New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-17
Nem2lork Daily 0ribums
LAND REFORM.
REPORT IN FAVOR OF GIVING HoMEsrEADs r
ACTUAL SETTLERS


Theundersigned having been appointed Connxss a
STATE Convention OF the Delegates Of the Mechaaef ns
Projections Of the State of New York held Jan is,.
take into consideration that part Of the Message Tia
President Of the United States which related the Ps,
Ispd beg cave to submit to thu members Of oar Oh.
ard brouch them TO our fellow citizens the fooxnr N.
suit Of their deibers;ion
t well known that the subject Of dstr ou,ng tie P,A
he Land, has been for some time before the Ansres,
peope In the question OF the proper disposal Of this g
inheritance Is involved the circumstances which are .
shane the real tangbity OF the edects OF those wise Pc
mnaries which are to b. the essential elements Of hs
future durability of practically Republican GOy9anss
In he ownership Of immense possessions We 10 MT a.
nit that acre Jet denled oy me suPp0son hsfn
10 be made tributary 10 the clam o! any fostered else
A. far as these lands concerned the hunbest clis,
oc upss the proud position Of fa partner IN the iaS
ownerhip OF them ,
,ba, We have obtained them through the agencies Of w
and purchase Our ancestors being placed In tho stas
Of resisting aggression it became their duty when Ia
dep. udence wa achieved 10 extend ther national pops
toIship as far as the availability would warrant lack.
tending the boundaries Of original territory may
doubtessy be It'd that have not always followed tas
desire OF possession with the dsposon OF acuag Justly
We may also be told that in coYetng thePropFv Of our
weaker neighbOrs we have not RETAINED IRON making
use of means that were re.shensiole .avu uersa a,
the strict standard a. that humanity Of which el,a
40 oe the sole national exponent In the eoa"naea a.
6ition which is being made to our almost aahnist
boundaries we have not been instigated 20 auoPs hs
patcian policy which The Roman soldier into the a
Of unoffendng nations 20 deluge the haoHs'ns On No
blood him who stood defend the sacred pecma
his reside Wehave not colonized our soldiers vaA
HE moss. ssiens of subiugated nations Nor have e.
couraeed that kind Of accumulatYe, lhstihcu'e foooeJ
which led the Roman citizen TO join the preis'ory eoao1
that he might desc nd into the ranks OF murser "ud dsv
taon to take possession Of the homes he had rayaged
therefore We have ESCAPED these things IN the wosgns
of those from whom have acquired this increase Of r
rtory let endeavor 10 show the least possible Approval
toward adopting rohcy Which VIII our aSe e PnaeA3
of our joint ownership. go
That there is danger in departure from permitting the
people exercise and enjoy proporionaoy tho bsneasd
this inheritance il manifested by the concurrence OF
eent as well that of modern evidence pla,srch says
when the Romans in their made any ael ssoasd .,ts
no psbe and to distribute the snogs
citizens; only rtseyioss email reHt 70 b. PAID n,e ae sy
spd to exclude them entirely they did pay eISrbn.rs
law mace that no man should e. pSs re- Y"ss s.
