The civilization which Western Europe received at the hands of Rome was due in great part to the colonies planted by her in every subjected portion of it. It may, therefore, be neither trivial nor uninteresting to inquire whether that colonisation extended itself and its benefits to this country also. Throughout the history of Rome conquest preceded colonisation. The land of a conquered nation, if the Roman government insisted upon its right, became the absolute property of the Roman people. Belonging from that time to the State, it could be retained by the Government as public property (i. e. in fact and etymology the property of the people,) to be used for the support and relief of the finances, or it could, by an act of the Legislature, be granted and appropriated to private individuals, of course a portion of that people or their privileged allies.