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Messrs. Beckley & Foster

Messrs. Beckley & Foster image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
May
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
Letter to the Editor
OCR Text

The Signal of Liberty copies our responso tu lio proposition of Mesars. Beckley & Foster. ml makos ilie followinr: cotiiincnt on our FUg cstion ihüt the frcedoui of ilie pulilic luntls and ie 'Men hour sysiem," worc n;orc iniponani ïan nny other rcforms proposed by tliern. "Wc cannut nuswer deiinitely to the first nerrogatory of the Spirit of Liberty, ua we are not uliicicnily informcil as to the precise dispos! on of tlx Public La mis contcinplaled by the National Reformen. Wc shouid bu for diepoing of thia grt-ai notional patriniony. liowever, n such n way as would best piomolc ihe permaïentyvclfqrp ol our whole country, ond of the vorld. Th3 would bo our principie. üur riend snys ihat "the public Innds should be nndc frkk to lundlcsa men." In whnt sense does he uso the word "free?" Would he letevory Inodk-sa man go on to a farm and occupy il, H)d hold it as h own; or would he have the seiilers mere tcnants. the wholc doma in being u i general cotnmoh, every purson having n property ín his iniproveinenis, but not in the fee ol he land ? "As to the Ton Huur pyajern of Labor in al! occiipations and brnnclus of businrss." our principie would be to hnve the Government interfe e as Vadeas possible in the privnle traiwactions )f cm zeris. In s;)ine parta of the country, likc lowell and Pitisburgli for instancc, some góverrimerital regulaiïö'n of the relation of CápTtoj ind Labor, under C.xisting circumstances, nmy be necssary, but the hired man in the backsvoods eau nnkc liis owu arrangementa for worklig lo lar bciter advantae than he eouJd Jirouuh any provisious of the Stam te, or thé idjudication of the neighboring justico of ihc l'cace." Tlio icfoim demauded in regnrd to the public Innds isthat ilicy hc left fut for occupancy byiny Iniidicss person. Nono lo oirn the soil bui ihesctiler on aspot of thcsizc lixed on for a farm. to bo secure in possessíon, so long as lie ehooses 10 reiiüiin, and has no oiher land - "every person fiaving property in ba iiuproven eins, but not n the f.-c of ilie land. W c presumo ilie relations existing beUyeen iie cninioyerond etnployed ín the '-back ivqchJs," ire (oi ilio present moro lavpriibíe to the ■Jjircri unu" ilian in older and inore populoua jtlnces; - or lyliere lnborers nrc scarce, ns in flia back wpodij (Iiey are nol orcud to beg for work, and lilderbid eacli oilu-r. to ohtqin bread: - but the Iny is coming wben ibe vyilderneaa will beconie fruitfiil ficlit; nnd qfl tiie oj)iilati'n 1 ojoines norc dense, and labor inore abundant, in ilie vest. the snmc ovils will rcsult to the toiliog lasses as tiiey exporictice in ;fiowcll and Piitsmrgir' - Capital, with is mnelijiMj-subetiluies for Imtnan hands will makc its own ternm witli 4alior - fix ilio prife and ihe honrs oftoil - nnd, ia nou-, in I.owcll, stand '-'in fair round belly witli ood copon lioetl at ihefociory g'itc. goKI êpcater in liand. to count i lic üccïity iiinntï lijo wed tlio (ijii'r.tiivcs to dmc? Wc look to tinuturc; aad wist) to zee tbc friem's of Liberty mited to remove ihcso evils wlice tlicy now .wist. and o premi', ilicin wimre tlit-y may. To ostnblish tbc ten h.iur sytem, wjuld bc cm imiori.-iit iclorniatory step - more.y a fragnu-ntnl eiorm. wc adinif, but s lending :o aflbrd liiuc nul opportuiiities for intciloctiral iiul moral eulm e to ibe labiiring class il wou'd conduce gfeaiy to the furtlieranco of tho greaitcfurm o'j wliieh tini. I'rob.iiily, if our fiiendj of the Sign-jl icflect o ittli, thi'y wi'l fmd th.Tt ilie ''hircd man." even n Micliignu, is nat so weil cared for as lie ntiglil b We have seiituis nii.-.yivins on tliat poinl; ind it is all important tbat iho ten bour movo ment be énor il. Wo hopo for a "demonslrotiod'' dining tbc nrxt emiimcr. and shuuld be gladoX the couiiienanee and coopenition oí" tbc ÜigityL I inrit.