Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-05-13
From the National Intelligenccr, MAY 4ih ls47.
AGRARIAN PRINCIPLES.

Of Edmund Burke, "The age of Chiyary is
gene;n and but few seem to recollect that il
has sequel quite as significant, '.'Iha; OF
| sophisters, economists, and calculaiors has
succeeded; and the glory Of Europe is extin-
guished forever" Struck with the terrible
and apparently overwhelming presence OF the
| phenomena OF Disorder and Disruption which
had burst, in his day, upon what lie consider
ed the only certain system of Civilization,
Chat Of the Old WorldJ Burke regarded the
| Destruction as one which admitted noretrieyal,
and scarcely check. In this he was, with
all his vast and comprehensive sagacily,
wrong: Europe has found a temporary escape
! from the furies aud lollies OF the French Rev
oluiion in their own very excesses. But, still,
the causes which he considered ia,al--the
wild speculative opinions, the licentious prln-
cples, the dissolution of all ideas of order, au-
| ihority, reverence--are making regular pro
gress through the Ancient World; while in
ours the New, wild notions of every sort seem
let loose 10 fight, like Heat with Cold, Wet
with Dry. Solid with Fluid, in Milton's des-
cripton OF Chaos; where each single mischief
is, perhaps, weak, but where the conflict Of so
many renders any thing good-because any
thing fixed impossible, and Satan himself,
unable either TO fly or creep, to wade or stand,
to see or hear, founders blindly along 10 his
errand against mankind. From our very
foundation, every thing fantastic in social
whatever, in general, theorists and
projectors were not permitted by those in
their senses to try in Europe--has, from the
organized philosophy Of John Locke down TO
the systematic Irreligion and community of
Property, Sc, which modern Missionaries offer
under the name Of a ''New Moral World"
constantly sought our shore.
But, to recur to Burke, and his appiehen-
sions Of the coming downfall OF all Govern
ment, before Jocobinism which could not
itself govern and would let nothing else DO it,
we fear that il is in this country that the IN
! interrupted progress Of the destructive prin-
cples which he dreaded is most 10 be expect
ed There is an alarming facility among us,
terrible procliylty, 10 the adoption OF every
subversiye doctrine that hairbrained sophlsters
can start threatening and general prone
ness 10 every new and foul abuse, and (worse
and more ominous Than alp an appalling ca
slness to submit to the worst excuses and
usurpa,ions Of power, while our people are
rantlng OF patriotism and their heads seeth
ing with transcendentai improvements and
airy PROJECTIONS OF policy and freedom
In no country are more dangerous no
tons and practices prevailing; in none has
government as a system, temperate, wise,
steady, and right, so rapidly gone backward
Foremost among all these disastrous signs,
however, that betoken social Reorganization
and decentralization, comes one IN particular
the spread, and in some quarters the partial
success. of theories which look to the abroga-
ton OF the first object of all Government and
the main instrument Of all civilization; that is,
Individual Property and its legal lnyloiabIllty.
In the great and old State of New York, a
step has been taken towards this abrogation,
and taken in compliance with ouuages and
crimes which made the pernicious concession
trply dangerous. Under such circumstances,
it is TO be expected that these theories Of fatal
tendency should cease TO make proselytes?-
Ofcourse not; and, accordingly, not only has
Antl-Ren,ism begun atIesh, but we have, in
one of the city papers Of New York, the fol.
lowing account Of the conference Of one OF its
editors with deputatlon from an Agrarlan
Association, which is well enough known to
exist there, but which is now Qt appears) as
Stunning uniform and badges:
From the Journal Of Commerce OF April 81.
NATIONAL REroRMERs.-We had very
polite morning call on Saturday from four fine
looking men, dressed in very comely uni
form, composed of trousers and roundabout,
buuoned close up in military siyle--all of
stout cotton duck with colored binding. sur
mounled by tarpaalin hat upon which was
the designation Of the order. The leader.
who was good speaker, informed US that
they were part of colony who We're about
starting for the West for the purpose Of set
Ting upon unoccupied land in Wisconsin:
that they should undoubtedly endure many
hardships; that the object they deemed lauda-
BILE and necessary in fact--.or competition here
was so great that laboring men Were unable
10 procure any suitable reward; that. In max
ing arrangements for their journey, some of
the company had found themselves deficient
in means. and they had therefore made this
call. We enquired how we could seryeihem;
whether notice of their enterprise IN the
| Journal OF Commerce would beusetal to them,
for we did not understand exactly WAY, under
the circumstances which Were stated, they
should have called upon u.s. They said that
iae rights winch belonged 10 them II was
! Impossible to ENJOY here, and that, compelled
| as they were 10 search those rights elsewhere,
| they thought II proper that others should CO.
operate with them M supplying the deficiency
which had been forced upon them. We SAID
| that they were unquestionably entltled 10 the
rights OF life, liberty, and properly, and the
pursuits of happiness; that If these rights or
any Of them had been infTinged they should
have our most earnest efforts in their behalf;
but that II they thought themselves proper oh
Jects OF charitable assistance, II seemed 10 us
that they were too hale and hearty to succeed
| in that, or TO lower themselves 10 such an APP
plica,ion. They resented the idea OF charity,
| but still seemed 10 think they had claim on
good grounds. We said that their claim. il
/ they had one, must rest either on The ground
Of debt or Of charity, and that we We're not
aware Of owing them any thing. The chair
man replied that we all owe 10 each other love
and coed will, That debt, we said was GER
! tainy due from us TO them, and we would
pay il on the spot, for no one could more
heartily wish them well than ourselves Here
the conference ended in nothing at ALL and the
committee went on to our neighbors, upon
several of whom they called and presented
their case
We were little saddenee by,his interview,
though mol much, Cor not much mischief we
trust will come 10 these worthy men, or their
families, or society in general, from the Slight
ianatlclsm into which they have been led by
some rantlGg demagogue. 1t is pity, how
ever, thai the happiness OF any one should be
disturbed ia this country under the notion that
his rights are denied him because he is oblig-
ed 10 labor in that healthy competition with
his fellow citizens, which he creates equally
for them. and which pervades the whole COM