New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-16
Land Limitation.

To the Editor If The T,ibun';
The fourth section of the second number OF Pro.
GREss PAMPHLETS, which will be issued by the
undersigned at Cincinnati on the 18th instant con-
tains the following:
What is the natural and Of course, Just limit
to ones right to the soili What is the boundary
between rightful ownership and wrongful mono
poy1
There is no difficulty in liking this limit; natur,.
herself, has fixed it in mans capacity. 1t is thu
will of God that every human being shall have
free scope-room enough to exercise all his pow
ers No one is cramped or constrained in any drec-
tion of beneficial effort by the arrangements Of
Providence as indicated in the true relations Of
things. The right of free movement and uncon-
strained exertOn is one Of the natural rights OF
man. This right prescribes the boundary Of mans
right to the land. AS much as is necessary to give
his powers ample space for action-the usH fruet
of so much land is his property against the world.
The author is not, by any means, the Rrst TO
assert this natural law of land limitation. IL has
been demonstrated by the highest authority known
in Political Philosophy. John Locke, in his master
ly work on Government, has clearly set the boun'
daries of mans rghtful possession of the soil, In
the following language
Whether we consider natural reason, which
tells us that men being once born, have right tc
their preservation. and consequently 10 meat and
drink and such other things as nature affords for
their subsistence or revelation, which gives as ar
account OF those grants God made OF the world 70
Adam and 10 Noah and mis- sons, it is very clear.
that God, wh0 as King David says has given the
earth TO the children of men gave it 10 mankind
in common God has given us all things
richly is the voice OF reason confirmed by inspi-
ration Bat how far has he given as 10 enjoy =
AS much as any one can make use OF to any ad-
vantage before it spOils AS much land as
man tills plants improves, cultivates, and can
use the product of, so much is bis property. He
gave il the landl to the use Of industrious and
rational and labor was TO be his title to It.
Nature has and will set the measure Of property
bv the extent Of mans labor and the convenien-
ces of life nor could his enjoyment consume more
than small part SO that il was impossible Tor
any man, in this way, to intrench upon the right
of another or 10 acquire 20 himself q property tc
the prejudice OF his neighbors who would still
have room for ss good aud as large possession
after the other had taken out HIS as before It was
appropriated"
Such is the limit prescribed by Nstare, by rea
son, by justice and b. revelation This liml'
fully meets the idea Of property, as laid down oy
Whewell in his Mora Philosophy, in which he
bases the existence Of the right of property or
the Free Agency of Man and the Peace and Or
der of Society 1t is necessary that man-thss
all men-have a free night 10 land to enable them
to execute their free will in the fuflment Of their
mission. It is also necessary that every one
should limit his control over the soil to the caPaci-
ty of his labor, in order that all others may ENJOY
the same space for freedom, and the peace and or
der Of society be preserved.
To this limit al mankind must come eelors
homes and plenty can be secured to all. Inc pos,
session Of land beyond this limit IS monoPoiy ano
wrong indeed, one cannot go beyond this limit
unless he do so by the authority of law. he can
not naturally hold more than his labor requires 70
make it productive All that any one holds ABOVE
this is held solely by the force of human law, ana
because his fellow men are in the labor Market
offering to unite their toll with his 10 help HIM
plant and cultivate the extent he may choose ~
monopolise. Land Monopoly and Slavery are
concomitants OF each other; on the contrary
Land Limitation and Freedom go hand In hand.
PROGRESS PAMPHLETS will number from ten ~
fifteen, and be ordered at 81 for the SERIES -
for dozen copies Of any number, or 10 cents the
single copy containing % pages. No. Is ent.leH
TIE Landlord. j.. a. hNE
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