Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-06
THRRs is scarcely any word in common

THERE Is scarcely any word in common
use, at present. SO much misunderstood as
the term Agrarianism. 1t is seen almost
every day or two, in the columns of some
newspapers. and in most cases it is used
without any correct understanding of its
true meaning. Most frequently it is used
to imply system which has for its object
the distribution, in equal portions, of all
the landed property with government
amongst the people. In this light, it is
stigmatized as most pernicious system
calculated to breed discord and anarchy.
and doing violence to the very primary
principles of right. If Agrarianism were
what it is thus represented, it would, de-
serve all the dcnunciaton visited upon it;
but, in fact, it is very different thing, as
a brief turning over of some of the best
authorities i'll Roman History will fully
prove.
The Agrarian laws ST Rome were indeed
almost identical with the Bounty land laws
which have so frequently been proposed,
and to some extent are existing in our own
country. They amounted to nothing more
than q distribution of the public lands
amongst those who should go, and actually
settle upon them. Sometimes, it is true,
the lands SO divided were not acquired by
means, at this age of the world, deemed
righteous, but this says nothing against
the system itself. The purposes of these
Jaws were various, and certainly they can
not be considered improper. They were
to protect the acquired territory, to reward
veteran soldiers, to spread and increase
their population, and to form an outlet or
receptacle for the superhuous population.
Those laws were, it is true, followed very
great disturbances; but what was the cause?
Some of the lands thus distributed had
been unlawfully taken possession of by rich
and powerful citizens who possessed, in
fact, no title to them. The government
very properly laid hold upon those lands,
along with all others, and subjected them
TO division amongst those entitled. This
was the chief and only cause of the trou-
blcs which followed. AS might well be OK
pected, whenever one of these laws Was
proposed an immense agitation was the
consequence. The wealthy occupants who
had intruded themselves into possession
were unwilling to surrender the splendid
fortunes they had seized, and in some in
stances wars were the result 1t is princi-
pally from the history of these connections
that the wrong impression of the character
Of the laws has been obtained. Careless
readers see, in the attempt of the Roman
Government to seize upon the lands thus
possessed, an attempt to violate the rights
of property; but they fail to observe that
the persons from whom it was proposed to
take such lands were not, in fact, the real
owners, but simple intruders, who were on
riching themselves at the expense CT their
country, and of their weaker neighbors.
Thus it will be seen that very much of
the odium thrown upon Agrarianism is al
together undeserved The system was, in
its origin, wise and beneficial one. Where
twas allowed to effect its legitimate re-
suits both national and individual pros
perity was promoted. The wsrs and tut
mults which followed were not consequent
ces of the system, but incidents nnfortu-
nately springing out off