The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-19
SECRETS.---II.


ton either in nature or in reason for
the present inequality among mankind
with respect to the possession Of pro.
perty. We endeavored further to
show how this inequality had original
Cd, viz: IN some selling by force and in
others gaining by cunning that which
belonged to a common stock, and to
which all men were equally entitled,
and in appropriating the same to their
own private use in utter disregard of
the rights of others. We concluded
our article in the last issue Of the AD-
voCATE with the remark that, the pre-
sent unequal distribution Of property
owed its origin to Fraud and Rapine.
If this be true, we have reached a
solid and substantial ground upon
which to base our doctrine. For IF the
original title aOaS vOtd, no subsequent GlisnG-
lions or transfer can make 81 good. The
possession must still remain an infringe
ment upon the rights Of others, and the
length Of time which the wrong has
been continued only aggravatesits helm
business. 1t is adding insult to injury
to say that, rights have became vested
under the system, and that the peace
and safety of society depend upon hold
ing fast to these landmarks. Can a
right be vested under an original VrOng !;
must sOciety-and by society is meant
few individuals-must society then
owe its existence to the recognition of
injustice and oppression as its fJnda-
mental law? And does not this society
of the few-owe its existence to this
very circumstance Let us see. We
recur again to Blackstone. lie re-
marks:
We think it enough that our title il derived
BY The grant Of the former proprietor by de
scent from our ancestors, or by the last viii and
testament Of the dying owner, not caring to re-
fleet that accurately ami stric-ly speakugN
tEere is no foundation Ia nature or 10 NATURAL
law Why act Of words upon parchment should
convex the dominion Of land, wl,s the son
shoLd have right TO exclude dis fellow cres-
ture from determinate spot Of ground because
Ii 49, tier had duae-so before him, or Why the
oCcupier Of particular field or jewel, when
lying on his death bed, and no longer able to
maintain possession, should be entitled to tell
the Of the world who should be entitled
70 enjoy it.7
Let US refer to the period Of history,
called medieval, which commenced
with the downfall ofthe Roman empire,
and out Of which has grown modern
civilization. BY glancing briefly at the
record, we will be able to elucidate and
to place in still stronger light the OBJ
ervations above quoted.
The northern tribes that overran the
Roman empire were organized upon
the feuda system. This system was
adapted to a barbarous and vigorous
people, and hence it is simple and
easily understood.
The principle features are these g
The commander-in-chief of an army
(who was also the civil rule), would
upon the conquest Of province or terri
tory divide it out among those generals,
who were next to him in rank; and
they in return would render him mill
tary service in time Of war. In order
10 be able to perform this service, they
would again divide out the land to their
interiors, also exacting the military ser
vice in return. Thus down the scale,
50 that the conquerors were an or
gained army in time Of peace and at
the same time a civic community
These generals were the feudal chiefs
Or mobiles. They built castles and their
soldiers, or retainers as they were some
times called, would lounge in idleness
about the baronial mansion or prowl
round the country on errands Of plumber.
The conquered people were reduced to
slavery, and they titled the toll for the
support Of their lordly masters. Thus
in England, after the Norman conquest,
oil the lands were distributed among
the followers of the CODqueror, and the
Anglo Saxon might have been seen at
labor along the highways and hedges
with brass collar around his neck with
the name of the owner written upon it.
Substantially the same took place in
Germany and Italy during the times of
Charler1snge. There, too, aristocracies
founded upon landed property were
grounded; and the doctrine of Divine
right, that is, that God created some
families to rule and to possess, and
commanded others to obey and be
slaves, was the keystone to this COM
posite fabric of church and state.
Such are the outlines of this famous
system, whose vast and grinding OPP
preston, and the insolence of whose
claims have afforded a wide range for
the denunciation of modern civilization.
SmOoth-tongued orators and oilv (
writers have diverted attention from
the great question before the world
by their laudations Of the present han,
Ply system which has risen pnor ,Lo
ruins of Feudalism.
But these oracles are false prophets
The essential features Of FeudaEsns stiHi
remain and constitute the basis Of modernl
society The fact that the embattledi
towers Ofancient castles have moulderedE
into dust, that tilt and tournament
have passed away, and that the harp Of
[