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

advocate the freedom Of our pub
he domain. in the first place. on tn,
broad ground of natural right. | g
back to first principles; and holding il
70 be wrong for governments to make
merchandise of the earth, | would
have this fundamental truth recognized
by Congress in devising measures fol
the settlement and improvement oil
our vacant territory. am no believer
In the doctrines of agrarianiSm. OF
socialism, as these terms are generally
understood. The friends of land re.
form claim no right to interfere with
the laws OF property Of the several
States. or the vested rights of their
citizens. They advocate no leUeling
policy, designed to strip the rich OF
their possessions 10y any sudden act OF
legislation. They simply demand.
that in laying the foundations OF
empire in the yet unpcopled regions
of the great West, Congress shall
give its sanct on to the natural right
of the landless citizen of the country
to home upon its soil. The earth
was designed by its Maker for the
nourishmcnt and support of man. The
free and unbought occupancy of it
belonged, originally, to the people,
and the cultivation of it was the
legitimate price OF Its fruits. This is
the doctrine of nature, confirmed by
the teachings of the Bible. In the
first peopling of the earth, it was as
free to all It's inhabitants as the sun
light and the air; and every man has,
by nature. as perfect a right to a
reasonable portion of it, upon which
to subsist, as he has to initiate his
lungs with the atmosphere which
surrounds it, or TO drink Of the waters
which pass over Its surface. This
right Is as inalienable. a. emrhatically
God-giufn, as the right to liberty or
life; and Government. when it de-
prives him of it, independent of his
own act, is guilty of wanton
usurpation of power, a fragrant abuse
of its trust. In founding States. and
rearing the social fabric. these priEci-
pies should always have been re-
cognized. Every man, indeed, on
entering into state of society, and
partaking of its advantages. must
necessarily submit the natural right
of which | speak (as he must every
other) to such regulations as may be
established for the g'n raj good; yet
it can never be understood that he has
lenounced it altogether, save by his
own alienation or forfeiture. 1t at
taches TO him, and inheres in him, in
humanity, and should be sacrcdly
guarded as one of those fundamental
rights to secure which governments
are instituted among men.
The business OF this reasoning must
be manifest to any one who will give
the subject his attention. Man, we
say, has II natural right to life. What
are we to understand by this
Surely it will not be contended that
it must he construed strictly, as a
mere right to Jreathe, looking no
farther, and keeping out of view the
great purpose OF existence. The right
to life implies what the law books
call fright of way" to its enjoy
ment. 1t carries necessarily with il
the right to the means Of living, in
cluding not only the elements OF light,
air, fire and water, but land also.
Without this, man could have no
habitation 10 shelter him from the
elements, nor raimcnt 10 cover and
protect his body, nor food TO sustain
life. These means of living are not
only necessary, but absolutely indis-
pensable. Without them lie is i'm
possible; and yet without land they
are unattainable, except through the
charity of others. They are at the
mercy OF the land holder. Does Gov.
ernment then fulfil its mission when
1t encourages or permits the monopoly
OF the soil, and thus puts millions in
It's power, shorn of every right except
the right to beg The right to life
is an empty mockery if man is to be
denied place on the earth on which
10 establish q home Cor the shelter
and nurture OF his family. and employ
his hands in obtaining the food and
To iI 80 t.rf
10 say lnat CO. Ga ih...s given him the
right to life, and at the same time that
Government may righ,iully Withhold
the means of its enjoyment, except 10y
the permission of other; is not simply
an absurdity. but libel on his pro.
violence. 1t is true. there are multi
tudes of landless poor in this country,
and in all countries, utterly without
the power TO acquire homes upon the
/ soil. who, nevertheless, are not alto
gether destitute OF the essential bless
ings have named; but they are de
pendent for them upon the saving
grace Of the few who have the mono
poly of the soil. They are helpless
pensioners upon the calculating bounty
of those by whom they have beer
disinherited of their birthright
Was it ever designed that men shoulc
become vagrants and beggars by
reason of unjust legislation. strippe,
of their right to the soil. robbed o
the joys of home, and OF those virtues
and affections which ripen only in tn
family circle ? Reason and justice
revolt at such a conclusion. The gif
of life, repeat. is inseparabl
from the resources by which alone i
can be made blessing. and fulfill il
+ great end. And this truth is begin
ming to dawn upon the world. Tn
sentiment is becoming rooted in tn
great heart of Humanity, that tn
right TO a home attaches of necesSit,