The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-04-03

dy they h"vetopped The Appalachian Noun
ta'hs. From thence they behold before
! them an immense plain, one vast, rich
level meadow n square Of five hundred
miles. Over this they would wander,
without II possibility Of restrait; they
would change their manners with the
habits "f their h'e; would soon forget a
gov' rnment by which they were diSo,oneci;
you'd become hordes OF English Tartars,
h"h, pouring down upon your uniortitied
ironIIrrs II fierce and irresistible cavalry,
become masters OF your governors and
your counse'lors, your collectors and comp.
trollers, and Of all the slaves that adhered
TO them.
Such would, and in no long time must
oe, the effect OF attempting to forbid AS
a crime, and TO suppress as an evil, the
command and blessing Of Providence,
increase and multiply" Such would be
the happy result o: an endeavor to keep
as lair Of wild beasts. that earth, which
God bv an express charter. has given to
the children of men. Far different, and
surely much wiser, has been our policy
hitherto. Hitherto We have invited our
people by every kind Of bounty, to fixed
establishments. We have invite the
hushandmsn to look to authority for his
title. We have taught him pinusly to
believe in the mysterious virtue of wax
AID parchment. We have thrown each
tract OF land as it was pcopled, into dis.
trIr's that the ruling power should uev
er be oui Of sight. We have settled all
we could; and we have carefully attend
cd every settlement wIci government" 1t
WAS recognition Of this natural devo-
'i"n "f free people for their soil, that
IEdnceu Lord Chatham to declare, ou the
floor Of the English Parliament, i'm tue
very teeth Of oar vppressors, that the
conquest OF English America, bv English
troops, Was an imposslbility. II WAS this
love of country burning in his own breast
which animated hln TO espouse our cause,
ana to declare a, the very foo, Of the
Eng throne, that, "lf he were an
American as he was An Engishman,
While foreign troop remained in hi.
country. ie never would lay down his
arms--never, neper, neUer." The same
| ardeLt feeling Of patriotism and devotion
10 the cause Of liberty which induced Pitt
TO spouse our cause, gained us as we
ha'e seen tie commanding eloquence Of
burke. who, o,seeing the obstinate resistance
at oar people, ridculeG the attempt Of
England 10 coerce America. Yes, gen,
tencn. T. was this natural love for the
-oh, and early devotion TO the cause of
''hcriy :" ardentIy manifest by our people,
and moro frdentty by noue, than by the
Me kIenhurgers Of l77G, in this the very
cra9fe Of the independence, which caused
EuGland to pause IN her course Of unjust
and o"c"nsliiu'ional oppression towards
The Colonies. aud which continued to sus
tain and animate TO the last, our auces,
tors in their struggle for independence.
Il Was this feeling inhaming the breast
o. Patrick Henry, which made his eo
qde"ce responsive 10 that Of Pitt and
Burke, and which, caused him in one and
and the same breath TO ask for liberty or
death. i, was this love for the soil, and
her unwLh0gness either TO surrender
Their right TO II, or 10 submit to unjust
axati'n, By which, their right to the
just rewards Of their toll was nfrinpsd.
hat first awakened That spirit of hber
~, and aroused among them, tha:
nd"m't'bie resistance, which drove back
d'stouiir,ed, the invader from tneir bor.
drrs, aud secured 10 them and 10 their
descendants, constitution, based upon
The sure aud equitable principle, o! equal
rights aud equsi privileges 10 ell.
In fact, II is this natuiAl love for the
'"'l. and consequent unwIiIingness to re
hnqu'sh Us occupation TO smother, which
sprmgs Immediately out Of the singular
state of dependence which subsis,s be,
tween man aud the earth, that has ope.
ed more powerfully than anything
Else, L" resolve society INTO its proper ee.
menis, and to fix mankind into separate
aud distinct nations, States and commu.
mites throughout The world. As man is
wholly dependent upon the earth for bis
subsistence and AS the earth now lsbors
under the curse, and is no longer able 10
yield her strength, excep: under the slim,
ulating influences OF a healthfuI agricur
ture, he is, naturally, soon forced to aban,
don rowing for a assttled life, and 10 re-
hnqnish temporary, for fixed property
"a tue soil. This fixed property 10 land,
thus brought about by a sense Of his
wants, naturally weds each individual
man more closely TO tue !itfie spot he cul
tvates, aud converts him, from a rayjno
savage, TO the peaceful citizen Of CON.
monwealtb. The successive change,
through which, property in land passed
anon. the Barbarian Nations Of Europe.
who settled IN the various provinces Of
the Roman Empire, resulting in the es
.ab''shment OF the teudui ystern, furnish
melancholy example Of the evils which
grew Out Of an unsettled life, and O. the
absolute necessity Of fixed property in
man to the soil. While these nations
remained IN their native countries free
from the necessity OF fresh acquisitions of
country. they enjoyed the earth in com
mon, and subsisied upon toe spontansou,
fruits OF The soil. After feeding their
flocks in one immense district, they "a.
moved with them, ard with their w;,s.