells satisfied that he ~ oi natures aristo
Gratis entitled TO live out of other mems earnings
sad fare sumpluousy every day, his conscience be
Genes as hard a. the scaly side OF Jobs Bshemoth
and imfcne,rable TO the arrows OF Truth and Justice
ANrlRENT
E We have never intended TO apologize Tor
the positions or views of any correspondent but
SIMPLY to state that our correspondents speak for
themselves as we do for ourselves and that II is ex
rsmey base in those who understand this of pro
Gained rule TO quote the language OF correspond
ent saying The T'ribWne says 40 and so.-Neither
hvewe evermeant to say ihatihe Legislature can do
hohinc for the Tenants. We think it can and should
DO much without at all invalidating contracts. We
very heartily approved and desired the passage OF Mr.
ndrrts pui Oh last w tdNhS H' I""N'''' q"
interests aud rents lust mortgages are now la ed
The passage of this bill alone would have done much
to bring about settlement OF the Land Question,
aud we cannot see why il was not passed In the
present state Of our laws landlord can hardly be
expected to convert his Rent. Charge which is not
taxed, into Mortgage or other investment on which
h must pay taxes The law is in fault for
hisreiusal than be $50 We consider the Legisla
'ure may and should require all Landlords TO show
Sgood title TO all premises clamed. by them. and
bot in their own immediate occupancy and in de-
ian OF this 10 decline enforcing the contracts based
% the presumption that they had such title. The
Legislature may do many things calculated To hasten
Tie redemption OF the land from feudalism. Butwe
have rather avoided this aspect OF the matter and
bent our efforts To the work of convincing Landlords
'nc Tenanisrcspecvcly that each party has rights in
neprcmses and that their true course is t6come To-
seiher at once, talk the matter over, and make
compromise which shall render each tenant free
holder and secure the landlord Air compensation
nr bis reserved interest This can be done nj once.
without troubling legislatures, lawyers agents, she
ms posses any body else but the parties actual
Interested. Ii has been done in several instances,
md We hope it soon will in many others
Ed Trb.
FAIR HgT-The New-Orlean Picayune, after