The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-06-16
COLUMBIA.
Sunday Morning, june is, 1867.
.Conflscation-Agrnrinnism.

we nave nau nOJ mucn apprenen-
sion about the confiscation doctrines
enunciated by some of the politicians
of the country; but we fear that, like
the call for reputation, it is getting
too familiar in the ears of the people,
and may, in the end, result in terrible
mischief, not only in the South, but
all over the country. Gerrit Smith
has recently written letter upon this
subject, from which we make the fol-
lowing extract:
eConfiscation once entered upon,
it will be difficult, if not impossible,
to set limits to the spread of its de-
moralizing power. The spirit of law
less greed engendered by confscation
will no more stop at State or other
lines than will the flames of prairie
fire at the word of command. Let
there be confscat in the South
for the benefit of these, Mr.. Stevens
loyal losers, and also for the benefit
of the poor blacks, as he also pro-
poses; and very soon, under its de-
bauching influence, immense numbers
at the North will be clamoring, in
the name of "Agrarianism, "Equal-
ization,'' and other taking names,
for their neighbors' possessions. And
these rich possessions, it must be
remembered, will kindle the spirit of
robbery, as can none of the poor
possessions of the desolated South. !"
The people of the North, where
confscation is not threatened, should
reflect upon the views EXPRESSED in
the above extract. Already, we have
seen, in several papers, the demand
for "equal taxation or repudiation."
Next, will come the cry for an equal
division of the large and fertile farms
of the North and North west into
"forty-acre lots," if need be, when
the peace of the community, and
personal rights throughout, will be
totally upset, and a reign of anarchy
follow.
To strengthen the apprehension
that is beginning to be felt through
out the country, there are few other
indications that ought not to 30 over
looked. Gen. Butler, in recent
letter, announced itas ga self-ovident
politicol truth. where the land is held
in large tracts by the employer, and
to be titled by the employed, there
can be no just and true field for the
exercise of republican citizenship.
And it is one of tho pressing exi-
gencies of the country, as the very
basis of reconstruction, that some
plan must be devised by which the
lands of the South may be divided
among those who shall occupy and
till them"
Following him, we have u speech
from Senator Wade, recently deliver
ed in Lawrence, Kansas, which gives
the logical sequence of Gen. Buffers
principle in declaring that property
is not fairly divided in other parts OF
the country besides the South, and
a more equal distribution must be
wrought out.
This is neither sectional .or party
question, but one which comes home
to every man of substance, North or
South, and, therefore, rs the Balti-
more Sun says, it is dangerous
thing to familiarizc the public mind
to confication and agrarianism in the
South. Those doctrines may come
to have wider application than was
intended. The seeds Of agrarian
ideas, SO profusely sown over the
Southern soil, have already been
waited to different latitude from
that which they were intended, and
if they do not take root and produce
widespread harvest of thorns and
briars, it will be because the soil is
not adapted to the growth, for the
workingmen there know that indus
try, thrift and enterprise are cffectual
in this country to improve any mans
condition.
Putting ont of view confscation
and agrarian doctrines, we have
often, in this journal, expressed our
cnnvictinn thnt tLo lann.o 4,.aaLn &C