Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-02-07

ooned 70 the stake which they hold in the gepe
4 - s'ocH, and which must be defended agains,
ne 'is and mischievous part of he community
iere, H'i.n. might stop with perfect ,fe,y bn,
the enquiry shall be more fully satisfied ami
divesfedo OF the puzzle which it was intended Z,
| create-ict mo fiis.hc~ explain the founda,;ons
% tnat POI cy which prcscribes the possession of
iinied Inte-est as inclisprns bic TO exercise tha
Siynt OF suffrage; and why the me chant and
tne manufacturer and the mechanic, many of
~i'm are rich and blessed with 'he alfiuences of
! ms world, arc dened that right nicely becau p
.ney nave not q CERTAIN ouantIty of real es,are-
me merchant, or the manufacturer whose VIII Ne
possessions are invested in trade, is presumed 10
De destitute OF one of the greatest reciu,s es I,
constitute him law-giver, lnasmuch az he la
w nXeu and permanent interest to secure his f.
oeiity and attachment 20 the country HIS wealth
consists IN transitory capital VIII ch NAV be one
year IN Europe, second IN tn. East ID es an
'nlrd IN America, and always ,raversinp the
ocein IS constantly exposed 20 the le ks of the
FeSse', ard 10 the mercy of wind and water and
~ the stu more destructive clemens of human
ii'y and INJUSTICE ;-whilr his n'erest, so far
ron pe'n5 lnseparabiy connected with, and ex-
ciusiVeiy drawn from, the c,n,ntrv N which he
lives, Is fequenty not ONLY drawn from elsewhere
out under circumstances of times very injurious
" 'he interests OF the community in winch he
nv es' Tor example, the merchant who has invested
large potion of his re sources m the importation
u io.rign goods & merchandise from England into
me United States, immediately u on the arrival of
nus cargo, sees that it would be greatly promo
i've OF IFS interest 10 have the two nations involv-
et IN war; because the suspension of intercourse
"ihCL would be consequent upon the war would
s,it' out all competition from abroad and We Inn
All the advantages of a monopoly a home Blu.
suppose firther, to make the example s,iil more
sPPosite and powerful, that he has stimuli aneous-
~ made to England rich and heavy consiqupents
Tobacco pt
~ rise to an enormous price upon the suspension
OF III. ercourse between the two nations :-tLen #
Is douoP MS interest to involve the two nations
IN war; he makes double fortune. one in each
country. Nor does his interest stop here: the 81,
cltdf'n 81 the nation TO war, discOncerts all her
own FiaiiS ana operations otnadonal policy ex-
hhisls her own treasury, and cuts II off firm,
those financial resources VIII CHI are destined to
supply ii while agriculture, the Alma mater
OF the human race, and upon which the oDulence
aud prosperity OF every people must depen, is
prostrated and DESTROYED. So much an. better
fpr TINS transltory merchanr, tins vagrant cosmo
polite, lie owns no real estate which war con -,
wage and render desOiate and unprnductIve. and
the more he can eD5arras5 II: Fl lances of the ma
tor, the greater will he the premium which mo
w IL be able 20 oba from government for The
use OF all his dlvPDsabe wealth and thus he
| may, like Tavenous muck worm, fstten unon
the public misery, and cut his way into the very
vltals of his country.
His sonst IN misery's moan a music bs1rs
.9ndf0ad ike feds as poisOn on h-,. tsirI"
1t would be very easy to exDat ate p,n the
| numerous advantages accru.ng to such men
VINO have no permanent Interest IN the comnu
nifty from the establishment of b,unties md.
nopolies, and var us other CONNIE cil re-
strlctIons ; all of winch, are decidedly inf yo
rabie to national improvement and the &c eral
| good but that would be an idle waste of tune
winch may be more profttbly employed. re
experience OF every Gentleman must have mi ,rm
ed hm that 1t IS greatly the int est of all .b,,.
VINO have no interest IN the soii, and whose hole
Possessions are invested IN trade, that such dis
asrous obs iruct'ons to national prosperity should
be instituted and although they may have no
| nItura', predetermined disposition to act
way injurious to the common Interes,s Ell mas.
| much as it is often their interest 10 do so. [ he
comes government to look ou for tn. most eff G
tua prevehtves against ii. And let not the rich
IN reliant, or mechanic, or manuf,c com
plan that he is denied aplrticiia ION in one of the
most valuable rights incident to civil government.
SINCE 1t IS easy TOR every such person TO appeas,
us own diScoh'ent, by procuring the necessary
free old required By the Constitution. and # h
VIII not, he thereby evnces an indifference TO
| the wishes and Interes Of the community winch
| furnishes IN additional reason, whp he OUGHT 4,
] be excluded. II such person thinks i. a gre.
vance that he is excluded from participation m
| PoHlC O-nceSt lie knows the remedv and can
ensy procure It. Ifhe does not, 1t is his own
fault.
! IS 70 the poorer sort cf mechanics and manu-.
lecturers, IL IS trije that Their prosperity IS con.
! nected with the interest of the community in
! which they live, because their wages and se.vi-
ces always decay or prosper in proportion as the
! nation declines, or advances IN opulence and
proste'7tg but then Their ignorance and servil.ty
/ wholly incapacitate them for The momentous dri.
| tres Of legislation. Read the history of manr,-
Featuring Institutions, and YOU will find that al.
most every mental faculty of the people engaged
| IN them IS buried IN utter darkness, willie thy
I pTlcuce stupid conformity to- every mandate of
! Their patron or employer. II wish IS their law
to Which they pay the most implicit obedience
| without knowing whether 1t be ght or wrong 4;
whether IT he prOmOtye other own interest or
destructive of Their very freedom AID happiness.
| From creatures thus bowed down into an ind f
ftrance and insensibrliy to their own rights snd
| privileges, what zeal could you expect them 20
display for The rights, tic property, or the lives
| Ut Others = The Elective franchise vested in the
hands OF such men would create an aristocr cy
constituted of ignorance and rapaclty, VIII cil
1 would soon pull down and ex ermmate all the
| RreN works offreedom end of civilization which
the wisdom of our ancestors have created
| That maxim in government, which Ordans that
none shall in erfere in tie formation of the laws
| By which therown properiyis not to be affected,
| IS founded IN The deepest " sdom, and displays
| an intimate ACC ia,n,ance with the nature OF nan.
I nth mere circumstance of residence, psrsurali-
tV or Dreiudice in favor Of tl, rart icr suoi Ga,