believe he is the author, but has evidently thought deeply
upon other subjects vitally concerning the well being and
progress of society. Whatever may be thought of the positions
of this pamphlet, we cannot deny to it the merit of great
beauty of style and force of logic. The whole argument is
based upon the proposition that the earth is the original gift
of God to man, and as such belongs of right to the human race
in general, and not to the individuals of the race separately.
The author insists that the land is not the product of man's
labor any more than air, sunshine, or water, and that
originally this gift of God ought to have been left as free as
those lighter, but indispensable elements must ever be, from
their very nature. The artificial and unnatural laws which
have sprung up and become fastened upon society have thrown
immense obstacles in the way of the bare perception of this
great truth, as the doctor deems it, besides at the same time
interposing barriers almost insurmountable to its reception
and adoption into the framework of government. It is insisted,
however, that these obstacles may be overcome, and the rights
of the people restored to them, without any injustice to the
present proprietors of land, and without any convulsions in
the great elements of society.

"Dr. Buchanan explained in his essay, as Mr. George does in his works
now, that he did not mean to annul the existing titles to land. 'Far
from it,' Dr. Buchanan said. 'Such a scheme would be a miserable
climax of folly and injustice, fit only to render the great principle
equally odious and ridiculous.' The doctor insisted that he proposed
to 'maintain in legislation the broad principle that the nation owns
the soil, and that this ownership is paramount to all individual
claims,' and from this fundamental proposition as a corner-stone the
superstructure was to be built up. The present proprietors of the soil
were not to be disturbed in their possession, and the government was
not to interfere in the details of agriculture, renting and leasing
estates, determining possession, etc. But the owners were to be
considered as the tenants of the nation, paying rent to it for the
benefit of the people at large. This rent was to be extremely small at
first, estimated upon the value of the soil alone, without the
improvements, that being the original gift of nature, f