The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-01-19


an improved condition OF land produced by the opera
tons O labor, while the land itself was feit 10 be like
the AIR or water, an element Of nature common tc
the use OF all living things, and which no absolute
and exclusive title could ought to be acquired -
, Though inseparable from the land il WAS Ike nhor
tproperiy, entitled TO protection against violation
Consequently IN the administration oi Government
which had been made necessary, by labor and the
products of labor, II became Indispensable TO adop
policy and erect a system by which 30 guide and rec
niae the exercise 0 the power of Government in lis
appiicaon to the Use and Occupation Of land A
policy vas devised, bat it vas no: q puIiry Funded
on The plain and just principle thar. he hand oi
labor belong iia products system was erected for
the purpose Of carrying out The policy aad most en-
ergeticay applied, but II benign or humane
system Of suple protection, securing to him who
cultivated parcel OF land the possession Of it, until
he should choose 10 abandon il. On the contrary,
both the poicv and the system were suggested die.
tacd, designed, adopted and executed by the influence
OF that most wicked aad oppressive of Il! the mas
sions known TO the huulan hcart--reyal cuniditr-a
passion which tae occasion WAS so well calculated
both TO excite and furnish the means 10 CRAFTY T.,
devising the policy and framing it into an operative
system IT Was necessary that principles and measures
conducive aud commensurate In the end which the,
were designed TO accomplish should he evoked and
applied. They The plain principles of ius-
tice were oyefshadowed, and the very attributes of
the Great Creator ustuped, by the soverei.ns of
the earth They Assumed and declared rs a nareral
|, As 10
to The land ltse'i, 10 the lowest depths Of she earth
which The Great Omnscient God of the inverse had
created, and including the il'mi,ahe space above il
WAS vested ~ mortal man. To give piiasiilitv Ia
this usu,ped appropriation Of the au which God had
made, and which He, aud He alone owned and held
for the common Of all his animated creatures .
and 10 enable those who thus assumed to he lords Of
the earth, 20 adapt the appropriation their polio,
and make 1t, il was designed, The very basis Of
their system il was polite and advisable, if not alb
soutcy necessary at that dav that they should claim
that This pretended title had Ike the land it,cll. a
source Divine and end. This task was easy for
it wa> long, and unil conpaf ativeiy recent date
AN acknowledged prInclre, that carthiN sovtTtions
derived their power from Divine Authority, and ruled
their dominions BY Divine right hey had only to
assume and declare, and II assumed aud declared
another natural aud fixed law, hatth ortgiaaI and
ultimate ttie TO all the land within the territories and
jurisdiction OF a sovereignty was, by the power Di-
vine, vested IN the person Of the sovereign and that
he and he only, possessed the right CONTROL use or
occupy, and the power to grant the same.
Enprmous and bla,phemous were these usrpa-
tons, and monstrous the principles and pow
ers which they involved, they became fail, in fact
what they partially were in theory, liked laws
They were the result Of the policy which was de.
vsed, and the foundation Of the system " hch
orgaEized 10y the haienl influences aud wicked
craitiness OF regal cupidy, seeking the qualification
Of ITS unhoy desires, and enforcing Compliance with
its rapaciouS demands.
