54 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



with it, the opportunity which every man enjoys in taking 

 part in the working of the State, and the chances held out for 

 civil distinction in large and small degree to all who enjoy the 

 confidence and respect of the community, as also conducive to 

 popular virtue and intelligence. But it was the land which 

 really lay at the foundation. 



The importance of this easy tenure of land is recognized 

 even in countries where it does not prevail. John Bright 

 promised this to the people of Ireland after the disestablish- 

 ment of the church there, knowing as he did that this alone 

 was needed to make the Irish nation prosperous and happy. 

 But Mr. Bright's promises were not fulfilled. Such a privilege 

 was found to be impossible, in the face of the landlords of 

 England ; and so strong was the prejudice, against it, that an 

 attempt to introduce it did more to break down Mr. Glad- 

 stone's administration than any other act of all his liberal 

 policy. Even Lord Derby eulogized the system ; and not 

 long since, in an agricultural address, boasted that the existence 

 of 30,000 landholders in Great Britain was sufficient to 

 show that even there the principle of a liberal division and 

 subdivision of land was required. But Lord Derby forgot 

 what landholding under what, is called the American system 

 is. Of the 35,000,000 of people in the United Kingdom, he 

 found, according to the census, 30,000 persons possessed of 

 landed estates, andhe thought the division a liberal one. 



But had Lord Derby examined the condition of Massachu- 

 setts, he would have found that in our 1,500,000 of people, 

 we have nearly 50,000 recognized farmers, and that of our 

 entire population probably more than 300,000 are owners of 

 large or small parcels of real estate. The ease with which 

 land is acquired here, and the substantial character of its pos- 

 session, has always made it especially desirable. Our early 

 merchants all bought fiirms, when their fortunes would allow 

 it. Merchants in olden times, as now, looked upon the land 

 as most desirable property. The member^ of all the learned 

 professions desired land and received it. The colonial clergy 

 were settled for life on small salaries and the donation of a 

 fcii-m. Lawyers rapidly became landholders. Ph3^sicians, as 

 they advanced in their professions, made rapid accumulations 



