New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-14
The NIauorinI Estates.


The MauorinI Estates.
Hon VIM s. Johnson Of this City, has submitted
to the Senate of this State the following preamble
and resolution n reference TO Gov. Youngs pro-
poss that the State shall litigate the Manor Titles
TO large portions of its SOIL being substitute for
the resolution proposed by the Select Committee on
this subject
B1,rsas, The People Of this State have adopted and
hitherto adhered the wise and Just policy OF quetns
titles real estate for the purpose OF indus
try and improvement by protecting owners from me III,
questions concerning their titles and in pursuance OF
such policy under the Colonial Government OF the state
passed confirming and establishing the rights OF per-
possessing lands and msnors under grants from the
Government and limiting the time during which Chains
tigaed and under the State Government BY repeated
legislative amendments, have established eno confirmed
the principle of the enacted In the Revised
Statutes that the People Of this State Will not sue or I'M
plead any person for or 10 respect TO any amos
or for the rents issues OF Pronts
nv reason OF any ght tte Of the People TO the same
unless. lst, such right title shall have sccsned
twenty before any suit or other proeeens oI w
same she'll be commenced CT unless "a the ssa feoP
a"sa they claim, shall have received tne I'm;
the sslo space Of twenty -t- some part thereof wtn
Ind Vac cas-, Aoy directions Of the Legrss..-----
era terms for he institution OF proceeding, icE the
coyery oflsnes held unce Colonial State ants. would
be an abandonment Of the weettled policy law Of
the state and tend uuusy to excite doubts the
neut, and prevent delay the aricable adjustment OF
mutual claims founded and depending upon the validity
and stability Of the laws and grants of the State There
fore
Reso5sd That the direction encouragement by the
Legislature OF litigation concerning rights long enjoyed
by citizens under grants and combinations Of the State
would be contrary to the true policy and duty OF the CIV
eminent oppresive 70 citizens compelled to hi cate with
me power that should protect them, and would tend
diminish that confidence which citizens should feel
In the justice and stability Of the laws and the Of
their Government and If such cation should be direct
ed In the and under the POWER of the State for shy
other purpose than the recovery for the sole enet and
perVerslOn
Of Government from the duty Of protection purposes
OF maintenance sod oppression
Reluctant as to differ pointedy with any
Wing, but especially with the Senator whom we
Immediately shared in nominating and eecting, we
are still constrained to pronounce the above at once
unsound in principle and mischevous in tendency,
and to entrest the Legislature not to give it even
negative countenance
What is the main obstacle to the settlement OF
the long standing Manor difficulties VIGOROUSLY,
it is the belief cherished by many tenants that
those claiming rents as landlords have valid IL
ties to the lands in question. Now this belief is
either well or illtoundedi our opinion has ever been
that with regard to the greater part Of the Manor
lands it has no foundation Is it not most desirable
for all parties, but especially for the landlords that
the good titles should be legally established and
on, Mr.. Attorney General, with your suit, and We
will bring forth our grants and titledeeds and es-
tablish our rights by the solemn adjudication Of the
Supreme Court-then there can be no farther
vii, and our rents must De paid. Most surely, if
IRE owned one of these Manors we would thank
the State for a chance SO to confirm our title.
But suppose there are those as Mr. Johnson's move
ment plainly implies who flourish as great land
lords on the strength Of valid titles at anothing
bu, unsupported pretence OF title on the part OF
some ancestor, with the consequent scquiescence
OF thousand ignorant tenants who took the land
lords pretence for verify and executed lesses &C.
cordirgy On these they have paid rent aud paid
IT, until at length they begin to open their eyes and
wonder what sort ofttle the landlord gave could
give What is your title 2 they respectfully ask
Your lease is sufficient is the landlords reply.
But: Sir responds the tenant; may not ask
what title you or your father had before tOoS The
lsase1 May know on what yoar right to lease
the land was founded ITO this Common Law
(which was not made by tenantsl says No Senator
Johnson says No: even Gov. Young says No; but /
the Governor says the State may litigate the title
and see whether the landlord really has any, other
than that which the tenants possession and lease /
have created. But against this Senator Johnson 1
demonstrates and if 1t were bis express object to
make the lesseholders believe they had been swim |
died by the landlords pretence Of title he could not
use language better suited to bis purpose.
We beseech TIE Senstor-or, at least the Sen l
s,e-to consider that there are great many more /
tenants than landlords and that this larger number
must naturally consider legal demonstration that /
the Manor lords do not really own the lands they |
have so long drawn rents from quite a. well cslcu.
lated to encourage industry as the perpetas,ion |
of their titles and they will not easily realize /
that agitation concerning titles" is a more deplo-
rable evil than the legal exsction Of rents from
territory nearly a hundred miles square by persons
to whom no rents are actually due Let Us have
Justice first then quiet; in vain shall you attempt /
to enforce the latter while denying the former. II
the manor lords have valid titles as we presume
they generally hAve) they can show them if they
Dr. any Of them have no titles, then such have ex
sc,ed rents enough already, snd should stop col
Getting and set to earning an honest livelihood
We do trust that the State will stop furnishing
,herifs and constables for such before many years
When Mr.. Johnson speaks Of the recovery Of
snds held under Colonial or State Governments
10 begs the very question At issue. II the Manor
ords have such grants to show, the litigation OF
heir titles by the State will give them little
rouble. We suspect It 10 he lack OF such titles
b at has impelled oar Senator'S misguided demon
Itration.