Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-05-03
mwe commend The following arti-

4
Gle from the Richmond Enquirer to the
careful perusal of every reader of the Re
gister. No where have we seen or heard
the popular arguments in favor of the
Homestead Bill so ably met and refuted.
A Mischievous Measure.
"In the Senate of the United States,
Tuesday last, on motion by Mr.. Walker,
the Homestead bill was taken up, and
Mr.. Petit spoke in favor of its passage
He said that its provisions commended
themselves both to his head and heart.-
No consideration was so strong to induce
/ people to suffer in defense of their coun-
TRY as the possession Of land and he
quoted authorities to show that the poll-
10y of giving lands to the people was of
great antiquity. The first instance was
lin Egypt, long anterior to the Mosaic pc
| Rod. an account of which is given by Di-
dorus Siculus, where the lands were dIvl-
ided into three portions-the first being
for the nriests, the second for the king,
and the third for the soldiers and people.
At later period Moses adopted the poll
cy of dividing the land from which the
Cananites were extermlnated' among the
families of the children OF lsrael, win an
express command that it should not be
sold forever. Lycurgus, the celebrated
Spartan lawgiver, at so early period as
884 B. c., by making an equal division
| of the lands of Lacedemonla among the
members Of the Commonwealth, banlshed
luxury, and encouraged the progress OF
the useful arts He thought this example
ought to be initiated, and that one million
of dollars thus app opriated was worth
more in its beneficial effects to the coun
trv than one hundred millions expended
in Notifications and standing armies. He
also quoted the response of the plebians
at Rome to the paticians, when called
upon to assist in the defense oftheir coun-
try: owe have no country" said they,
"whv should we shed our blood and give
our lives for Rome, when she gives US on
y misery and degradation :" He went
on to argue that the neglect to provide
the masses of the people with an oPpor-
tunitv to procure homes ofthelr own, led
to the downfall of ancient nations Like
causes produce like effects, and we should
take heed and avoid similar resultin this
country, BY an early division Of the lands
among those who cultivate them. We
have vast unoccuPied and uncuItivated,
tracts of land. and unless we adoptSssns
policy, they must remain so for many
wears. They are no longer needed as a
source of revenue to the government; and
we ought to make this disposition Of them,
since it has proved advantageous to other
countries, so long as the poIicy has been
adhered to. BY doing so, the govern
ment would be comforting favor on hu.
manity, and the prayers and blessings OF
mullitudes of honest hearts would be as
cending to Heaven in its behalf. Having
concluded his remarks. the further consi-
Iteration of the bill was postponed until
next day."
We have expressed the opinion, that of
all the measures before Congress for the
confscation of the public lands the
Homestead Bill is by far the most lnl-
auitous in principle, and the most mis-
chievous in its tendency. The foregoing
speech of Mr.. Petit in behalf of the bill,
! iustities our construction of its nature and
operation.
1t may be very true that share in the
soil of the country exalts the patriotism OF
the people. when the property is priVi-
lege and distinction won by their own
energy and enterprise. And, therefore,
a wise policy would condemn measure,
OF which the inevitable tendency is to de-
stroy the value and distinction of the pos
session, and to degrade it into the cheap
and indiscriminate bride of selfish and
corrupt demagOguism. If the people are
taught to regard the public domain as a
fund of corruption, and field open to
indiscriminate invasion and pillage, nei-
Their their sense Of the sanctity of proper
ty, nor their estimate Of the dignity of q
| freehold, will be enhanced. The Home
stead Bill, so far from consolidating the
strength of the country, thus diminishes
at once the security OF property, and the
stability of order. 1t engenders and pro-
pagates spirit of agrarianism-the dis
ease so fatal to the supremacy of law
and the peace of society. The truth of
this proposition is established by that ve-
ry lesson of history which Senator Petit
cites in support of his scheme for seques-
tering the public lands. The true glory
Of Roman history ante-dates the period
of the Gracchi and the vices which cor
rupted the Roman character, overthrow
the Republic, and ultimately led to the
fall of the Roman Empire, were the off
spring of the very principle for which
Mr.. Petit contends-the principle Of pub
lie policy which prescribes it as the duty
Eof government to put bounty on idleness
and mendicancy. When the Roman peo-
pie were taught to depend for subsistence
not on their own industry and frugality,
but on the pilIage of neig hboriug nations,
and the largesses of profigate politicians,
hey lost the stern virtues of their an
cestors. and degenerated into a'fckle and
effeminate rabble, as eager for revolution
as they were reluctant to encounter the
hardshiPs and perils of struggle with
| an enemy who threatened the existence