Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-01

fhilip 81 George Cooke, OF Powhatan.
Geo. w. Munfurd, Of Richmond City.
Robert Johnston, Of Harrison, and
u. Culhbert Powell, of Loudoun.
For the Enquirer.
ENCLOSURES AGAIN!
Messrs. Edilols: Your humble servant has re-
| Gently seen, with much interest, several oommu
nlca'lons on the subject OF enclosures. and LA.
been intending to write little himself, bu, ha.
had so much lencing and other things to do thai
IL mas oten postponed I'LL an earnest and vigorous
appeal appeared IN the Enquirer from a young
farmer OF Cumberland, over The signature u
"Ancther Of Them" Another Of Whom?-o
those who wish TO make the poor man maui in
addition 10 his muliiaruus labors-to deprive
| him OF The benefit Of few blades OF Grass
grown on The commons, which have long since
been turned out BY his rich neighbour as TOO sterile
to justify future protection? II my young friends
fences OF Cumberland are as long as The yarn he
has spun out about the right and justice Of the
proposed law, and the hunbussery Of the term
lawful icncc" and Inc poor neighbor Of Ten
swine in his vicinity, who had better luck than
himself perhaps in raising nihe-lenlis Of his
turn OUT" no doubt he may repnc a, The thought
OF living knoiiy, Old field pines TO enclose his
over-grown fields Of luauIan corn. Doubtless
he would prefer 10 spend The time thus required in
quaiilng, sub legmine laei, with social ncighbors,
rare Champagne, whist his friend Of The pine
wood might be experiencing real pain in the
process 50 eminenty calculated 10 e1ude the es-
sence OF ill-ied bacon
Now, perhaps, his neishbors crop Of growing
pork might recently, wilhlheir nasa promonlories,
have exlirpaled some u his corn, and elevated
his dandeI, and 10 this radical diversion OF pork.
llnss we may be indebted Tor lawyeIly and efu-
sive dissertation on ias and nelas Now would
respectfully ask my young friend, and these who
have preceded him in this crusade, against 'jfee
frade" hogs and b,cornsd cattle in particular, 10
point out the utility OF eSpaiiating On The impro-
prety OF law which has been sanctioned for a
lime, whereof The memory OF man runneh not TO
Tho contrary. Why This spirit OF innovalun7-
young farmers rising in arms against legislation
which the wisdom and experience Of renowned
ancestors hequeathod 10 Us as legacy then
deemed rich? Should we mol cherish those old
statutes SO carefully guarded in phraseology,
even IS an heir-loom2 The public mind, not
wilhsandng the astounding discoveries and
gianlihe progress made in all that conduces 10 The
happiness and elevation ofman, and the mastery
activity Of mind and body, which characliZes The
present age, still clines with iondness 10 the forms
and customs al other days, even as the zine en-
twihes ltscll around The sturdy oak for protection
and snrpoH-and seems 10 say 10 he rash advo-
cate Of change, Spare That law There seems 10
be a feeling implanted in our nature 10 venerare
The eioquenl rcmaihs Of antiquity. The love Of
other days affords sub cts iur pleasing con-m-
flalion. he ieGt!al system, though proved by
The condition oi he Irish rcasanIy ard The ten
antTy 81 Great Britain in general 70 be a fo.el
system 10 hr poor, is nevertheless virtually CONT
nued amid The gToans oi starving thousands
The old and present mole Of maturing suits (lri-
voons dilaiory pleas-lhc legal way OF castsal-
ing his Satanic Majesy round the venerable re-
mains Of an aE,iquated oak) Is cumb!ous indeed
The wheels Of justice are So clossed that in some
cases Hercules himself can relieve. Yet who
so rash and ndiscreet as 10 disapprobalc Inc mo-
dmopcTondi adopted By The quaint though Learn
81 49,. I'm Doe e Gisc! 9a .tacheieus and ever
here are many cases in which The slightest ''i h.
:ormal,i, may prove !alal- arising from the ali.
sencr 81 diecl and uneGu;Yocal law yet the law
ycrs, who rs .raicrniIy arc not surpassed by any
in The county in the possession Of qualities that
afo!n human nature, quietly acqulesce in all
this rerchance because they honor and respect
old customs and forms. Now some more know
ing than others. may with sapIent wink, suppose
am rrdant-hat The lawyers know which side
Of their bread is bulrcred. Then, lei us turn TO
the Legislature, where we shall find The oppo.
nenis Of The proposed scheme occupying an al
most impregnahie position. With onr counicr me-
mortal concluding "and your petitioners will srsr
pray" and role Hns n The polc, where is the law
eiver ncunsiieratc, reckless ol his Interests
as 10 disregard the voice Of hi, constituents in
this :"snec.7 Whilst some may be - ndcrrud.
ert 10 heed not the opIosiionlo This Law, Others
who delight 10 spend their winners in The lovely
and allurinr city 81 Rchmord, may know which
side their bread is burcred. Sa the advocates Of
II, - ~ Iha.r
tiery musi have IA little more g,are"
Blu, have depressed; intended 10 say some
thing in defence ot the present law. "AGo,her
says he is yel 10 near The first plausible argument
in support Of it. Now ior uifling levy on his
candor or charity. Touching the uncertainty OF
events he says the wind may blow down the
fence, an old SOW may undermine, or the OK.
| sco;ning such low pursuits, may, with aspiring
| holiness, approach The lsltering ramparls and
| raZe them 10 a convenient level eniargne his
| declaration with other counts oi a similar ma
lure. These arguments he deems plausible, else
he would not have advanced Them. Now, would
no, the sane catastrophe most probably ocruI
| n2der The system he proposes to introduced The
mechanic, or small i!ephoder would have bu a
| small !o or pen 10 confine his hogs cows, sheer
and horses, which would bear slight resem
| blance 10 the manner in which The Yankees u>e1
/
speculation in Southern markets. The small
| earnings Of the mechanic must be appropriated
TO the purchase OF TODD Tor his stock from veal Il
year. In many cases The dernier resort would be
| 10 the eyoriona;e drover- and should any ont
wish to know how pork-buyng gouges INFO lh'
pocket, jnsl let him Try il. As 10 the luxury 0
cool bullerm!s, fresh butter, lamb. shoai, mutton
ri II omnc genus rel. they must be bought Be
sides paving his portion Of the revenue and conn
t. lew, &c, he mus: BE- taxed Tor The iu1nrion
,lec,ssor,cs OF lie, whilst the commons and occa
sional raliors tom neshboring fields might aver
The hardship Now. hlessrs. Editors, does al
this look like tree trade and sailors rehis2 Is
not an approximation 10 Easland's odious reve
nue. system, where they tax even light
believe have summed up most hat can b
said, at least that l. in nv haste, could think o
on The dement's OF The proposed law of iaclasurt
and leave il to others better qualified than myse
10 take up the cudges. Others whn have pTece
ded eAnoiher" on this subject might have recei'
ed passing notice, butlheir pieces were not bs
fore me.
In conclusion, Messrs. Editors, the hope is CT
teuaned that ycnr paper is as Tree 10 the one sid
as To The other +.
Powhatan, May, 1s47