The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-28

VI SN." w Tue ciaiiIe which has been rec tied
p'o''nss inc re'er'e. Upon what principle,
,uen' mas rms iacred and invaluable provGoa
been violated? for what purpofes I'VE f,al
be told perhaps. tina. thefe people pay no taxes.
and fhat they ihoud not therefore participate
IN the administration of the government. But
isthi' argument corrrtt. Are lanei-ho,ders the
cniy pertons. who pay taxes. Men without
land po!iris llaves, hor!es, and othc. property,
in'Ject to taxa.ion. Even when tieaitute Of
the'e' they render perfonal fervices to the CO.
vernrneht Are not theft to be dcdut1ed from
the mite pttance allotted to them!elves and 4
dependant family, and under this point of view
may they not fairly he confidered as a tax M.
on their irduftry and fuhGacncc So far then
as the argument OF f1xation applies, it is oSvi-
Gully u:foundrd. Z Bn. are governments inl(i-
tuted for the rupofes Of taxation alone, I,et
1t be reco'!cctei that the laws which define
crimes and pnHhmen,s, and bv whole inI,u-
enee the perfon7l liberty oe every individual -
tecured or endangered: the laws which reyr.
tate the moSe "t transferring an, acquiring pro.
perry ana let 1t alto be recolleete.i, that the
law wnch "Pport,on the military fervices Of
the citizen; are interei'ing to every one she.
Tier he be a!anh-h0ldes or rot. No do,b, !.
is right that fociety Mould demand ro,ne " rvi>
dence of common nterrh with, and attachments
to, the community" The Qualifications ~
age, coloSr and Tex were no doubt iDdiiben6hle
For IN what f.uati9n flonld we, he nl.,,.d
were we to Zee The fable race -crowd;Dy rornJ
OK polls and contributing our ele6fio-s, Eor
ths lame reS!oH perhaps, minors and females
ihon'o DC excluded from the right of fuffraye.
though forr,y own part (aid Mr.. b. b,ve.no
very frong objection to the latter. But wh,
il'ouid this pledge contia in properly, or WIN
ihouid one fpeces Of pyaperty be p,erer,eI.,
another! Where is the Juice of rsouirinr o.
'niteao OF one or $4,000 acres a6 the oua,C-a.
ton OF An elsttor! Let it I've granted tina, ,on,
ttandard IS neceflary: hut let tina, HantarrI ~.
one winch embraces the gseair!t poilin,e no;-;i.
on OF the peopie. Can there he any more "a.
tonai pledge OF attachment to the community.
than birth 1t is birth, which enrendrrs ~,
indeicribabe fenfation, called patriotiCm w..
poor landlets VitgDian feels more real love Fer
tins, his native country; NOR ardent zen, 70
fuPpo,t iisdignity and indcccndence, than ths
wealthy foreigner, who'll sisread his ;;tlca q.
yer An exteniire foil, and WHOLE lofty palace rir.
es Ike IN eXha'ation TO the ESies. And We,
what paradox do orr laws produce Wh;,f
The latter is Submitted t. alt.he rights of citizen.
mp, the tor'acr is completely s:;cluded. IF we
nave indeed no confidence in the attachment Of
'neic people to their native country, why in
times OF the utmn!t peril, when we are threat.
ened with foreign nvaiiens or domeaic cenvul.
mons, do we cali forth, embody and arm them.
for the public defence? Are YOU not ner,;t
Qaid Mr. e. to trutr them with weapons, which
may be tur1ed sgainf yon ft!ves. AS for ma.
part, my mind revots againit ;he charge.
abhor the monfrous injufice of fayins 70 The
ioidier, who had impaired his contribution
walled ms fortune, and il,iIt his blood; "you
nave iaved your county from rrin and devafe,.
ton. Bat you canno; be tri,fed even with tn,
election Of representative" am freehold
er nyielf, Sir; yet rather than he guilty. of fn n
crying ngrati'nde, would ahriige nv own
power and divide with tiefe men nv portion oe
foyereignty.
IN ailrepublican governments, ii is prone, r,
beEln by citabliihing as little determination "a
Poiiibie between the different members of The
community. This ptincjnie is abfun:ey iu.r
m Itfelf, but it becomes ftiH more Important az
practical maSm, when it rs recolIc6ted thai
fociety is irrefftibly progreiiive. As it advan.
ces 10 aimo!t every country, it naturally leads
to the accumulation Of 1,-oorrty !, 10
hands of Particular individnl as Such has
been the hiitory of England. iuch the hitory
of Germany; fuch The hiitory of every na-
ton IN Europe. The refut has always
been inanfpicious to the ca :. of the peop,c =
favourable to privileged orders, and productive
or civil contuiion. Look AZ Ireland. WHY has
that gallant nation been io long oppreifcd and
agitated! 1t was hecaufr large portion of
her people was excluded from ihare of the
elective Franchiie. What produced the diC-
ientions IN ancient Rome WHY did the peo,
pie fecedc to the Sacred Mount and rcfnf. to
appear under the banners of The republic ,
1t was becauie they had received from that re,
public nothing but oppreiiion aud infuit, lie
was becaufe the Partcians and the Plebeians,
IN other words thoie who were freeholders and
thofe who were not, had divided the poDuja,
ton OF Rome. Let us beware (raid MIR. b.
that the fame caiualty does not happen to our
fefves. When an enemy arites upon US,
when the landlefs citizen is entitled in our
ranks to fight the battles of his country, let us
beware that like the ancient Piebeians he NAV
not retire to fome facrcd mountain, and refi,G-
to rehlt the enemy. " You have denied us(hr
may fay) the right of futfrage; you have de-
vded among you the honours and the treafures
of the government. Fight then your own
battles: when our country chcofes to treat us
as her children, by admitting us to flare in the
benefits of our birthsight, fbe may then expess
us to appear IN the defence of her rights. Bue
till then, let the naughty laadholder 60 forth TO
defend her"
We may be told, however, faid Mr.. d. that
al! this is mere idle fpc:ulation. We may be
called upon for proofs of the injury, which &C,
tuaIIY reiuts from this political determination.
/ could produce fverai 10 the confederation OF
the houfe, but Jingle one is fnffcent for tbs
illuftraticn of the evil, The law apDointiso