Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-09-22
From the Boston Investigator.
THE POOR MANS PATRIMoNy

the strength and dexterity of his hands.an
to hinder him from employing his strengt
and deXterty in what manner he think
proper, without injury to his neighbour, is
violation of his sacred property This
true In principle. and as principles are un
conditional truths, any system of social O
ciVil policy which infringes upon this prin
clple. must necessarily be erroneous
There is custom surely legislative and ar
oltfary, eXtant among civilized nations, O
aIoWlng one man to control the natural anC
absolute necessary source and means O.
subsistence of thousands. What is the in
ference and effect! That the custom i.
wrong, and the thousands deprived of thei
natural rights by this custom, must accep
OF artificial rights from those who thus
control their natural rights, and thus these
wronged thousands become the dependents
slaves, or serfs of the 'one.'
This is the exact condition of large Dor
ton OF the laboring population in any coun-
try where land monopoly has spread its
balelul influence, and here, in this republic
where the infant condition of this curse pre-
SCENTS monopoly If Judicial power, has the
destruction of his monopoly been discuss
ed, and nearly become test question in po-
lltlcal elections. The principle that no man
ought to control the means of subsistence of
class, is Just, and no word can be urged
against the abstract truth. But when any
attempt is made to realize the truth in IN
stltutIons, when it comes in conflict with
some OF the interests engendered and foster
ed by this monopoly, then, indeed, opposi-
ton arises. All great abuses cngender cor
rupt interests, and like the scorpion, they
will bite when trampled upon. Hence, all
reforms clash with existing interests, and
the opposition is virulent and intense in ex-
act proportion as those abuses and corrupt
interests are at war with unconditional
truths. The proposition to give to the
poor man his natural patrimony, his right
to the soil, when first announced, was re-
ceived with general derision. But il was
correct In principle, and consequently it
spreads as all other truths will spread when
not opposed by despotic brute force,-like
wildfre.
We cannot but think that permanent and
abiding reforms are at hand and to be real
lied from simple proposition that the land
shall not be sold forever 1t seems sim
pie proposition indeed, merely to limit each
landholder to 100 acres, and to render that
inalienabe. 1t is simple, as all great laws
and truths are ple,-simpe merely be-
cause they embrace the very last analysis.
But the influence of the abolition of this
land monopoly upon society would be too
vast for century to manifest, or for GEN
Grafton to portray. Few are aware how
deeply monopoly has engrafted itself upon
the institutions of the day. Upon monopo-
ly are thrones and empires erected, church.
es are founded and sway the world; king
dRnFrGsplng spirit OF monopoly and It's poi
sonous influence extends downward through
all the accumulative and productive process
es of society. Destroy this institution as
regards the land, and its base is gone forev-
er. The thrones and dcspotisms which
exist though it would come tottering down,
and the damning cries of chattel slavery
and serfdom would vanish like morning
dew. The relations in individual society
would speedily undergo marked and radl-
cal change, and the enormous per centage
of power now swayed by capital over labor
would be reduced to a frdfer71ai rather than
an internal standard. The greatest incen-
tive to moneyed expressions and landed ar
would be abolished. and with
the disappearance of these would follow
great fraction of the disgrace and mental
servitude which now attach to labor alone.
The family relation would be elevated be-
yond all calculation, inasmuch as the right
of the family to the soil to the homes, the
affairs and the graves of their fathers, could
not be eXtingushed, and the memory of the
Homestead to the scattered progeny of the
woman would be the memory of prvi-
lege and right ever held most sacred among
all nations. The enormous dividends which
capital now EFFORTS from labor would be
reduced to a more equitable standard, and
the independence of labor become something
more than mere password for dcmagogues
thus rendering demand and supply proper
toned to each other, and preventing, in a
great measure. those fluctuations and excess
SEES which alternately elevate the laborer TO
an ideal heaven, and depress him to really
practical hell.
But we have hardly room to speak Of
these, the legitimate influences of the abo-
lition of what is deemed the curse of the
civilized word,-the legal land monopoly.
We invite our readers to reflect upon this
question, to presuppose its influences, and
to anticipate all objections which rational
mind can bring to bear upon it. 1t is wor-
thy of every individuals reflection, for ev-
cry individual is deeply, vitality interested
in its success.