Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-09-20
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1860.

D
lie feels no interest in the Govern
! IN Mt. because it allows him the eSer
/ else of no civil rights. 1t does no
= even give him the right to himself
t He has of course no interest in tn
; soil upon which he tolls. His arm i
not nerved. nor lis labor lightened b,
, the thought OF home. for to him il ha
| no value or sacretnesS. 1t Is no De
, fence against outrage. His own of
spring are the property of another
lie docs not toll for his family. Lu
, for stranger. His wife and ciildrer
may he torn from him at any moment
sold like cattle TO the trader. and sep
Grated from him forever Labor bring,
no new comforts to himself or his fam
lily. The motive from which he toll,
Is the lash. lie i robbed of his hu.
manity bv the system which has made
him its victim. Can the cultivation
of the soil by such population aid
wealth OF prosperity to the Common
wealth? The question answers itself
| need not point to Virginia. with heI
great natural advantages, her ample
resources in all the elements of wealth
and power, vet dwindling and diving
under the curse of slave labor. But
cross the river Ohio. and how changed
Agriculture is in the most thriving
condition. The whole land teens
! with abundance. The owners of the
soil are in general its cultivators, and
these constitute the best portion of the
population. Labor, instead of b ing
looked upon as degrading. is thus rem
dered honorable and independent.
The ties of interest. as well as the
stronger ties of affection. animate the
tolls OF the huSbandmen, and strength
en- his attachment to the Government; (;
for the man who loves his home will
love his country. His own private
emolument and the public good are
linked together in his thoughts. and
whist he is rearing a virtuous family
on his own homestead, he Is contrib
uting wealth and strength to the State.
Population is rapnlly on the increase,
whilst new towns are springing up al
most as by magic. Manufactures and
the mechanic ants. in general. are in
a flourishing condition, whilst the
country is dotted over with churches
school-houseS and similar habitations
The secret of all this is the disrrbu-
ton of landed property. AMI Its cult
vation by freemen. But even in the
virgin State of Ohio. the curse of land
monopoly, or phite slavery. is begin
ming to exhibit its bitter fruits. a.
will every where. if unchecked by wIsc
legislation. Let Congress. therefore.
see to it. IN tie beginning. 10y an or
ganic law for the public domain yet
unsold, that this curse shall be cx-
cluled from it, Thc enactment oil
such law should not he delayed a
snge hour. Now is tie golden mo-
ment' for action. The rapidity with
which our public lands have been
melting away for the past two years
under the prodigal policy Of the Gov
ernment, renders all-important the
speedy intcrposition of Congress.
! Mr.. Speaker. l have spoken. Incl
dcntally. of slaver'. This. am
aware, may be considered violation
of the final settlement the remaria-
bly, sanativc measures, ratified by Con.
gress few months since. / be-
leave to say, however. that j think
the adoption of the policy for which
am contending will be much bettel
settlement Of the slavery question
than the one to which | refer. Donat,
the land lying within oui Tcrritorie.
in limited plantations, to actual set.
tiers whose interest and necessity It
will he to cultivate the soil with Their
own hands, and it will he far NOR,
Formidable barrier against the intro
duction of slavery than Mr.. Webster,
ordinance Of nature or even the Gel
ebrated ordinance Of Jefferson. Sla-
very only thrives on extensive estates
In country cut up into small iarEls,
occupied by rs many independent
proprietors who live 10y their own toll
it would he impossible--ihcre would
be no room for it, Shonhl the bill
now under discussion become law.
the poor white labofers of the South,
as well as of the North, will flock to
our territories; labor will become com
mon and respectable; our democratic
thcory of equality will lie realized,
closely associated communities will be
established; whilst cducation, SO i'm.
possible to the masses where slavery
and land monopoly prevail, will b,
accessible to the people through thei'
common schools, anl thus physical
and moral causes will combine in ex
cluling slavery forever from the soil
The fir clom OF the public lands i
therefore an anti-slavery measure. ]
: will weaken the slave power by lend
ing the official sanction of the Govern
G mcnt to the natural right of man o.
D man. to home upon the soil. and O
course to the fruits of his own labor
: Ii will weaken the system of cha,te
: slavery. by making war upon II
: kindred system OF wages slavery. civ
! ing homes AMI employment to ii
o victims. and equalizing the condition
OF the people. Ii will weaken IL b
: repudiating the vicious dosms of til
j.. slavehulder that the laborious occupa
h ,ions are dishonorable and degrading
0 And it will weaken il, as have jus
y shown. by contining it within its pres
c EN-, limits. AMI thus forcing its sup
: porters TO seek some mode Of deliver
c ance from its evils. Pass this Lil
: therefore. and whilst the South ca
4 have 40 caus" TO complain of norther
4 /