Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-04
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
LAND DISTRIBUTION.

LAND DISTRIBUTION.
There Ia much In the signs of times and In the 'eac
,ngs of popular leaders, shake the confidence OF
who have recently INDUCED the belief that the 'enes VI
Jserson and the policy of the republican party are Pefma
nently established In this country Since he o'eo" "
Henry CLAY In 1874, and the signal repuoa"on winch ~
fayorte measures then received tho democrauc po' '
seemed 10 be acquiesced In by foe and ireno IAeep "
feeble attempts at modifying the exstlng 'at' ~ oeS
effort has been made disturb the wise system OF
which were 80 long contended for by the Democracy ana SO
hercely resisted by the noneyed classes OF the
The overwhelming preponderance of popular sentiment IN
their favor queted all open opposition ana seo e'e'
avowed scheme for their subverson The old party
eric. ara therefore heard no The old battle lines are
abandoned New subjects Of political discussion nave seh
10 occupy politicians and to convulse tho country rus
party distinctions beginning TO be forgotten WIN m ~
cusssns tina, created Them New subjects nave TAKEN o'
of the public mind, creating new parAes nc" eeu'', ~
organizations and schools OF pol'cai philosop"y.
Ancient political landmarks are vanishing o" tue 's"
ancient principles of political action incucaea oy .ne
rated patres patrie are fading from the H'ehoiy'
which the founders Of the Republic never contemplated nave
nnod a imnor,ance rivalling that OF the conedeacy It.
self Socialism Agraransm, Abo|i,ionsm, with long
catalogue OF kindred foies and niauues are spreading
,hem.elyes over the land entering our halls OF egsa
and engrossng the discussions of our delloeau'e ao
bes The public mind is thoroughly distracted throughout
.he free States and the country seems tenons 10 po
of political and social Reorganization destructive 70
,ubyersiye of republican institutions ana a'a " n
Union.
~ American republcanism-he Constitutions encoun-
,ne attacks more nsdious and dangerous than 1t ever be-
ta au.s,ned "Land Reform is Of the watch-words
with which the prevailing fanatcism enstng popular sup
mort and the entering wedge of Its whole system OF inno
va,ion and revolution every citizen entitled TO CON-
potency of land of the unaPpropated domain OF the
government" of tho dogmas OF the day. Introductory
10 another which is awaiting the favorable occasion 10
publicly avowed that "every citizen who Is without iano
NAV of right seize share from him VINO mas more tnah
would fall to lot in equal distribution among 'he co
rrnn,vn The promugaors of these and kindred doctrines
are no longer mesgre factions but have grown Into nu
merous and powerful party large enough 70 control the elec
,,ons of Western and Northern States and 10 enlist the SER
y,ees Of prominent political asprans at Washington
Hence the number of propositions recently brought oefor
Congress for distributing the public lands gratultouy 10 all
coes hence the general scramble for lands that dsgace
the legislation of the federal government II was 10 DC
hoped that Virginia would not participate In such con-
,e,hat the founder of the coneeacy the mother OF the
constitution the endower of the Republic would hoio aoo
from such medley remembering the declaration OF her own
J.eraon that "when It comes scramble for federal pat
rouaQng tho prevailing spirit Of pecuation, by herself Pc
,,onnp for pttance of pe she would raise her voice In
majestic denuncation Of the inquy and hold Congress-
her AGENT TO rigid observance of its duty and TO faithful
preservation of the public property, for the common osns
of the Republic instead of dsspatng away TO the several
advantage of individual States local schemes ard favored
persons.
The decainers for Gland Reform supported by do
zen other classes of camores for the public domain VINO oil
take courage from the audac and nsoence OF the Jamaican
troupe who lead the oray The variety of their demands Is
infinite There are propositions for granting farm to every
head OF amily-o grant every foreigner land with money
enough to clear and settle ito cede 20 States all unsod
nubc lands living in their teoriesto appropriate vast
belts land stretching across the whole continent 10 extra
vs9an railroad schemes-to surrender unsod lands TO lines Of
public works ntersected by thcm-to cede anost
decrepid soldiers INDECENT widows to minor chdren nno
other classes of people equally as incapable OF occupying
ihem 10 appropriate lands the cause of education and 10
various other causes meorous some legitimate but
mos, of them as by the Constitution as the COOL
o., contempt for that ns,r en the part Of their ppo-
sers could render them.
Northern Socialism, Western Cupdity, widely pervadns
thirst for Speculation the prompers OF these stupendous
Frauds And 1t is while these monsters p:owng about
The capitol of the nation devourng every thing they can lay
hands upon that Virginia invited by Of her legsa-
lots to press claims booty They argue that as pub
lie virtue avail nothing In hopeless conflict as Is now
waging Virginia should abandon virtues dethat as ma
RAIDERS will probably carry the day. Virginia should become
marauderhat since the enemies OF her cherished po-
cal doctrines are likely prevail is the policy OF Virginia
10 desert her standard and leave the Of the Gen.
stuon and State sovereignty to pesh that for the sake
of spos she should sanction with her proud unarnshed
name the most supendous and Infamous populations that
the world ever witnessed.
The booty in plundering which she Is invited to paric
pate consists of unsold public lands, amounting in the
New States to 2s37l5,7l3 acres
Northwestern Territory, &c. 4H,I3foU
California and Mexico 336,6ss,920
Oregon 2lS,Sso's.o
Making a grand total OF i,3l6,ll5,7l3
WORTH less than half the lowest government prices the
round sum of s6O0,o00,0O0.
If she Join the depredaors what she hope TO obtains
Does she believe that BY abandoning her an
Client doctrines which require Congress TO husband this
treasure for the use Of the nation collectively and uniting
with socialists and anenters with the followers OF Gree
lev and Fanny Wrgh with the Western States who are in
possession Of the lands and of the plausible title which pos
session confers with the brute greed the coarse graspng
cupd,y the ruan ssshness which characerzes that med
ley she can be anything but losers that profit aud success
vii, enure any other of tho contestants than the sdes
and the greediesif
Admitting (whatis the ac that equitable distrou
zion Of the Public Lands among the States would mol DC
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the argument which was urged IN
tho House of Delegates by Mr. Darlington OF Boetour and
repeated by Mr. Ferguson is true, namely that the original