ice rich sSd helped the poor who ~ virtue OF faM
took their farms from and held them othstns
though in time they seuPtd not 80 e.i@ .ae@ N ne " M
nor atiendsd 20 the education oftheir chlirea"
In giving this statement of the above author your Con-
;.e do moi wish 10 be understood testying to The
ouinon that the Roman people based their claim OF par
tcipatirg in share of the lands or public wealth through
the idea that the right founded upon al exis.ay
eonaty of citizenship Upon the contrary satisfied
that the populace of this abode OF the banditt whs
the ancient world had no conception OF the pa
cipe with which they might measure that true relative
relationship Of equality which gives as substantial sub
stance the great attributes in the formation Of the Ans
can character Ii is well knownthat whenever concessions
made to the people of Rome, by their rulers say
were gcaned with view overresch those who threw
obstacles in their PATH and that il the common pr@
tce To come forward with propositions to entertain hsn
with shows and deal for their preosroas
tenanee that in the infancy Rome the weakness
AZ well az the disposition Of her inhabitants dictated that
il was wise establish the policy that her locality should
be the future residence of all who were willing to enesf
in the erection of fortress wherein would be professor
the ncpent germs and forerunners of that pirate rks
whose black flag should visit and inct it, atrocities uPsa
all who refused to acknowledge its supremacy Athoash
is videLt that the pncple upon which the snb5eqasa
greatness Of this nation founded had its origin Ia the
mutual understanding that there should DO fair dyisos
of the plumber thus eonoinily obtained yet we see Ih
the rapacy Of the leaders in these unwarsntable roo
berries appropriated tho lions share to themselves at tns
expense OF their numerous and stupid conedarate
Again We have the evidence of the author OF tue DECLINE
and Fall Of Rome the bad faith and the fulnous re-
sus OF tie failure Of observing the conditions OF heeon
pact upon which was started the super'trueu'e Of nn
empire. .-,-,-.,,. ,,.,,., .,..
fsmines OF opeors iRens bly, pass
asurpsd BY uObes and in the ago waiss w
sens We r. possess d OF an indie peneessub.an
From the foregoing extracts must draw he ln1laes
that as this nation owed its existence the cstabsbns
of maintaining itself by foragiug from its neghben al
aerward conquering Them that this principle Of i9ja'as
so early imbbed and 30 perseyenngly adhered ~ o~
domestic plunderers the only persons endowed WIN w
capacity of governing With this estimation OF those 70
whom they committed the power of exercising the ie'c,
tons of government cannot wonder that the cnPaa
seeds of corrupon produced the final disasters vasn
were the legitimate results Of the original principle apps
which they hazarded the ultimate success OF their cnN
Your Committee having thus adyerted 10 the lesuH
policy which was adopted by one OF the most powen
States Of antiquity will now proceed to the ekamnaaon
this subject in s modern aspect IL " wen shvsa
that the separation Of these colonies from Oreat pIsn
and the recognition Of independence, brought winn
the ownership of extensive territories. Atthe ermaa..
of that able struggle among other things our ~
cestor had to devise tho whereby they coli Ply
coed 10 paw the debt which they had contracted In no
ing at the position in which they stood they naafay
seized upon the available sources Of rasng ne nece
revenue The two ways by which this could be o1essi
were first TO impose duties upon imported manuiscsuH
articles second by setting apart the public lands Tor -
and the proceeds therefrom were 70 be apPropra'ea
connection with the income from duties to iiquids~"s
public debt =,
Thus then we see that the reservation OF those Lands
by the Government, for the purposes Of SALE bad ~
origin in the necessity of the circumstances In which ne
then placed In the progress Of our 60
became apparent that the acquisition OF L,aaas
and other territories desirable and the conse1leni Pr
chase was made With these acquisitions eans nern
debtedness In short time the Of lsls inyolsmv
In another addition D. the debts already contracted W"
the honorable expiration of that found tnai ~
an increase of debt and for the discharge OF whicsn
ame not only necessary that additional duties shoua
levied but that the increase of revenue should be sn
by the continued absorption Of the moneys obtained -
the ssle Of the public lands BY the unnecessary cosa
snee Of exorbant duties with the income from the s
the lands Il is not to be marveed at that during me
ministration Of Gen. Jackson large surplus o's w"
which the Government needed accrued. .S
Here then for the fret time since the orgalzSy..~
the Government and during the administration o. =.
great man anew feature had presented Itself I've
Gra that with this question of surplus the supeo
creasiDg or dininishng the expenses Of
be mingled. In meeting this contingency TOE cn's
whom the people had inrusted their CONFIDENCE s,r
public policy demanded be should restrict ss
bounds the dpostion Of csl adventures. 20 b
whereby they squande the Of the m,ns a.. %
been paid ioT the legitimate OF co.
rod a. well as he present Il was rot denitt and
their PECULIARLY Of formation eoutt ognSs