Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-05-07

uredS of our vessels had been swept from
/ the ocean, and thousands Of our citizens car.
rled into bondage consigned to a fate worse.
ihan death. the floating dungeons of Eng
land.-Had We longer continued to submit
to injuries. truckle to insults and cover be.
meath fhenaces, little would now have been
lett US. worth possessing-As nation we
lshould have'oeen degraded and disgraced---
the spirit of freedom, the essence Of liberty
would have fed from violated sovereignty.
and Ia rnished h onor-Heartless would have
been an appeal 20 the good old principles of
Seventy Six. THE deed of our fathers would
nave been forgotten, or remembered only to
suffuse our Cheeks with the burning blush
OF shame. In common with the mass of
my fellow citizens, I wish ardently
for the return of peace--but It is not
peace without reference to its condition..
1t IS not any peace which Britain may
Choose to gtye-lt must be peace consis-
TENT with the honor and the interests of nv
country 1T must not be peace, which sur
renders the great principles for which we
are now contending.- Such peace would
lose .ns our name among naticns-suct :,
peace would in effect re coIonize us--ir
would bring us again under the yoke of our
old naughty domineering and long irritated
oppressor-it would bind US to the fortunes
81 Britain, the fomenter of every war which
mas convu'sec Europe for centuries past
the dsturber of the repose of the world.
NO. an lnterminable war would be preferable
to so hulniii sung peace-better lin tie ma,
triotic language of foreigner Of other ,imesI
that IN defence OF our rights we should die
IN the last ditch--and expire with the expix
ring sovereignty of our country.
But gentlemen, / will come more nearly
nome. VIII be m orc local in my remarks
acknowledge that am not the enthusiasts
TIC aoHirer OF the constitution OF Virginia.
.hink see in it the germ of aristocracv
am trendiy, as many ofyou may recoilectI
once before took occasion to tell YOU. "a the
extension OF suffrage, would put nv foot
on that odious distinction made to exist he.
tween the freeholder and the non freeholder.
we can this government of the people -.
we speak OF the equality of rights. How
worse than idle, how insulting such Ian.
guage There are men among you who paw
taxes tor the support of your government
whose names are always to be found on
your muster rolls, who. m9st fight your bat
ties when the tug of war comes, but whom.
with amazing inconsistency and unaccounta.
ois ingratitude, you drive from your polls
men who have no voice in the Councils of
the Na,ion-who have no more to do with
tue election OF the men who leeislate for
i
lection OF a member to the British Parlia.
ment. The connection of taxation and re-.
pre- entation IS the very basis ON which the
whole edifice OF Republication stands. The
violation OF this plain and self evidently cor,
FectpositioD, was that for which our fathers
revoted from Brltain--It is the cause in
wnich Washington fought, and Monteome>
~, Warren and Mercer bed. Let ne not
practlse On others. what we found ntolera-
be when Inflicted on ourselves. The ex,en-
son OF suffrage to that class of our cit;zens
VITO are NOT treeholders is a measure Ieualv
cailsd tor by Justice and dictated by sound
policy. May they not whe,i their numbers
wii.Jas'iiy f-when they have ply sica force
on .neir SIDE extort from our fears, or POS.
IS themselves by oger violence If Thar
which we have withheld from their &c
clailns--and that pesiod may not be far dis
tani.-Wnh our growing domestic mann a,-
lures, many will desert the tiilage of the
sgl, ana the numbers OF the non freehoIders
VIII increase more than in proportion to the
increase OF our Whole population. In ex.
pressing these sentiments, gentlemen, I ans
ticipate that may not please few of YOU.
whose private worth, even whose republi-
eanism, estimate highly but who i must
INK on this subject have not given reason
iiir play. be that as it may--I am no hy.
pocrite-l would not gull or deceive YOU.
would not conceal one of my sentiments In
gam my election. As representative of
the people, fellow citizens, I should ever
deem myself bound TO obey their instructions
and even uniDstructed, could ascertain
their wishes. | would endeavor to carry
them mt effect, although my individual oni-
Mon should bt directly opposed. Some few
OF you, believe, gentlemen, object 70 Candle
dates who belong 10 the profession of the
law. In the sincerity of my hear.. I think
that there is more OF fancy than substance in
this objection. can't see how candidates.
repubicanism should be tainted. or in.
terest. different from yours created. by bis
having CHANGED to turn over more leaves in
law books than some of you may have done
nor can possibly conceive that to know
little of law disquaiifes man for leeislas
tion.-With the study OF law, is necessarily
Connected some knowledge Of the governs
neht under which we live, and the char
ters out OF Which our liberties grow. think.
gentlemen. candidate for popular favor.
should stand or fall by his merits or teme-
| rits, without reference to the profession or
| trade to which he belongs. il it be an honest
| one. And the questions which a voter should
ask are--Has he Capacity Has he inte.
| grityf Can conhde in his political senti-
| mentsf But think it not necessary to press
this subject further. Fellow Citizens it is
at all times unpleasant to speak Of ones self;
6ui it IL sometimes usti6able-sometime
even rendered necessary. Humble as may