II is neither access,ry, OF wthn the limits Of NJ,
present purpose, infinitely 70 describe define the
and measures Of this policy, the real and piac-
teal organization by which the policy brought 10
bear all its various and accumulated crucities upon
all that part OF nanknt. included within the dcs qua
ton Of - iaborer." To DO that would be 10 wse a
history of nations SUlhce il say, thar the organ
ization effected what the policy designed. Il con-
trolled the land and the and produces Of the land
], snatched from The hand Of producing Toll all the
fruits Oi It's labor, sufficient tov Il scan,y and
miserable subsistence. il degraded the chlId Of labor
to q moral mental and physical slave, and made him,
in all his relations and conditions, only the sub
ject aud recipient, but the means and instrument of
power and the expressions OF power. To describe
this organization III sing e word, and display ali It's
enormiies at one view, ii is necessary only To
that horrible engine Of tyranny and ctucli,-thc F7
dal system. What repulsve mixture OF lights
and shadows does the picture Of that organization
present with all its lords and vassais ,s castles and
hoveis its profSions and pennry, its decorations abG
dirt, It's volaies aud vaniies and vices aad victims
1T is fountain from which has flowed foods OF
the mrbid and bitter waters OF suffering and misery,
the ming led Accommodations OF humaa sweat and ears
and blood or scores Of successive generations. Dur
ring the centuries while this system prevailed in all
its magnitude and power, the sun o.! prosperity
permitted to shine onl, The rcgay favored lew
the re'aners, parzans and parasites Of royal power
the recipients oi royal munlhcencr, The Gaih
cloud Of slavery, lsnorance and oppression, brooded
like pail over all the many who to,ied, 10 produce
the 10 support the power and grandeur by
which they Overw helrned. The system itself
was unnatural offspring OF agricultural labor, and
like an unnatural child, ii deg ade and tortured and
cnslaved, only the author Of its eNi>euce, Lut
also the foster mother of is growth into s,reugth anu
power.
Usmred as vas the power which first enacted the
law, declaring and establishing the of titles
to laud and unnatural and unjust MAS tie laW IT,
self, in Its origin, it yet remains as an original and
fundamental law Of civilized naiions. The interests
that became involved in and dependent uI on tbe
law overshahowcd IT, source, prcoadcd ait question
upon it, and reduced II 10 an axiom. Manltoid ana
mons,rous as have been lis resulting evils, has
been barren Of benefits. Its evils have been not
much the f,uit If the law Itself as of the wicked
policy tina, dictated il, and the cruel system in which
it the first principle and MAIN pillar of support.
Us benefits have been derived frou. the gradual IN
roads which have been made upon that policy and
that system, by the march Of mind, IT'S progress Of
advancement in the science Of civil .sovo,r,.nent.-
Point after p int that policy has been forced by he
power of truth and reason to weld dnd reluctantly
surrender 10 the demands n Justice. Rule after rule
in that system has been oii'etated by the advancing
tide of civilization Even in the o the earth
where this policy originated, there remains OF II
scarcely skeleton to cast shadow, ard where that
mighty system hourIshed in all the ponp of
,nagn fcence and wo, there remains ONLY few
spared remnants, ,memenioes Of the past, aad warn
iGgs for the u,mc.
One OF the important Drnrns HNlcn inns iun d'ich-
Ia! law Of real estate has conferred upon mankind,
con.ists 10 the certainty and permanency which It
gives the owner t0 The possessiun and use Of and
the continuing exclusive right Ia occupy it aud ap
prorriate TO hi- own exclusive and uam3lc:tcd ENJOY
ment the avails Of his a'or-rhe produce OF his oh.
IL enaenders and sislain> spir, of ipd pen!cncc,
and feeling Of seft .ancea sprit and ieelln9 best
calculated to develop and bring into action all the
mos, noble and valuable qualities and attbaies oi the
heart and soul al man.
Another important benefit which has resulted from
this original law, found IN the boundaries fixed By
lard marks TO grants Of land, defining the physical
limits Of the right, whether IL actual Occupancy oi
the grantee or owner not. This is Of the NOS,
valuable and powcrfu restraints upon covetousness
and violence and the present peace and harmony OF
society is most deeply Indebted to this cause; more
dcepl, than one first glance would be ready to &C.
Knowledge, but moments reflection upon the conse-
auences Of aboishmg all boundaries and removing all
land marks, will enfo,ce the truth upon him.
MANY and important other be nehts have their origin
in this fundamental law Of real estate but they are
like those have referred TO, brought ont and into
operation nv the abolition Of the policy and rrcs OF
the Peudal system, and applying to II The principles
Of Justice in defining and securing alike the rights OF
all.