The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

From a late London Paper.

TO THE PRINTER.

If any man doubts of the evils that arise to a state from granting vast tracts of land to individuals, let him only think of Russia and Poland, where the people having no property in the lands, are absolutely slaves: or of Germany, France and Denmark, where they are in the lowest state of vassalage to their Lords, who permit them just to exist.

Unhappily for England, William the Conqueror seized upon and granted the lands to his favourites and followers, in the descendants whose hands great part of it remains to this day, such only excepted as belonged to the church; great part of which at the reformation, Harry the Eighth confiscated, and which he gave to the Nobles; leaving however some in the hands of the Clergy.

From these and other causes; the titles and tenures of lands are very perplexed. We have freehold, copyhold, leasehold, college lands, church land: some are held by lives, others pay fines, &c. But very few hold a plot absolutely free and independent; and therefore the people must ever remain poor whilst their landlords are Princes. These evils have been long seen and felt, but never reformed.

But when the people who were persecuted in this country fled to New-England, they ran the three colonies of Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island, out into lots of ten miles square; these they called Townships, and granted them to forty or fifty persons jointly, their heirs and assigns for ever, and obliged them in seven years to build a church and School: Those settlers subdivided to their children, and they again to theirs; so that every man in those colonies is a freeholder, and thereby actually enjoys more liberty than any people in Europe or America: the colony is also better cultivated, and infinitely more populous than any other of our colonies.

But in the very next colony to these, I mean New-York, the case is very different; for there many enormous grants were made by the crown to individuals, of 20 miles square: these are not one fourth part settled at this time, and such people who are seated on those lands are all tenants at will. New Jersey was disposed of much in the same manner, and therefore endless perplexities and lawsuits. As to Pennsylvania, it is perhaps, the most enormous grant that was ever made to a subject, and where millions of acres pay a quit rent to the sole-proprietor. But the people of Maryland are all vassals. In Virginia, North and South Carolina, as also Georgia, are many immense grants to individuals, and therefore the latter three colonies are very thinly inhabited, whilst New England, has several hundred as fine towns as any in England, and their lands carried to the highest cultivation, because they are freeholders. Nor do I think there is a man in those colonies of 50l. a year; nor are there any without some share in the soil, and therefore no slaves, vassals or beggars; and on their example, it is said, Lord Egmont's petition for the whole island of St. John's, for himself and family, was justly rejected.

But notwithstanding we have the amazing progress and population of New England before our eyes, and which was effected without the aid or succour of Great Britain of half a crown, whilst the greater part of the southern colonies, who have cost this kingdom several hundred thousand pounds, remain a desert; I say notwithstanding this, we are pursuing that method in Canada, East and West Florida, which tends to discourage population; I mean by granting enormous tracts of land to favourites and their favourites, who never intend to see that country; but who, perhaps, will obtain votes for immense sums from this nation to encourage and improve their lands: but even in that they will be disappointed; for such public money has been, and may be again misapplied.

The only right method, Sir, to settle these immense forests is by adopting the plan of New England; I mean by comprehending great numbers of persons in every grant made out to them, their heirs and assigns, forever, and to be tied down to apply to the settlement of such grant in a given time, or to be vacated: by this means there will be but one tenure freehold, and that alone will inspire the planter with industry, without any succour from the public, and we should soon see those regions as populous as New England,

I am, yours,

MARCUS AURELIUS.