Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-03-13
From the Baltimore Anerean
NATURAL RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS or
PROpERTY

iucIo 10 u cuOnS tenOoncy In some quarters 10
mingle abstract questions, involving social griev.
ances, with the political discussions Of the dav.
One result Of this may be TO give additional ami
mostly to party strife but whether any salutarv
changes can be brought about by such means,
which might not DO better accomplished other.
wise, so far as social reforms are concerned, let
men OF reflection Judge.
The inequality Of condition among men. the
differences which exist in society in respect to
wealth, standing, infuence-are regarded by some
as phenomena utterly at variance with the politi-
cal maxifns which recognize all men as created
Tree and equal. 1t is believed by such that these
seeming Inconsistencies are the results of arbitra.
ry conventionali,ies which have not yet been
reached by the reforming spirit of the age; that
'hey indicate the existence Of tyranny and op.
preston in the social state and the reforms
which are proposed tend directly, in many parti-
cuars, to the entire subverson OF the existing or
ganzation OF society.
We find these things treated of in the Demo.
c,atic Review OF last month. An elaborate arii-
Gle Is devoted to the subject of ''property" with
inc oesign OF showing that ''the conventional
laws OF property, counteracting the natural laws
and the natural rights Of man, are among tho
foremost of the causes Of the Ignorance. poverty.
suffering and sin, which in all ages have degrad,
ed the masses Of mankind" We quote few
passages from this essay:
"Ihere Is natural right Of property, as there
is natural RICH, of life and liberly-equaly con-
ierred by the misunderstanding to man az man
equally necessary to enable him to accomplish
the destiny assigned him. more false and per-
nicious moral and political heresy was never
preached than that which POUNDS the right of pro-
perry on convention. and says, with Henry ,CLAY.
''hat Is property, which the law declares to DO
ssprSes man Of natural right
The Review goes into more definite illustra-
tlons.-"The oarth," it says, 'was created for
the subsistence of man by the law of nature il is
Tue common patrimoDy OF the race. lfby virtue
OF MS creation as a son Of God, every man has
natural essential right to life and liberty by vr-
tue OF the same relation, every man must have
right to an equal portion OF the earih or an equiv
alent. Tor his subsistence and use." But the
writer complains that this equality does not exist.
"Our own constitutions" he ro-tinues, s.though
based professedly upon i of natural
rights, have all nitted al ,ed the prin-
cIple, Transmits rom the n force and
fraud were the only law, exclusive and
pei ,?,; title to the soil cquired with
Again: "There is in .ae arrangements
by which one is enabled 10, and does inevitably,
begin life with an advantage over another. So.
cety is as unjust when il Creates or permits, he.
redi,ary distinctions of property, as when i, Gre
ates hereditary distinctions of rank, or differences
In the security of life or liberty.'
We might multiply quotations Of this sort, but
our space will allow for more than
may De requisite 10 show the general opinions and
train OF reasoning adopted by the Review.
II might suffice to stop here, and leave our rea.
ders to draw their own conclusions from the fore
going. A word or two, however, may not be out
of place.
Liberty and equality are coupled together in the
speculailons OF those reformers who have found
an organ IN the Democratic Review; and the COM
plant with them is that the former is imperfect
because it has not produced the latter. Political
liberty has failed TO bring about the equality
which was declared, at the beginning, to be it's
basis; hence the deduction is that social liberty
must accomplish the object AS in politics the
abrogaiion OF hereditary distinctions of rank form
social sphere, the abrogation of hereditary sue
cession of property is to be the beginning Of the
new effort at equality.
There is one thing which these ardent votaries
OF reform seem to overlook, which is briefly this,
VIZ that the inevitable result of liberty is TO pro-
duce inequality.
In proportion every man is left to the free
exercise OF his own energies, in such proportion
VIII the more active, the shrewd the prudent and
the bold, obtain superiority the idle, the inn
provldent, the less ssgacious. When men are
"cIeated equal' in the native endowments of in
teliect' impulse and energy, then will social and
political equality exist according to the ideas of
their enthusiastic advocates.
The principle Of equality" with many, re-
solves itself into dislike that any one should be
ABOVE them in respect to wealth or position. The
changes which such spirit would induce might
prove destructive enough, without bringing about
the desired condition Of ihngs.
Let us suppose that the hereditary succession
OF property was prohibited. What then? Why
IL The consciousness that he could not transmit his
property to his children should relax the Industry
OF the enterPrlslng man and make him willing TO
i've on from day to day without regard to the fu-
iure, would society be benefited by that? Or if
he should accumulate wealth, how would it be
disposed OF at his death ! Perhaps the reforming
school would say, of them have said:
LET 1t go 10 the State to be applied to the gene
raj use." How long would it be before clam
orons body OF applicants would arise, claiming
TO be gorged with these public spoils7 How ma
ny drones would there be in the social hive to
iced upon the labors Of the industrious bees 7
How long would the bees continue to work2
The honest Hibernian who had heard this doc
time of the equality of rights gave good il
lustration OF its results when he said to his COM
panlon-"Ah but if there was division of the
property, wouldn't spend my share of j. mighty
quick - "What would you do then :" was the
query Of the other. "'Then, is it !-Sure would
go then for another dirisiOn.''
Such has been unhappily the selfshness Of the
general race Of mankind that the advantages held
In society, whether obtained by wealth or other
wise, have not been generally used in that spirit
OF brotherhood which after all must constitute the
True bond OF social harmony. Let the ameliora-
Ting influence Of the age be led to inspire the gem
tine sympathy and kindly feeling which prompts
every man to regard the general good and 10 blend
his own interests with those Of his fellows. If
every existing institution with regard to property
were abroga,ed there would be advantages which
some would hold over others, acquired by supe-
fior ability, address, courage or skill and there
is no security that these advantages would not
be used as oPpressvely as any that are held now
no security whatever, apart from the benign in
huences Of that Christian charity which teaches
man 10 love bis neighbor himself.