Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-24
THE PUBLIC LANDs.--No. II.

unless those statutes of distribution which divide
the land of the deceased father equally among all
his children may be SO called The "insolent pre-
rogative of primogcniture," Mr. Gibbon terms 1t,
has no just foundation in nature or reason. The
ancient Romans placed sons and daughters on the
same footing, and each of them was entitled to an
equal portion of the patrimonal estate. In this
country the same principle has been adopted; and
the consequence is, that, although boundless acqui-
sition is proposed still, as the encouragement and
reward of industry and talents, yet overgrown accu-
mutations of wealth are soon dissipated and scatter
ed. There never can be, in our system, danger
GUS arstocracy. Perhaps we have more reason to
apprehend the growth of dwelling spirit, which
may seek to coerce civil and social equality, not by
eevatng all in the scale of intellectual, moral, and
physical well-being, but by pulling down to lower
grade those who would aspire to rise. We depre-
cate this greater evil. Our country IS our
pride and boast 1t is first wish to its nsti
buttons prosper, and the general welfare" advance
to glorious success We desire that the equal social
civil, and political rights of the citizens should be
maintained by wise laws, justly administered that
every Industrial pursuit should be fairly encouraged
| and fostered and that the avenues to fortune and
fame should be alike open and free to all. But we
do not want the property Of the nation, in which
each individual citizen has common right, to be
gioen AWAY to men simply because they are poor
If they helpessly in that condition. they have
claim, founded on Christian obligation, to relief,
but not from the General Government, which has
nothing to do in any Of Its functions with charity or
Jeaeyolence, simply considered. Every person who
has sound mind in sound body ought to be ac-
lively and usefully employed; and it is true that
"the hand of the diligent maketh rich" He who
is destitute because he chooses to be loafer or a
spendthrift falls within the category Of the Apostle,
who commanded that if any would not work, nei-
Their should he eat"
But agricultural labor alone cannot make pros
porous or happy commonwealth. If every man
were placed in the situation Of an independent
cultivator" of the soil, society would soon be
brought to barbarism. Science, refinement, taste,
and elegance are indispensable to the "general
welfare" The physical and political strength of
nation depends upon its advance and progress in
these particulars. Gibbon says that with the i'm
provement of arts, the human species was visibly
multiplied J" and the increasing splendor of cities"
causes the face of the country to be adorned and
beautifed Even luxury, SO much condemned by
moralists, is overrued, in the organization of the
social elements, so as to be means of correcting
the unequal distribution of property. "The dill
gent mechanic and the skilful artist who have OBJ
tanned no share in the division of the earth, re-
ceive voluntary tax from the possessors of land !;
and the latter prompted by sense of interest
to improve those estates, with whose produce they
may purchase additional pleasures"
We believe this to be the order that God and
Nature intended as the best for our social state
and, when it can be maintained by free and just
Government, it is well-adapted to promote the com
mon good. Every Procrustean attempt to increase
or diminish individual store by legislation is absurd
and tyrannical Let every one be made secure in
the enjoyment of his fair acquisition, and let the
quantum he may obtain be left to his own honest
efforts
Our corollary then, is, that donations of the pub
lie lands Cor other property to private citizens,
less it clearly appears that the general wefare"
will be promoted thereby, unjust and impolitic.
They are unjust, because they divest, without con-
sent or consideration, an undoubted ownership
which every has in the national domain, and
giue it to those who have no pretence of right !;
thus rendering insecure The tenure of real estate
for, if person be deprived of his interest in
the public lands those which he holds by another
title may also be taken by the strong Of power
Such donations of land are also in,poltc, because
they introduce precedent which may encourage
landless claimants to cry like the two daughters of
the horse-leech continually, "gipe, gire" We
know no reason why the gratuity should be limited
to l60 acres. BY the Licinian law" at Rome
500 jugers Cor about 1873 acres) we're allowed and
perhaps that quantity might be little enough to
secure /" the means of living
But let US look at the main point Of the case,
and the only one upon which the proposed dstribu-
ton of the national domain can be justified or ex-
cused The Land Distribution Bill is called, in the
title, BIZ to encourage agriculture, commerce,
manufactures, and all other branches of industry,
by granting to every man who is the head Of a
family and a citizen of the United States home
stead of one hundred and sixty acres of land out
of the public domain, upon condition Of occupan-
cy and cultivation Of the same for the period of
five years" This preamble contains the substance
of the whole matter. Will the condition" here
prescribed really promote the great interests enume-