New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-12-08
Association Discu.-ed. No. :.

matter N controversy within the limits proposed
VIII leave the subject OF Mans Natural Rights
where it now stands. | think can well afford 10
do so. II there be oEe reader OK beth sides who
believes your unsupported assertion that assert
the perfect right Of all men az any time born
upon any TERRITORY 10 equal shares o; the soil IN
full view Of what hare asserted and iaDo1en %
demonstrate, will waste no more words on Mat
reader. Or If there be one who cannot discriminate
between the assertion Of an original night InherInS
IN I'll men 10 portion OF the Godcreated elements
with their Spontaneous productions and the asser-
ton OF similar right to the products Of other men
labor or care. l despair Of milking an impression
on that one l write only for such as are capable
Of perceiging palpable distinction and candid
enough to admit it when perceived Il there be
any disposed To insist that Man cannot have nat
ural right 10 such portion Of the God created ee-
mcnts as may be necessary to his subsistence OF
which Society may righsfully divest MIN only by
guaranteeing him Just equivalent because, &C
cordng to d<,r logic, you canno. admit this with
out proving natural right TO something more they
are welcome TO spin such web Of logical subtleties
as lon= and as strong as they please. only pro
test against having my limbs iettercd by it;
I That PAIsE and BURKE were eminent champi-
ons of opposite theories Of Government and Hu-
man RIGHTS half a century ago, will prove Il you
desire it, but suppose need not Tia: Burke S
ESSAYS on this subject were truly a3s,ccs 20 Paine
Rights of Man / think shall have difficulty
in showing. even though he never named the work
or the author and that the substance of your ar
rument in this connection may be found IN Burke S
writings will endeavor TO show if you request it
That my fundamental positions are identical in
substance with, those Of The Rights OF Man
that the ahinities Of my Political principles are
with those OF Thomas Paine as against those OF Ed
mund Burke, is most true. That yours are the OPP
posite is also clear enough. And now, il you can
induce any TO repudiste the principles OF the Dc
claration of Independence because Thomas Jcifer-
son was en- unbcliever, you will OF course have no
difficulty in disposing of The Rights OF Man IN
the same way. The essential identity OF the two
cases needs no illustration. The American People
have hitherto been able to discriminate between
the Political truth incucated by Paine and Jetier.
son and the Theological INTO which misal-
lance especially throughout Europe of ritual
Christianity with Aristocracy and Tyranny impe!l-
cd them. ] have confidence that they viii continue
to make that discrimination.
And now to the practical working Of Associa-
ton
Your decided objection to extending and per
petuating the Ihlanora system Of and Tenures.
is cheering symptom | shall bear 1t IN mind
upon the great question OF shielding for ever our
vet unsold Public Lands from the possibility of be
ing so perverted. Hut when you proceed 10 argue
that Laad will absorb one tou,5h OF the products OF
an Association because Capital may do so. you be
tray sad giant Of acquaintance with the matter
The CAPITAL OF a mature Association would Proba-
bly, be Half a Million Dollars. OF which the first
cost of the Land would be- If L. S. land say $1,000
or one sirtteR Thus instead o, Land far better
than the Manors and IN the same condition they
were when they were leased to the Tenants re
ceiving one fourh o the products, or oHctcentieh
its proportion would be OHe.flr0 hvHdrcd and tor
Gcth until the not distant day when the Govern
ment shall change its system OF dsposng OF those
Lands and allow the Lsndess TO take and occupy
an adequate portion thereof without charge ex-
cept for the actual disbursements Ill acquiring sur
veying and allottlng it. When that contamination
shall have been reached, your solicitude in behalf
OF the two thousand poor men whom Association
threatens to fleece of one fourth Of their products
will no longer be in requsitlon.
Let me say once for all that Association pro
poses to divest man Of any property which the
Law SAYS is his. 1t does not interfere directly
with Landholding Anti Rent National Re
form, &c 1t grand aim is to effect n Reconcilla
ton of the interests Of Capital and Labor by restor
in. the natural Rights Of the latter without trench
ing on the acquired Rights or Interests Of the
former 1t will take no foot OF land until the Public
L ands be made free but by purchase Of the legal
owners at their own votion. Let me see If | can
not show how this will be done, to the casual
reader. | will summary contrast the Industrial
Economy of an ordinary Township with that OF an
Association
\ Township, we will say in Michigan, is settled
stragclmgly by some fifty to hundred emigrants
from New England or this State, most OF them
Farmers by vocation. The first corners obtain good
locations and al the minimum price. But, Oh the
other hand they doomed 70 live for years with
out Schools without Churches to travel many
miles to Mills or Mechanics with wrctched apollo
sies for Roads and in daily want OF many Of the
most essential comforts o. life. The children ne
ccssarily grow up rude and unintellectua hunting
snd fishing get the upper hand OF work with them;
Mails aud Newspapers come along tardiy and
reach but few; the overshadowins woods the de
cavinc timber, the unframed marshes and rarely
disturbed vegetable mold continue for many years
to generate miasmas and multiply diseases, which,
in the absence or scarcity OF proper Medical talent
are tempered with by every 0uack abomination
immense suffering is endured for the want Of
proper medicine comforts and nursing MANY die
whom proper care would have saved while the
aggregate loss OF time by sickness often at such
seasons as to cause loss OF the fruits OF the years
toll is appalling, Such is fair general picture OF
pioneering in the Weston, indeed, almost any
where.
Years pass the forest slowly melts away the
little no,chcs first cut in it gradually connect with
each other fruitful soil energies from beneath
the once ecipsing shade. Mills, SchcoLhodses
Churches are erected Stores are opened, Mcchais-
les come in, with Doctors. Lawyers, a.. IN abun.
dance Now the hitherto Unoccupied lands are