Randolph County journal., 1864-04-01

pill lnls cOnulcl Is 10 bc ended ly
, hard, desperate, and perhaps pro-
tracted fighting We shall certainly
win, and our triumph will inevitably
divest the title TO 4 vast body OF
land in the rebel States, and place it
under our control. think il entirely
safe TO conclude that it will consti-
tnte more than half. and probably
three fourths, of all the cultivated
lands in the rebelIous districts.
1t will certainly, in any event, cover
many millions of acres. 1t will in.
clude all lands against which pro-
ceedings an r6m shall he instituted.
under the provisions of the act 10
suppress insurrections. and to pun
ish treason and rebellion, approved
July 18th, 1862; all lands which
may be sold under the pro, isions of
the act for the collection OF direct
taxes I'm insurrectionary districts, ap-
proved June 9TH 1s62; and all lands
which may lie sold under the pro.
visions OF the act 10 provide internal
revenue 10 support the Government,
approved July lst of the same year.
What shall be done with these i'm
mense estates, brought within our
power by the acts of rebels? One
of two policies. radically antagonis-
tic, must hc accepted They must
he allowed to fall into the hands of
spectators, and become the basis OF
new and fright:ul monopolies, or
they must he placed under the juris-
diction ofthe government, in trust for
the people. The alternative is now
presented, and presses upon us for
n speedy decision. Under the laws
OF Congress now in force. unchecked
bv counter legislation. these lands
will be purchased aud monopolizcd
by mcn who care far more for their
own mcrcenary gains than for the
real progress and glory of our coun-
try. Instead of being parcelcd out
into small homcsteads. to be titled
by their own independent owners,
they will he bought in large tracts,
and TINS not only deprive the great
mass Of iandless lahorers OF the op-
portunity of acquiring homes, bnt
place them at the mercy Of the lords
OF the soil The cid order of things
will he swept away, but new order.
scarcely less to he depiored. will suc-
ccel In place Of the slave
holding land owner of the South,
lording it over hvadreds Of slaves
and thousands OF acres, We shall
have the grasping monorolist
Of the North, whose dominion over
the freedmen anf poor whites will
bc more CALLING than slavery itself,
which in some degree tempers its
despotism through the interest Of tho
tvrant in the health aud welfare of
his victims. The maxim OF the
STAKEHOLDER that "cai ital should
own labor will be as frightfully
exemp,iiied under the system OF
wages slavery, the child of land
monopoly, as under tie system OF
ciiattcl slavery, which has so long
scourgcd the Southern States.
What we should demand is policy
that will guarantee homes 10 the
loyal millions who need them. and
thus guard their most precious
rights and interests against the re-
morsclc,s exactions of capital and
the pitilcss rapaci'y of avance.
The helpless condition of the poor
of the rebel States. when capitalists
shall have monoplizcd the land. Is
already foreshadowcd III the recent
report OF Mr. Yeftman. of the West
crn Sanitary Commission. lie
SAYS:
"rhc poor NEGROES are tverywhere greatly
dis,,es,.d at their condition. They all
testify that If they were Only paid tht'r mt
4. war.sas they earn th,m. - that they
could purrha-e clothing. and frrni-h'd wrh
tae provisions Promised. they eould stHhd
it; but To work AMI r't poorly PAID. r""ry
f,l and not doctor,d when sick. - moro
than thry can endure. Among the th"us-
and. whom ! Questioned none sho~ed me
least urwillingnoss 10 WORK. II they could
o,ly n. n,id fair wacss th,g would 10, con
,..,.d and harpv. Tn.y do rot real ze that
,L.x ar. fice men They -. HAT th'y are
,old they are, hut iten they are f"k'n ana
h;c,d out TO men who treat ib'm 20 lar
as prnvid az for them - c'h'''h''. ."r
wor.e a. than their -'rectra III 'ir'h"' De-
81 ,b,.. they feel that their pay or birs
/. Low rr nov fbnn il vas when the "s'ctsa'
u eel To hire them.
..Tb. p,rti.. leasing plantations and sm.
,,o,ipg fh.se u.gro.- DO IL from no motives
,.ith,r of loyalty or humanity. The desire
If cain alon. prompts them. and they care
little VII, thrr ih.N MAX. iJ cut of the blood
nj those i:.sv sEp'oy.o or from the soil.
i'hsre are, "f course. exceptions; but | sm
thst the maj Iiis ,i the lsss'a
= ere only ads.nfurers. camp fo lowsr~. "sr-
nv shsrks." n fb,v are t.Im,t, Who have
urns~l ae..ls from What they eofsiesr their
-gitimats pr.s che poor soldier. To gather
he riches of ih- land which III Ifow.s- hss
aid open to them. ] feel ;hsttae irthsrr aud
lruther- aud lfiinds Of these brave men
.houid have an Opportunity - reap, under .
more equitable sy-s. IN for the lab0rer. the
,ward of the months of toll aud riTofupe
Z hrS cost or. n this country % the insti-
uiion- of freedom and compensated labor.
II these plantations were required 10 be snb-
'ivided into parcels or tract-, To suit she
fi.ws and means ~ onr ssrtesn men. ssp
q farms of from one % two hundred aeres,
would soon fock TO tie South 70
eASe them, esn.callv shsn IL VAS Known
hat oae ,cre of ground there euluvstsd N
.otton would Weld. in dollar. ten timss
Il much - - home. P.sid., ,his. subdi.
si-i'n would a',rsc' i'ysi poTnlsiio". ~ho
= cu'd protect ,hs rsrri'y sgaii u at, eu,r.
lila bands ,ha, might ini,st H."
Mr.. Speaker. the poor Whites OF
.hc South will be as powoilcss Ia
-. 81.