Viewing farmers as standing in Ilic condition of pro prietors, and exposed to the same difficulties that would occur to the latter, were the cultivation of the ground to he carried on at their risk and expense, we must con sider every unnecessary hardship imposed upon them, and every obstruction thrown in the way of spirited ( u tivation, as tending for the time to lessen the real value of the property, and as injurious to the interest of the state. If a certain number of years must elapse before the best concerted plan can he carried fully into execu tion ; and if another number of years must expire !whin: the fruits of that plan can be reaped or obtained, then it would appear that the proprietor, who eiti.er obstinatel) refuses to set his land upon lease, or to grant to the, tenant such a lease as shall insure him a reasonable term of possession for reaping the Iruits of improvement. must be considered nut only as highly culpable, but guilty of a kind of high treason against the prosperity of the state. On the other hand, proprietors who grant leases, and include in them covenants or obligations that obstruct the operations of the farmer, or, which is the same thing, prevent hint from raising the greatest pos sible quantity of produce for the use of the community, must also be regarded as enemies of the public welfare. If agriculture is a main pillar of the state, every measure-. tending to injure or reduce its strength, must be con sidered as hostile to the community, and deserving of the severest censure and reprobation.
Before a farm can be put in proper order, a considera ble time must elapse, and much money must be ex pended. The fruits of improvements are not gained all at once, and a number of years are required to accom plish the best digested plan. Suppose, for instance, a person entering to a farm that was worn out and ex hausted by long and successive tillage, and that he wishes to refresh the land by laying it down in grass; it will be six years at least before he can go over it all with fallow; and unless he sow it down clean, he is nei ther doing the land nor himself justice. If he continues it in grass five or six ? ears more, which is little enough time for ground so exhausted, it will be found that near twenty years must take place before he receive the re ward of his improved cultivation ; and to receive this re ward he has a claim both from his superior management. and as an incitement to his future industry : but what security has he for this reward, or what incentive has he to industry, if he sits upon the premises by virtue of an annual lease ? In the midst of his career he may be interrupted by a six months' warning, and the toil of his hands, and the fruits of his improvements, be transfer red to another. These are not imaginary apprehensions. but arc founded upon real and solid principles ; and will operate less or more upon ever) farmer, according to his situation and circumstances.
Many cases of a similar nature might he put; but from the above we hope it will appear, that before any substantial improvements can be expected from the far mer, he must have the security of a lease, for affording him time to reap the fruits of these improvements.
There is, in the course of farming, as much often laid out in one year, as many succeeding crops can repay ; in this case, where the farmer has a lease, he looks to a future period lot' being reimbursed : if he has none, call it ever be t xpee tett that any man of common sense will throw away his moue) by intim'', ing another person's estate, and cast lNue=xdI upon the mercy and discretion of his landlord fur time and opportunity to gain it bat k again' The farmer who would do this, is not guided by those principles witich influence the rest or man kind.
The noire a farm is improv«I, the greater the quantity of manure laid upon it, the I leaner the fields, the richer the pastures and meadow s, the completer the fences, and the more cenveme lit the buildings and offices, the more uncertain is the situation of the Limier who has no lease, and the greater are the allurements held out to a covet ous neighbour to attempt to wrest his possession him, or to a designing steward to increase his rent. Such being the case, et considerate man is deterred from expending more than he is necessarily obliged to do ; and therefore it hollows, that the withholding leases is a real and certain obstacle to farther improvements.
We might also mention :arguments of a different kind for granting leases ; which, however contemptuously they may be viewed by others, have great weight. with us. The farmer who sits without a lease, has not the privilege of thinking and acting for himself; it is need less to bring forward arguments in support of this propo sition, fur it cannot be contradicted. We have often heard it. said, that the liberty enjoyed by the farmer, aid the security afforded by tne constitution to his props rty, were the principal causes W by agriculture flourished more in this island than in other nations. We beg leave to inquire, where is the liberty enjoyed by the farmer who sits without a lease 1 lIis words and actions are under the most absolute subjection to another, who car •ies along with him a never ',tiling argument upon all occasions. Let the abject situation of such a man, placed under a capricious landlord, be considered. Ilis best actions may be misinterpreted ; be is exposed to every indignity without daring to complain : or if the spirit of a man rises within him, what se eurity does the constitu tion afford to his situation? If he has made improve ments, the fruits of them are wrested from him by an arbitrary removal. Another Coro cannot always be ob tained, and he may he turned upon the wide world, without the hopes of redress. A prudent man will le Beet upon these things ; and if he is so critically situated, will often rather part with his natural rights than ex pose himself to misery. He may have a numerous family ; his farm may be doing well with him ; he may have contracted an affection for his natale Nolan?, and be uncertain what w ill be the issue. The picture may be still more highly coloured ; but from the above we con tend, that the want of a lease precludes the farmer from acting as a free agent, and renders his property insecure and precarious.