Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-02-14
LAND REFORM.
In the Senate, on the question Of freedom Of III
Public Lands.


A., Public Lands.
This is an excellent speech, and did our limits
permit we should like at this juncture to publish
it at length. We are compelled to content our
self with the following extracts, which may be
read with profit and we hope will do the good
which the truth faithfully and intelligenfy utter.
ed, ought to-
The doctrine and theory of all civilized Gov.
ernmesis have been, that the absolute or p0Siiitt
right of the people should be deemed of first ana
paramount importance and he first TO be defend
ed and protected. The difficulty has always been
however, that this principle was known in doc
tFine and theory only, but never carried out il
| practice. Nor, sir, will it ever be carried out
until rulers and statesmen discover and acknowl-
edge another truth; that from these absolute or
positive rights--by which mean life and person
al freed0m-there rsult also certain absolute or
positive wants and necessties-a!ike in all men
whethea afiiuent or destitute, and which cannot
be resisted-such of food, clothing and shelter.
| These wants and necessities should receive the
! first care and attention of Government; while
such desires merely as are Of relGLire or Incl
dental kindly which mean such as concern
and pertain TO trade, commerce. wealth and lux
ury-should receive but secondary considera-
ton. The first cannot be neglected and man en-
10y his positive rights; but the second NAV, and
his pleasures only suffer. But every political
! historian and economist knows that the case has
been directly reversedin practce--that mans alb
| solute wants and necessities have been compare
! lively neglected, while the relative, incidental
wants and desires of great classes have been
met aud provided for by the best energies of Gov
crnment. Hence we find under the British
in Great Britain and Ireland
that while thousands upon thousands have
starved, or gone without necessary food, clothes,
shelter, and cducation--Wealth and luxury, trade
commerce and manufacture, have been promoted
protected, and tostered by all the machinery Of
summary eviction and clearance distress for
rent; primogeniture and strict-entail game laws
church rates and tithes; uncomfortable banks,
with more uncomfortable national debts the
most expensive navy OF the world with burden
some taxation and onerous duties--an6 these,
too upon the very bread of life until recently.
The same crushed condition Of the people, 50
far as regards their positive necessities will be
found under all the Governments OF Europe; and
contemn the idea as you will, the fact exists
that the great cause Of this is, the disregard
ShOlon 10 these necessities Of the people, IN class
iegisLaii0n and the encouragement gtUen by Cor
ernnlelt 10 LAND MONOPOLY AID AGGREGATION.
But why this implied censure upon England and
Europe, when, turning our eyes TO our own
country, we find so little less TO complain of?
Here as in Britain, are thousands, and will be
millions in want and destitute misery. Here,
as there. the mere incidental wants and desires
Of wealth, luxury, class, commerce, and manu-
facure are fast engrossing thc fostering care and
protection of Goyernment, to the entire exclusion
and disregard Of the resistess wants OF human
nature. In pursuit of this policy you have al
ready created naval establishment, the expense
OF which for this year IS estimated at NINE AND
A HALF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! Your customs
establishment has cost hundred millions more;
and the administration Of Your customs costs, in
addition, tco millions annually! Your army
list and war establishment cost ten and q half
million more, ard increasing as time and years
roll on! How much you have expended and
will experd for the protection Of commerce on
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, for harbors, for
iiicatons, sea-Walls, breakwAiers, baoys, bea-
cons lighthouses, dry-docks, and coast surveys,
God only knows! But when you come 10
Western lakes and rivers TO the region of agTi
culture and labor--where the producer is inter.
ested in facilities Cor shipping his products, and
in receiving with facility, safety, and cheaphess'
imported articles and home manufactures iof
consumptian, there YOU wonld have II unconSll-
tmionaI to expend dollar for the Protecno5n Of
commerce. You have established institutions
for the education of your military ana naVai OIL
GERS az Government erpcnSe WhlIe you nave ont
orrdginoIv doled out the "Sirteenth section" for
the Education Of the laboring multitudes. Mil
IONS upon millions OF the public domain have
been expended chiefly for The benefit OF capital
and corporutions--in the construction OF Rail
roads and Canals but not one acre has ever
been appropriated to promote the direct interests
of agriculture or the mechanic arts.
Your class legislation and favoritism are of the
same tendency and character here as in England
and Europe, but far less excuseble; for here
you profess the doctrine Of equality. You appre-
! pirate s30,o 600 TO c-ss army or naval Otlcer Tor