PRIVATE PROPERTY DESTROYS LIBERTY AND EQUALITY.
The Abolitionists and Socialists, who, alone, have explored the recesses
of social science, well understand that they can never establish their
Utopia until private property is abolished or equalized. The man without
property is theoretically, and, too often, practically, without a single
right. Air and water, 'tis generally believed, are the common property
of mankind; but nothing is falser in fact as well as theory. The
ownership of land gives to the proprietor the exclusive right to every
thing above and beneath the soil. The lands are all appropriated, and
with them the air above them, the waters on them, and the mines beneath
them. The pauper, to breathe the air or drink the waters, must first
find a place where he may rightfully enjoy them. He can find, at all
times, no such place, and is compelled, by his necessities, to inhale
the close and putrid air of small rooms, damp cellars and crowded
factories, and to drink insufficient quantities of impure water,
furnished to him at a price he can ill afford. He pays for the water
which he drinks, because it has ceased to be common property. He is not
free, because he has no where that he may rightfully lay his head.
Private property has monopolized the earth, and destroyed both his
liberty and equality. He has no security for his life, for he cannot
live without employment and adequate wages, and none are bound to employ
him. If the earth were in common, he could always enjoy not only air and
water, but by his industry might earn the means of subsistence. His
situation is theoretically and practically desperate and intolerable.
Were he a slave, he would enjoy in fact as well as in legal fiction, all
necessary and essential rights. Pure air and water, a house, sufficient
food, fire, and clothing, would be his at all times. Slavery is a form
of communism, and as the Abolitionists and Socialists have resolved to
adopt a new social system, we recommend it to their consideration. The
manner in which the change shall be made from the present form of
society to that system of communism which we propose is very simple.
Negro slaves are now worth seven hundred dollars a-head. As whites work
harder, they are worth about a thousand. Make the man who owns a
thousand dollars of capital the guardian (the term master is
objectionable) of one white pauper of average value; give the man who
is worth ten thousand dollars ten paupers, and the millionaire a
thousand. This would be an act of simple mercy and justice; for the
capitalists now live entirely by the proceeds of poor men's labor, which
capital enables them to command; and they command and enjoy it in almost
the exact proportions which we have designated. Thus, a family of poor
laborers, men, women and children, ten in number, can support
themselves, and make about six hundred dollars, for their employer,
which is the interest on ten thousand. They would work no harder than
they do now, would be under no greater necessity to work, would be
relieved of most of the cares of life, and let into the enjoyment of all
valuable and necessary rights. What would they lose in liberty and
equality? Just nothing. Having more rights, they would have more liberty
than now, and approach nearer to equality. It might be, that their
security and exemption from care would render their situation preferable
to that of their employers. We suspect it would be easier to find wards
or slaves than guardians or masters--for the gain would be all on the
laborer's side, and the loss all on that of the capitalist.
Set your miscalled free laborers actually free, by giving them enough
property or capital to live on, and then call on us at the South to free
our negroes. At present, you Abolitionists know our negro slaves are
much the freer of the two; and it would be a great advance towards
freeing your laborers, to give them guardians, bound, like our masters,
to take care of them, and entitled, in consideration thereof, to the
proceeds of their labor.