The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-12-31
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT

Living upon what they hal come TO believe
their own soil, enjoying homes that they
called their own. these men entered upon
new habits Of thinking. They thought out
new ideas Of political rights and made up
tbeir minds to protect and improve them.
The man who lives upon his own broad
acres, and rejoices in his own fields and pas
lures, his own herds and Hocks, very soon
begins to feel that be is not the creature Of
an accidental king, or Of manufacturer of
religious laws. lie begins to walk the
earth proudly, and feels that be has right
to think for himself and acts as he thinks
He may not be nobleman, but his farm is
an empire where he reigns supreme. Such
men began to feel at that Gay that they
had armies 10 public opinion and would be
sustained by majority situated like them
selves. This class OF men increased in a
ratio which was startling to the rulers Of
that age, and their rigorous laws were re-
Taxed very nearly if not quite in an equal
proportion. The tiller Of the soil did not
work in that supphant spirit which h ID
controlled him in his foreign land, but he
upturned his own ground, he lived in the
house which be had built with his own
hands, and spirit of independence and ev-
en- defiance hal grown up in his heart
Neither the tools of Spanish inqusition.
the police OF French Emperor or King,
nor the magistrates and constables Of our
father land, had power to terriiy his mind
or make inroad upon his courage and his
hopes
Up TO this time the world had known lit
tie Of the idea, that a common man should
have an exclusive right to portion Of the
earth Of God II came upoli them by de-
grees. II is doubtful If they ever knew the
manlincss, the independence, the character
which il conferred upon them. It is for US
to look arl learn lesson from their history.
II is for us to enquire whether the perma-
ncnce Of our institutions, the stability Of our
government, and the continuance of our
union and nation, do not depend in great
measure upon a principle which shall allow
10 every man. 80 far as practicable a little
spot of earth which he may call his own :;
where he may sustain himself and rear his
family, in defiance OF every power but that
OF Him who rules over all The principle is
not new, but practice upon that principle is
unknown. Ii has indeed been attempted 10
be put in force but cramDcd and restricted
in manner which has destroyed its energy
and its benefits
We are now adopting the inciplent meas
ures which are to make thu foundation of a
new State We occupy a prominent posi-
ton in the Territories in our Government.
Isjit not now IN our power 10 make our new
State Paradise for men, so to speak, even
beyond our ordinary anticipatlon,? Why
should not our Legislature now in session
give TO the head Of family hisIfarm. his home.
stead beyond all the contingencies of mis-
take. Of debt or misfortune? Why should
not the mother who trains, together, her
children and the vines upon the walls Of
her humble dwelling, and ornaments the one
with her precepts and example and the other
with her industry, feel an ASSURANCE that she
may enjoy the reward of her labor and toll
in spite OF the mcrcilcss oppression of cold
and heartlcss law. II is an old idea that the
debtor should contribute TO the last farthing
to the payment of his debt 1t is not strange
that such principle should have lived long
and triumphantly. II seems honest upon the
face of it, and an honest man will always
feel that while he has property it belongs to
his creditor But would propose that the
spot Of ground upon which man or woman
lives with his or her family. and which they
own, should never be considered part of
the estate upon which creditor has Alright
20 rely. would have ii as sacred as the
graves OF the dead.
For moment let IA enquire what would
be the result Of such a provision in our own
new State. II would afford an asylum
where neither the richest nor the poorest
would flee. but where man, he who Is noble
and generous in his instincts, who has lost
by his kindness, who has dwindled down his
fortune by his benevoence, who has been
ruined by his faith in the false hearted woHid
find home where he could spend the re-
mainder of his days in quietncss and plant
his family in comparative competence. The
man Of enterprise who has in the change OF
times, or for other causes. found his specu-
lations adverse, would turn with Lope TO
prairie home. which he could not lose before
he again embarked upon the nnr' rtain sea
of speculation. The young man Who "a rich
iu good health. and good wife that he
loves, would rejoice Il, the opportunity of.
fortled him, of placing her in that home from
which neither misfortune nor rascality could
cxpcl her Every man who is worthy being
called a man, desires OF all things a home,
and an assurance that he will he able TO
TRANSMIT, i, 20 his family. Give such legal
protection to homes and arms, and my
opinion IS they will b. taken up with IA
pidty which would astonish even the people
OF Minnesota
Bat it is not the temporary advan-
,age Of EN- igtaton upou which | would
base the proposition suggested. believe
il would stand the test OF experiment or ar
gunlent, in an old country, or in a INV
For although il scns 10 b. more directly
applicable 10 the immense extent Of our al
most uuinhabted State, il could not fail, il
| am correct in my theory to prove benef-
,,aI o., Tho .l.l.sst State in tb. u~nriJ 1,