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To: Huck
Property is generally obtained by the ability of the individuals to defend it. A civilization allows for peaceful methods.

I take my statement in #10 back, in the sense that academically, one can visualize things beyond the horizon, but constitution-writing is not an academic exercise. It is notable that Jefferson replaced "pursuit of property" with "pursuit of happiness" in the final draft, recognizing that "property" doesn't have, academically, a clear meaning.

14 posted on 12/02/2001 8:28:24 PM PST by annalex
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To: annalex
I take my statement in #10 back, in the sense that academically, one can visualize things beyond the horizon, but constitution-writing is not an academic exercise. It is notable that Jefferson replaced "pursuit of property" with "pursuit of happiness" in the final draft, recognizing that "property" doesn't have, academically, a clear meaning.

Hmm. I suppose you are right. I would think that at least the many Virginia land owners--Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Henry being the most notable--fairly understood land as property, and probably thought it synonymous with happiness to own land. My point, which isn't so much a point as a musing prompted by your article (I haven't the scholarship to make points on this matter), is that those who were actively involved in taking land from the natives, must have understood in the process that a right to property is based on force; first the force to take the land, then the force to make and keep the rules that govern ownership.

Then, of course, one remembers that these same individuals not only treated the right to property inconsistently depending on your cultural makeup, they treated ALL liberty in such a way, as evidenced by the African slave trade. When I get around to studying John Adams, I will be interested to see what he may have said or written or done regarding the native American tribes.

19 posted on 12/03/2001 4:58:21 AM PST by Huck
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