The Short ConstitutionWade, Martin J. (Martin Joseph)
History
The Short Constitution
Wade, Martin J. (Martin Joseph)
United States. Constitution
Then we find the following constitutional provision: “_nor shall private
property be taken for public use, without just compensation_.”(65)
Of course the government at times must have property which may belong to a
private person. The public must at times take property belonging to an
individual. Property may be taken, even when the owner will not consent to
it, when it is taken for public use. One man’s property cannot be taken by
the government and given to another person. Government buildings must be
erected and land must be obtained for such purposes. The public must have
railroads, and a railroad can only be built when land is obtained for what
is called the right of way. Sometimes a railroad must run through lots or
farms belonging to private owners. The higher right of the public to these
conveniences, these necessities, requires that when necessary the private
individual must give up his right of ownership to these higher public
uses. But even for the Nation, or the State, or railway, or for any other
public use, not one foot of land may be taken from the poorest man in the
country unless he is first fully paid its value therefor. Usually, of
course, the owner will sell his property for such purpose at a fair price,
but, if he is stubborn and will not do so, or if a fair price cannot be
agreed upon then the government of the State or of the Nation, or the
agents of the State or of the Nation may take such property by first
having its value fixed by a commission, or a jury, composed of the
neighbors of the owner. Where the amount fixed by such commission or jury
is not satisfactory to the owner of the property, he may appeal to the
court and have a trial, usually a jury trial, in which he can bring his
witnesses and prove the value of his property, so that he will finally
receive its full, fair, just value.
By this constitutional guaranty every person is well guarded in his
ownership and possession of property. In countries existing before America
not much attention was paid to the rights of property owners. If the king
or emperor should demand possession of a certain piece of property the
owner had little to say about it. He received his orders and obeyed them,
because he was afraid of the power of the government. The government could
pay or not as it pleased. But this period of wrong and injustice was
ended, so far as the people of America were concerned, when the
Constitution became the final power in this land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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