2342. EARTH, Belongs to the Living.—[further continued] .
The earth belongs to the
living, not to the dead. The will and the
power of man expire with his life, by nature's
law. Some societies give it an artificial
continuance, for the encouragement of industry:
some refuse it, as our aboriginal
neighbors, whom we call barbarians. The
generations of men may be considered as
bodies or corporations. Each generation has
the usufruct of the earth during the period
of its continuance. When it ceases to exist.
the usufruct passes on to the succeeding
generation, free and unencumbered, and so
on, successively, from one generation to another
forever.—
To John Wayles Eppes. Washington ed. vi, 136.
Ford ed., ix, 389.
(M.
June. 1813)
