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which they founded became not only the home of civil and 

 religious freedom, but of small-landed proprietors also. When 

 they struck for freedom, they struck for the sacred rights of 

 their own homes, which had become scattered throughout the 

 length and breadth of the land, and were the nurseries of a 

 hardy, independent, sturdy race of Puritans in religion and 

 Round-heads in politics. They were indeed the lords of the 

 soil, and were as unconquerable in their defense of their little 

 farms as the great landed proprietors of their old home were 

 in protecting their immense estates from invasion or popular 

 revolution. The feudal tenure of England really never gained 

 a foot-hold here. But the commercial tenure which took its 

 place gave every prosperous member of the community an 

 opportunity to establish his own little kingdom, and to dispose 

 of or exchange it at his pleasure. The temptation to secure 

 land under these circumstances became irresistible. The 

 mechanic labored to secure his homestead — the merchant was 

 never satisfied until he had purchased a farm with the surplus 

 profits of his commercial adventure. The professional men of 

 the day — the lawyer, the clergyman, the physician — all owned 

 and cultivated their land, which they were proud to occupy. 

 And with this American system, as it has been called, went a 

 multitude of civil rights and privileges and opportunities 

 which were never lost sight of Vjy those who made up and 

 supported and organized the community. The occupants and 

 owners of these farms were the pillars of the church ; they 

 filled the town offices ; they took their places in the legislature 

 and made laws for the Commonwealth ; they took part in the 

 town meeting with its stormy debate and its free ballot ; they 

 aspired to high office and exercised the right of beating and 

 being beaten at the polls. The school-house, the library, the 



