The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-07

a portion Of these lands, but, becoming bolder by
the success of their usurpatioB they finally took the
whole fori their share, and the citizen soldier who
won them got nothing. The natural effect Of this
was TO increase the wealth and power Of their order
and weaken the opposing force of the people. So
successful had this system of barefaced plunderIng
become, that for more than halfa century prior TO
the appearance upon the public stage OF Tiberius
and Calus Gracious there WINS not instances of
the law being executed. II had wholly fallen into
disuse-had become dead letter upon the statute.
book-and the higher orders alone were recog-
missed as the legitimate planderer' Of the public
lands.
When Tiberius Gracious came into power, with
laudable zeal for the public good he undertook 10
restore this old neglected law which had been
Swallowed by corruption. The mobiles took the
alarm; and, seeing lis just execution would tear
from them their fraud ulenu acquired property,
soueh, resource In endesSoting 20 bsoksn his rep
utauon, and applied 10 him the epHhet OF agrarian.
A direct proposition To take from them usurped
properly, and return IL 10 its legitimate owners, they
lcaed dividing out peoples property The CON
hict between Tiberius, backed by the people, and
the senators, backed by the participants in the
frauds, fierce and vindiotive, until they found
soace for all their fears in the hands Of assassin
He fell; and his brother, taking warning from bis
late trusted TO his own good sword. in tho hands Of
a faithful servant To avert similar destiny. Thus
persisted the Gracehi; and with them persisted the
last hope of popular liberty in Rome. The triumph
of fraud was complete. The practical effect of The
system Of government was changed; the political
power had departed with the lands, from
an independent and yirtuous yeomanry to
bIoated and corrupt aristocracy, who main
tanned by force what they had acquired by
fraud; and perpetuatkd asa term Of rrproach the
title they conferred upon the defenders Of the peo-
pies rights render them odious IN the eyes of the
world. Shallow.paied historians have been duped
by the scheme, and interested monarchical writers
have seized upon IT, to strengthen corrupt power 10y
| linpn IN he of
something horrible Il is term canonized in the
best blood of Rome, and meant patriotic resistance
TO the corrupt usurpation OF the public property, by
those selected to be its guardians IL isl term lden
tined with all that is generous, noble and patriotic
Then, let not the example be lost IN teaching Us
how important principle lies at the foundation of
any system with regard TO the public lands. The
public land was the instrument here used to strike
a bow-a fatal blow-upon the liberties of the
people.
times was but cunningly devised scheme to rob
the great tody Of the people Of their just and legit
mate interest in the landed estate Of the country,
and thereby build up an arstocracy upon the ruins
Of popular liberty. Ii was butt scheme TO perpet-
uate political power in the hands Of the few TO the
derment OF the many; to make serfs of the people and
lords of their rulers But the mere seizure Of the
land would not accomplish the object without etier-
ing The free transfer Of the sol and corrupt legislation
was not long wanting to perpetuate system esab-
u
restraint upon alienation. The laws Of exemptng
real estate from seizure for debt Of primogenture,
and entails constituted a part Of this iliegitimate
brood 1t is this land system that constitutes the
props to uphold the monarchies of the Old World
Let them "unmuzzle the OK that treadeth out the
grain;" let Them take off the letters upon tranfers
Of soil, and place it upon the same footing other
property, free to disseminate itself in small parcels
amongst the great body Of the people, and it would
require no spirit Of prophecy to foretel the result
The dowB-trodden serfs beneath the iron heel of
power would give place to bold, fearless, and in
dependent yeomanry, who would 5000 make the
Il crowns based upon llegumale power toppe from
their lofty heights. The land system Of every coun
try stamps its impress upon md gives character to
its institutions, and as such nvolvssa great political
principle. .agr. ~. d. nr,. -.
! Having endeavored to demonstrate the great prin-
cipes at stakeup this question, let US now turn
cur attention for moment to the policy adopted by
the European nations in coonizlng this continent,
and its natural and legitimate Consequences for it Is
a notorious fact, attested in almost every page Of
American history, that they pursued policy d.
ametrcay opposed 10 the system of policy adopted
at home, The monarchs Of England, France, and
Spain, the three great colonxing nations of Europe,
donated their lands to the emgrants in the newly
discovered COUNTRYSIDE latter in the most lib
eral manner. The policy Of this measure to
encourage emigration and settlement in the New
World. The effect Of it was to inculcate ideas Of
Independence in the great body Of the people, eleva
unS tnelT moral sentiments, ana arouslng their In
nate love of liberty, until it resulted in stretching
line of republics from the st. Lawrence to the Rio
de la Plata. Their day-dreams of empire in the
New World all dissolved at the touch Of the magic
wand of freedom, inculcated and neurished in the
breasts Of the people by the fact that they were the
free occupants of their own soul, and eat the bread
Of their own industry.
The early and rapid effects of this system of
making every settler landholder, showing its inAu
ence upon their habits, manners and opinions is
beautifully illustrated in almost every page Of our
colonial history. The first generation of emil
grants had not passed away, before its effects
we've manifest. The whole character Of the people
had changed, with their altered condition, before
time had changed the people themseves--one beau
.'fo illustration Of which he would beg leays to re-
ony in. Virginia was planted about the year 1905;
but the settlement did not assume permanent char
acter until about 1913 Shortly after this followed
the revolution in England, which brought the head
of Charles to the block. The little colony, during
that long and violent struggle, knowing no other
benefactor, adhered to the Stuarts. After the fall of
the king in 1885, when she had population of only
twenty thousand the Parliament fitted out fleet to
bring the rebeious colonies to subsection. 1t first
sailed to the South and the little island colonies and
trading posts soon bowed their necks to the Jokes
Of their new masters. The feet then sailed for Vr-
gna, but upon entering the capes found themselves
everywhere met with preparations for an armed re-
sstance. The colonists were not prepared to sub
init wthout knowing the terms OF the surrender; ana
them that they were such as comported With their
notions of civil liberty 1t resulted in negotiations,
and it is curious fact, that in the very ftst article
of the treaty, they make their invaders agree to
pudate the idea Of submission, and make them re-
gard them in terms as equal treating with equal,
and it "a voluntary act not forced or constrain-
ed" In that treaty, Virginia made them recognise
her general assembly, and their soe right to impose
taxes-a general amnesty for past political offences
her ancient boundaries-the validity Of their land
pa,ents-the land premium to emigrants- Of
trade--her exemption from charges account of the
expedition-and, lastly, that "no castles should be
erected, garrisons maintained" without the con-
sent of the assembly II this was subjugut'on, it was
la glorious subjugation for the colony securing her
every blessing OF civil government at home, while
she preserved the British government merely as a
protector against foreign aggression This was what
little band Of brave, daring, and fearless men, free
occupants of their own soil, were able to achieve
against the power of the British empire, at that time
+ everywhere victorious, In contemplating such re-