The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-06-09
AUrarfanisln.

This word shows how term may vary IN
.;.n;Gcation in the course of ages. Originally
!. eS;nr;f;ed the division of the lands captured
~ H. Romans. among the whole people, and
~ ~. rd;nu AGAINST their being appropriated by
sSacIass that of the Arish. Nothing could
~ HaV no,rs inst than that the whole people, who
IL fonoht and bled in the army, should be
nr,,;tted TO stand "a chance for the lands
thav had taken fronthe enemy In this
sense the Southern States were agrarians,
since thew wished a fair division of the lands
for which their sons had shed their blood.
Rut the modern acceptation OF the word
ararias is far different from the foregoing.
a. tbe Roman sense, an Agrarian law was a
atatute for distributing lands equally, which
had not been appropriated by any individual;
n the modern sense, Agrarianism means the
distribution of the lands and other property
Of those whohave, among those who havenot.
The ancient Agrariarism did not touch vest
"a rights The modern destroys them
II Is not often that > country passes Agra
ron Laws in the modern sense Indeed,
general application Of Agrarian principles is
simnly an absufdity, even in the most cor
runt State; for though the class Of would-be
snnisrs may greatly exceed those whom they
wish to spoil, yet the influence OF property,
and IF the talents and physical power it can
s1bsidize, will always be SO great that an
znnnen-and -above- board Agrarian measure is
Int wild idea of . maniac's brain. h-6ay5J
Ieveline statutes may, however, be passed,
ss thew have been, whose object is to bring
sbout the division OF property indirectly by
excessive taxation. This has also cured itself
bv the ready resource in such case made and
nroyided viz: Revolution. aF
: In tbe cases we have mentioned, we have
discussed the foolish attempts Of a party, or a
class. which, for the reasons we have given,
can never succeed. aaa
80 Partial Agrarianism has, however, actually
resulted in certain cases where class Of men
have been adjudged enemies, to the State, as
in the con6scation and sale of the lands of the
nobility Of France who had taken part with
the 'Bourbons. lA.s ~ .s+i4
It was undoubtedly, the intention Of the
radical faction Of the North to sell out our
property and to divide it among themselves;
but they have been thus far prevented from
so doing. Geo. +,
1t il true that in the cases we have men
toned the whole scheme of the Agrarians was
not carried QUITO all its legitimate results
We. beginning was made in the alienation
Of property belonging to others; the outline
was sketched but filling in was prevented by
the Great NAPOLEON, or by ANDY JOHNSON
Whenever the sacred rights of property
have been invaded by a anation-if such a
violation is carried out fully, Agrarianism is
the result. This is, however, prevented by
the quarreling Of the spoilers among them
selves, and the effort which property thus
alarmed makes to protect itself by exerting
its just influence and by foiling patriotic dem
This was prominently the case in the Rev
oluton in France i'll 1913, in which FOURIER
SON was a very prominent element. These
fools and knayes tried Agrarianism on a great
scale; but property defeated them after all,
and, the result was that the rights of property
are now more firmly fixed in France than
ever. ta5 i4aass 5fo8str a5nsqe t4ni -&h
The cases we have cited give us hope that
latter whilet the conservative masses of the
North will take precautions against such men
as STEVENS and SUMNER; for if their princi-
pies are to rule, the peopleof the North will
be the great sufferers. If once the aoodgates
Of Agraranism break loose, the deluge will
not only sweep away vested rights in the
South, but, III the North also. The princi-
pies Of common honesty aud justice, have
never been violated, without running the OPP
pressors as well as the oppressed. This des-
tructlon may not come upon them at once,
but it will destroy them as surely as there is
q God Of Justice, who rules the earth and the
ss neesa9yeens .sbasi fa9asi4sa4s baa ..s8 a 10
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