Wabash express., 1860-03-28

result, by securing 10 the pioneer hom
on the public domain at the bare cost c
survey and transfer, is often rejected b
those who have given but little thought {
the subject as leveling and agrariau. Whel
was there ever an effort made, since tn
world began. to wrest from power its i'll
gotten gains, or to restore to man his ina
lienable rights, but it has been met will
the shout of leveling and agrarian Thai
is the alarm cry OF the devotee of the past
with which he ever strives to prevent al
reforms or innovations upon established
usages. Behind such bulwark, old abu
ses entrench themselves, and attempt to
maintain their position by hurling against
every assailant terms Of odium aud re-
proach, made SO by the coloring of the ad
herents Of prerogative and power. Until
within a very recent period the cbroni.
clers Of the race have been, for the most
part, sycophsnts of power; and being the
allies OF the State, have CLOSED over its
cotenporaneous despotism and wrongs,
while they have written down the true de-
tenders Of the rights of the people and the
champions of honorable labor as the out.
laws of history.
Because the Roman Gracchi proposed to
elevate the Roman citizen, by dignifying
his labor and restoring him TO the right OF
which he had been uniustly deprived by
the oligarchy who controlled the State,
thir name was made synonymous with in.
fanny; as arch disturbers of all that was
good in society. till Niebuhr tore off the
vail of two thousand years Of obloquy, and
vindicated to future times their memories
as true defenders of the rights of the peo-
pie, aud advocates of the best interests and
glory of their country. Such has been the
fate OF the worlds reformers. Is it not time
that we learned wisdom from the chroni.
cles OF the past, and ceased blind rsvsr-
euce for customs or institutions, because
of their gray age2 Why should not the
American statesmen adapt the legislation
of the country to the development of its
material resources, the promotion of its in.
dustrial interests. and thereby dignity its
labor, and make strong the prime elements
ofnational power.
Let this vast domain, then, be set apart
and consecrated forever patrimony to the
sons of toll close your land Office forever
against the speculator. and thereby prevent
the capital of the country from seeking
that kind of investment, OF absorbing the
hard earnings of labor, without rendering
an equivalent While the laborer is thus
crushed by this system established by the
Government, which abstracts so large an
amount from his earnings for the benefit
of the speculator, in addition to all the
other ad dvantages that ever beset the une-
quail struggle between the bones and sin
ews of men and dollars and cents. what
wonder is it that misery aud want so often
sit at his freside, and perjury and sorrow
surround his deathbed.
While the pioneer spirit goes forth into
the wilderness, snatching new areas from
the wild beasts and bequoathing them a
legacy to civilized man, let not the Gov.
ernment dampeu his ardor and palsy his
arm by legislation that places him in the
power of soulless capital and grasping
speculation; for upon his wild battle field
these are the only foes that his own stern
heart aud right arm cannot vanquish.