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

." 'ADN'f N'Nh'S - aHSS - ia
highest social truth"
But quitting the groun,I OF right.
proceed To some considerations of d
different character. / take it 10 be
the clear interes, of this Government
to render every acre of It's soil as
! productive as labor can make it.
More than one half the land alrcalv
sold at the different lanl offices, If
am not mistaken, has fallen into the
cold grasp of the speculator, who has
held it III large quantitie, for years
without improvement, thus excluding
actual settlers who would have made
it source Of wealth to themselves
and to the public revenue. This l.
not only a legalized robbery of the
landiess: but an exceedingly short
sighted policy. 1t does not, as /
shall presently show, give employ
ment to labor, nor productivencss to
the soil, nor add to the Treasury bv
increased returns in the shape of
taxation. 1t is legislative prohigacy
The true interest of agriculture is to
widen the field of its operations as far
as practicable. and then, 10y iudicious
tlllagc, to make it yield the very
largest resources compatible with the
population OF the country. The
measure now before us will secure
this object by giving Independent
homesteads to the greatest number Of
cultivators, thus imparting digynit to
labor. and stimulating its activity. 1t
may be taken for granted as a general
truth, that nation will be powerful,
pro porous and happy, in proportion
to the number OF independent cultiva-
tors of its soil. All experience
demonstrates that it is most favorable
to agriculture to have every plantation
cultivated by its proprietor; nor is il
less conducive to the same object, OF
less important to the general welfare,
6 - every citizen who desires it
should be the owner of a plantation,
and engaged in its cultivation. The
disregard of these simple and just
principles i'll the actual policy o.
nations, has been one of the great
scourges OF the world We now have
1t In our power. without revolution OF
violence, to carry them into practice,
and reap their bcneicent ftnits; and
nobler work cannot engage the
thoughts, or enlist the sympathies OF
the statesman. No governmental
policy is so wise as that which keeps
constantly before the mind of the
citizen the promotion OF the public
good, by scrupulous regard Tor hi,
private interest. This principle
should be stamped upon all our legis-
lation, since it will establish the
strongest OF all ties between him and
the State. \ philosophic writer OF
the last century, in sketching a per
icctly-organized commonwealth, has
the following:
CAS- every man ploughcd his own fold, ,
cultivation was more active. provisions more
abundant, and individual opulcI &C consti-
tuted the public wealth.
"As the earth was free, and its possession
easy and secure, every man was "a proprietor,
and the division Of property, by rendering
luxury impossible, preserved the purity of
manners.
Every man finding his own well-being
IN the constitution of his country. took a
lively interest in it, proscrvation: if n
stranger attacked il, having his field, his
house, to defend, he carried into the combat
all the animos.ty OF personal quarrel. and
devC ted to his own interests he was devoted
to his country"
Here. sir, are principles worthy to
guide our rulers in the disposition of
the public lands. Give homes to the
landless multitulcs IN tire country.
and you snatch them from crime and
starvation. from the prison and the
alms-houSc. ami place them in sit
uation at once the most conducive to
virtue, to the prosperity of the coun-
try, and to loyalty to its Government
and laws !ns;eaG, oi paupers and
outcasts, they will become indepen-
dent citizens and frccholdcrs, pledged
by their gratitude TO the Government.
by sell-l"tercst, and by the affections
oi our nature. to consccrate TO honest
toil the spot on which the family al
tar Is to be erected and the family cir
Gle kept unbrokea. They will feel.
as never before, the value of free in
stltutlonS. and the obligations resting
upon them rs citizens. Should for
elsn foe invade our shores. having
their homes and their freSides to de-
iend, they would rush to the field OF
deadly strife, carrying with them all
the anlmosity of a personal quarrel.
Independent t.rmerS,' said President
Jackson, ARE everywhere the basis Of
society. AMI true fl nds Of liberty
and an army OF such men, however
unpracticed in the art Of war. would
be lnvincible. Carry out this reform
OF multiplying independent cultiva-
tors, and thus rendering labor at once
honorable and gainfui, and verify be-
licve more will be done than coul be
accomplished by any other means tc
break down our military establish
ments, ami divert the vast sums annu.
ally expended in maintaining ,hcm
to the ants OF peace. 1t is emphatic
all j peace movement, since it viii
curb the war spirit by subsidizing tC
the public interest the raw material,
of which our armies are generally com
posed. BY giving homes to the oor
the idle. the vicious, 1T will attacl
them to the soil. and cause them t
feel as the producers of the countr,
ought to feel that upon item rest tn,
burdens of war. The policy of in
creasing the number and independents,
OF those who till the ground. in hat
ever light considered, commends itsel
/ tn ita