The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-10

dwithout personal expense or Inconvenience, the
have carried out the doctrine as far as relate
no two of the most important shapes propert,
3assumes, viz: in slaves and in land. The re
Hcent movements made both in and out of Con
Hgress IN reference to both these interests, con
Hciuslyely show that Abolition and Agrarianisn
1are Samese twins the conditions regulating tn,
existence of the one, also controlling tho other.
n There is not proposition laid down by Scna
tor SEWARD, in relation to the abolition of sla
very, that does not equally apply TO the aboli
Htlon OF property of all kinds, and more espe.
lcaliy OF landed estate. The title of both is
Hpased upon the same general truths, and
may be assaied, by the same appeal to some
higher law" or " inalienable right"
i The Senator himself must see this but he
has also the sagacity to see that such ga gene
raj oyerturn" culbure generate, as the French
schools call it--would not promote his interests
Oh his views; he therefore modifies his policy, BY
giving Cerdesus a sop" in the shape of bounty
land bulls, and free farms from the public do
MAN, Not so all of his followers They are
not equally polite, but insist in pushing the
principles to their legitimate conclusions We
have seen paper, published in New York City
(and possibly there Ray be many others else.
whereo which had at its head an engraving OF
= naked man sitting on the globe, under which
was the motifs, 9 ae earth is the common prop
asrfy Of all her ehildye,s.n 'l"@ &c.,. 49," W..
MOT only are these doctrines avowed, and this
|eoailtlon proclaim ed by Northern Free-soers
|out IN me giant Northwest these fatal heresies
(afe tiaSing Foot In the Ohio STANDARD, pub
Plshed at Y leveland, we find the editor warmly
comIneY ling and endorsing II communication
~ @W oh the platform of the party is thus laid
-" n. The writer begins by quoting letter
y idressed to him by a gentleman whe "hods a
: distinguished post of honor and trust" in that
State, to the following effect: .@&
j 81 agree with you in thinking that the plat
form OF the "Free Democracy ought to be
: broad enough to include all the reforms in the
political and social condition of men which are
within the proper scope OF legislation. | think,
1also, that the several reforms which you specify,
Fare within that proper scope. But it is quite
true, nevertheless, that political progress, like all
Others, is gressire--f | may coin word--that is,
Qstep by step. And the step to be taken first, is
Railways matter Of sound discretion The princi-
6ple should reach forward to the last step. The
movement must necessarily begin with the first. I
sin my judgment the first step nationally, in
9any real progress in this country, is the of
THE government from the control of the slave
8power, whose boast it is that the slave holding
3ascendency has saved the country from the nroads
aof agrarianism-under which name Shareholders
sand aristocrats stigmatize all real progress This
lean only be done by denationali=img slavery -
When this is done, the road will be clear to other
reforms. My first labors, therefore, are directed
Ito the overthrow Of the slave power and denaoma-
fisaiion of slavery. do not, however, lose sight
5of other subjects"
To these views the writer demurs, though
3concurring in the benevolent purposes express
led He is inpatient and thinks the process too
lslow.
"Now, for my part, cannot see any good
reason why the "Free Democracy, should wait
till this very desirable object is attained before ii
9inscrbes upon IT'S banner the absolute and uncon-
ditiona freedom of public lands to actual andl .ss
settlers oniy-provided it believes this policy to
Bbe for the public good. But granting the public
land question to be the second step in the true pro-
sgressive movement, as to national policy, and
that the "Free Democracy" should not take that
3s'ep until it has denationaized Slavery, my friend
Twill not claim that the party should not move in
its State policy by limiting the amo ont of land to
|be acquired by one individual, until this is accom-
pushed. No. lie claims no such delay as he
)reader will perceive by referring to the quotations
from his letter, and have therefore this high
|"Free Soil authority for making 'sLand Limita-
|ton' an issue i'll the coming contest And this
Iin fact is the main question. The sale at present
prices, Of the public lands, or their free grant,
(aslde from permitting Spectators to purchase,
to actual landless settlers only, are matters
Bof little moment compared with this master evil
Iof our land system.
Adding this remark:
81 have some, but not an extensive, acquaint-
ance with Free-Sollers, and SO far as that ac-
qualntance extends, all are avowed advocates of
land reform. "
No comments could make this matter palmer i
that such arc the real results, and the inevitable
consequences Of the first step, no sane man cam
doubt. The same wild idea of the inalienable
right of man to land, as well rs to liberty, was
proclaimed at a late meeting in Wisconsin, and
with much ingenuity of argument by the speak
|ers at a Land Reform Mass Meeting, the pro-
|ceedings of which we shall publish tomorrow.
For the present we propose, to make few brief
EXTRACTS.
Mr.. Howe, Zone of the speakers) ",cant-
ed 10 re-enact The lao Of Nature" 0herein diff
ifering from Mr.. WebsterO and thereby render
athe soil free for the use Of mankind" He was
warmly applauded, and gave way to Mr. Ingalls,
: who said that "Land-monopoly aeas The parent Of
Slavery and contributed more 10 ats extension and
sperpetuity than all other causes combined"
4" The condition Of oar people m,der it, but lille
abener than human bondage."
! Mr. Van Amringe said, among other things,
= that " Land-monopoly IN our country was rapidly
on the increase, far more so than most persons
: suspect, unfamiliar as they are with the facts
= it is growing beyond all conception in the East,
= Tern States, it is 80 in the Western States and
i'm our own State. Spectators have forstalled
the actual settler and emigrants are now com.
Hpelled to press far out beyond the verge of
&civilization, and to pass over the extended land
Ned possessions of the nonresident SPECTATOR