HOW LAND IS HELD TOGETHER AND GRASPED AT.

Colonist, Volume VII, Issue 663, 4 March 1864, Page 4

HOW LAND IS HELD TOGETHER AND GRASPED AT.

Whatever may be thought of the speeches lately delivered by Messrs. Bright and Cobden ; it can hardly be denied that they put their fingers boldly upon a sore place in our social system. The aggregation of property into largo masses is unquestionably a sore evil under the sun. In short, it is the very evil, if we think of it, which our forefathers dreaded and provided a remedy for in the Statute of Mortmain, first passed in the reign of Edward I. "See," said that sagacious Monarch, "if we do not take care our lands will in time all get into the grip of a dead hand (mortmain). It is better that land should be alienable." And so the Statute of Mortmain was passed. At first it only applied to the Church; but in the reign of Eichard 11. it was made by a supplement to apply to lay corporations. This statute haß often been amended; but it is still operative, and unquestionably it has done much good. But the evil has come to us in these modern days in another form Property does not get into the dead hand of the Church and lay corporations, but into the dead hand of individuals; and this evil which has increased and is increasing wonderfully produces many other evils, as political economists know. But how is it to be remedied ? The passion for the possession ot land—to become a landed proprietor—is a religion in England. When a merchant or manufacturer has made money the first thing he does is to look out for land, which he will buy at any cost. Very litttle land can be bought to pay more than three per cent • and the wealthy parvenu is quite contented with this interest if he can but become a proprietor of land. I have noticed this subject apropos to the speeches of Messrs. Bright and Cobden, who seem to have fixed their eyes with a view to attack it. But what a hubbub there will be if they do ? Fancy a man mounting a stump in Constantinople to attack Mohammedanism. "Well, he might almost as safely do that as to attack the sacred rights of the land. "What have you observed m England, Monsieur, during your six months' visit," said a gentlemen to a 4 renchman at his dinner-table. "Observed!" replied the witty Frenchman, "their are only two things to be observed in England— bunday, and the law of primogeniture If a man will but observe them in England he is a good man." The late Sir George Lewis was quite alive to the magnitude of this evil and used freely to discuss it; and once in answer to an indignant land propriator who exclaimed, in terror, " What, Sir George would you interfere with the rights of property ?" he quietly said, " Property is the creation of the law; and, as now regulated by the law is an anomaly." Fancy the astonishment of our country squire when he heard this Why, this is worse than the attacks of Colenso upon the Pentateuc&,.«c%6 <fr««P in Illustrated Zims.

The Demand iob Diamonds in New York.— Our diamond dealers say they have never done a larger or more] profitable business than during the past two years.' A few days since a diamond merchant entered at the Custom House a single brilliant, which was invoiced in Paris at 40,000 francs, the cost of which, after paying the duty of five per cent., would be about §15,000. Strange storie9 are' told of diamond purchasers; a dealer in Broadway tdlshow, having one day sold a diamond necklace to a lady, he had occasion to ask her to write her address on a card, when she1 had to confess her inability to write her own name. Diamonds so costly as the one we have mentioned as having been recently entered at our Custom House afe not often imported, and there are probably not many of its size in the country ; but that even one such Small mountain of light should be imported indicates a demand for such valuable ornaments, that will surprise many people who do not know vhat extravagances our newly-made millionaires indulge in. It is a rather startling thought that a little glittering pin, worn in the Bhirt bosom, or on the finger, required 3000 barrels of flour, some 10,000 bushels of wheat, or 1500 barrels of pork, to be sent oit of the country in exchange for it.— New York Independent. Hoi&owat's Ointment and Pills.—Alleviation and Cure.—The most loathsome sores, foulest ulcers, and most hopeless bad legs, assume a healthier appearance after a very few applications of Hblloway's cleansing and healing unguent. It promptly improves the aspect, and soon reduces the irritability, of old sluggish ulcers, which have fruitlessly exhausted the Burgeon's skill and the patient's endurance. By paying attention to the directions folded roind each pot, the afflicted may easily and fearlessly guide their own ailments to a happy issue, and remove all further cause of trouble and anxiety. It is gratifying to watch the subsidence of inflammation, and tbb gradual decrease of swelling, which occur through the cooling and sedative properties of this inestimable dintment, aided by Holloway's Pills. '