The Agrarian Laws

Agrarian and agroiianiám are term continually used in books as well as neWB papen M Kpreu the roost radical deniocracy or cominunisni, and are particularly iitüd witli tliu abolition of property in land, or, at least, a new distribution of t. The Bgrarian faws pasied hy the ancient lloman.s wen; pOpularly Huppoged - and the same notion was cntcruliied }y many sóbolan to rnibody this idea unlil within (lie last fifty or sixty years. 'i'ho l''ronch convention passod (1793) a law makiog it a capital oIIciim' í'or any one to propuse any adrarían measure, meariiug by it sd riii,-il división of the soil amoii all liii.ins. It Wíiuld liave been tsiuj{ular, indoed, if the Romaoi, by whom private property was greatly .v pected, .should have fayORil any tueh law. Heyne, Savi.uiiy, Njebulir, and other Qermtn -oholars tirst explained thc real nature of the adrarían law.s, whifh liad Do rul'ereiico to private, hut only to public qr state Isxls. As the tztent and power or Rome Deroaood. more or Ion oonquered totritory waa gaioed hy the Btato tliroiiK" eouíiscatíon, and all laWiS hearing apon id distribution were aamed agranan. These lawa vafeo various, and thc ic::ison why they werc so lcmí re garded ai tptarftfwioa with prívalo rihts, :tpnl why thcy eZOfted 90 iimrli oppomtioil at the time, was the use made of the puti lic il'iiiiaitis whil! uiiappriipriatüd. Il Mi the Roman praotioa to allow individuáis to oooupy the ]ublic lamis, and enjoy all bcnuliu therelriiiii, on cuiiduiuii ui' payin' to the .state a tithe of thc pin luce as cvidi 006 of ihc propriötorHhip of (lic state; and l'rom oocupancy arose interminanle i oniphcatiiins and Ironl.le. The Kpod m.iilici aod the oeuoswblt lljptr per alway.s make a upankisg team.