The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-26

iueraoie length, embraced Very narrow
| question, VIZ. 8 whether it is better to re-
iuire voters to hold freehold property, or
| 80 suffer- every man to posSess the privilege
OF Foting who has arrived to the age of 81
years. AS already stated, MIR. Randolph
LOOK the hrst ground, and introduced the
l.ractire OF Virginia to shcw that it was at
tended with the best effects. Mcssrs Fisk,
Wright, Smile and Poindexter toox the op-
pcsitc side of the question. They argued
that lite and liberty are superior to proper
! ty that these are dcarer to poor man
than all the properly of the rich. Mr..
| Wright said, that the state of MARYLAND had
tried the Observation-Disclosures for voting,
had found 1t attended with bad effects, and
mad now abandoned it. 1t was formerly re-
qmred, he said, that voter should be pos
scssed OF property to the value of thirty
pounds so that if a man possessed a horse
! OF that value, he was entitled To- vote
but, II the horse happened to die before the
election, he lost his privilege, which was
placing the right in the horse instead of
the man. AS to freehold qualifications,
they were evaded too by deeds made for
the occasion, which were afterwards can
Ceiled. c1 q
mr.: Randolph, in combating the principle
OF universal suffrage, said that it was impos-
sible for the gentleman himself (alluding to
Mr.. Smilie) or any piping-hot member from
!acooin Club-ior any disciple of Tom
f,a'He or OF the DEM, to carry this princi-
pie OF equality to its full extent, for even
they must exclude from it's operation minors
and females. He also took occasion to pro-
nounce strong philippe against foreigners
having any part in the government. l,.r
smile, In his reply, paid tribute of resrecr
TO the memory of Paine, on account of MS
valuable political writings, which mad beer
considered as servicesbie In the revolution,
q ~ ls>t, AL Il 4.
yer the Rights of Man are understood and
reminded him of the foreigners who hat as
sisted In lighting our revolutionary battles
Mr.. II. justified his aliusion to Paine, said ne
was sorry the gentleman had noe recollectet
ms Age OF Reason, IS weli'as mis- Rights Of
Man, and as to any service, which he rem
dered by his writings, he thought little of
them; the heroes engaged in that great
cause, 'did not need the assistance of an En-
siish sfay-nsaker.-In reply, Mr.. S. said, he
never interfered with mans religious OBI
mon; that was a private concern which Law
between God 4 a mans own conscience *
az to the profession of Paine, that he appre-
heEded would never lessen the value of his
writings.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 90.
mr. fotnderter presented the petition of
the inhabitants of West Florida, praying to
be annexed to the Mississippi Territory RAJ
Their than to the Territory OF Orleans. Or
dered to be printed.
The same memorial which was presented
In the Senate from the Baltimore meeting of
Friends, was laid before the House. read &
referred to the Committee Of Commerce &
Manufactures.
Mr.. MiAaor stated that the present COM
pensaton to witnesses who are compelled To
appear in the Court of tho United States is
very inadequate. Several distressing cases
OF TINS Kind had occurred in Philadelphia.
10 remedy the evil, Mr.. NJ. proposed the a.
| d0ptlon OF the following resolution:
Resofved, That a committee be appointed To ON
qure INTO the expedency of providing by law for the
compensation ofwitnesses held under recoepizana.
give testimony in criminal prosecutions in courts
otherwise" = "'- W
Agreed to, and a committee of three ap-
cinred.
The following members forms the commit
bee fer considering the expectancy of pro-
vidlng by law for the relief of disabled
$ ldiers, VIZ Elessrs. Dawson, Blount.
Butter, Davenport, Ormsby, Gold & Fisk.
Nat Int.
THURSDAY, Nov. 81, 1911.
'1Fth'6aId Nc Bride, of North Carolina.
appeared and took his seat.
oeVeral petitions We're presented by Mr..
oeybert, and others from mercantile honses
s.raying leave to import goods from Great
oritain, purchased previous to knowledge
OF the presidents proclamation--Re erred.
lNr. ndtey, from the committee of cleo
tions, reported, in part, ON TIL contested
election of John P. Hungerford Va. from
which 1T appears, that if the polls had been
purged agreeably to the landlist of the pre-
cedlng year, the contesting member. John
L aliaferro, would have had a majority of
l28 votes but recommends waiting for fur
Their testimony, as of the whole number of
votes taken 400 are challenged as Illegal by
the candidates-the sitting member was re-
turned by majority of Notes.-The report
OF the committee, with the accompanying
documents, were ordered to be printed and
made the order of the day for Monday
next.
Mr.. Lezois presented the petition of Re-
becca F. Hodgson, of Washington CITY.
praying payment for house (the property
OF her husband) consumed by fire, while oc-
cupled as the war Office of the u States. in
the year 1810.-Referred to the committee of
claims.
Mr.. Rhea called TO- the cons liberation of
hrs resolution for laying ajax upon the coarse
manufactures Of hemp, flax and cotton this
proposition caused considers ble debate and
aeveral propositions were offered by way of
amendment, when
Mr.. Sawyer moved an indefinite most
poncment, as he conceived the subject to be
before the committee of commerce and man
ufactures.
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