James Logan Quotes

Since (by the good providence of God) a country in America is fallen to my lot, I thought it not less my duty than my honest interest to give some public notice of it to the world, that those of our own, or other nations, that are inclined to transport themselves or families beyond the seas, may find another country added to their choice

One of the most difficult and embarrassing, questions of political morality is the extent and limits of the, right of those who have first taken possession of the, unoccupied portion of the earth's surface to exclude the, remainder of mankind from inhabiting it.

We maintain that it is a right of humanity … that this vast territory be inhabited by an industrious people.

The doctrine of state ownership of land … is the exact opposite of the regime of free trade. The doctrine of state ownership should not be allowed to prevail ...

Each Servant has then also a Right to take up fifty Acres of Land, where he can find any unpatented [unowned]: But that is no great Privilege, for any one may have as good a right for a piece of Eight

No man should be allowed to own any land he does not use.

What we call real estate--the solid ground to build a house on--is the broad foundation on which nearly all the guilt of this world rests.

The land, the villages, the mountains, the roads are in their hands. The country is theirs, because they inhabit it, whereas we want to come here and settle down, and in their view we want to take away from them their country, while we are still outside.

In England, the population explosion can be linked very clearly with the enclosure of the commons that uprooted the peasants from their land. In India, it was the same thing: the population increased at the end of the 18th century when the British took over and Indian lands were colonized. Instead of the land feeding Indian people it started to feed the British empire. So we had destitution. Destitute people who don't have their own land to feed themselves can only feed themselves by having larger numbers, therefore they multiply. It's the rational response of a dispossessed people.

Land ownership in Guatemala is more unequal than anywhere else in Latin America. Roughly 90 percent of Guatemalan farms are too small to support a family. A tiny group of Guatemalans owns a third of the country's arable land; more than 300,000 landless peasants must scrounge a living as best they can.

The white men in the East are like birds. They are hatching out their eggs every year, and there is not room enough in the East, and they must go elsewhere; and they come out West, as you have seen them coming for the last few years.

The whole notion of land property rights in the Arab world is different from that in Europe.

Those who have been outspoken in advocating human rights during these last forty years, have themselves grabbed the most fundamental of human rights from the people of the Third-World countries.

Land began to be seen as something to be owned privately and exploited for private interests, and never was entirely reconciled with the old ideas that land should be utilized in common for the good of all.

…the native races, whose land it was long before we came here

…if you suffer the Englishmen to dwell in your midst, their diseases and poisons shall destroy you utterly and you shall die.

Each landless citizen may occupy and appropriate a small allotment of the National Domain free of charge.

The underlying justification for the theft of our lands has always been that we were not making proper use of them, and that these lands could be put to better use. The wilderness that we cultivated … was simply going to waste. It was selfish of us to padlock our vast forests and plains and deprive millions of hungry and millions of landless from their enjoyment. It was argued that stealing our land would provide for the common good … and all would become better off as a result…during this process, we would be lifted from our less-than-civilized state and would eventually recognize the goodwill that had been lavished upon us. Today, most of our lands and most of the wilderness are gone and yet there are more poor people than ever, more misery… And today there are those who still argue that tearing down the remaining … lands benefits humanity, or in today's jargon, "creates jobs." … we can only ask: "Has our land indeed been put to better use?" Could there have been another way?

The Act by which most of us hold our estates was an Act of violence—an Act subverting the first principles of the Common Law in England and Ireland …. Every acre of land is held by title derived under the Act of Settlement …. Consider how far it may be prudent to pursue the successive claims of dignified and unequivocal independence made for Ireland by the right honorable gentlemen.

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slaver's scars, I am the Red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— And finding only the same ole stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

The Minister of Lands, Sir, got his ideas as a boy when he saw the poor people [of Scotland] evicted from their houses in the most cruel manner and unable to get a place for their feet to stand upon except they went to cemeteries.

Emma Lazarus was wrong. America's first duty is to its own poor.

The Trustees intend to relieve such unfortunate persons as cannot subsist here [England], and establish them in an orderly manner, so as to form a well regulated town…. By such a Colony, many families, who would otherwise starve, will be provided for, and made masters of houses and lands…. The Trustees for establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. … are impowered to collect benefactions; and lay them out in cloathing, arming, sending over, and supporting colonies of the poor, whether subjects on foreigners, in Georgia

We Beate the Savages outt of the Island burned their howses Ransaked their Temple Tooke down the Corpes of their deade kings from out of their Toambes And caryed away their pearles.... The Salvages still contineweinge their mallice Ageinste us.

… that unhappy Act of Parliament which invested German settlers with the Rights of Englishmen before they knew how to use them.