Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-13

could De obtained OF Permanent residence
IA, and attachinent u tee rountry. ii am
other .Se,erui Tufe could have been LAID
down, which would have aGoJUcd this CO.
idence, ] am very well satisfied chat an
ownership III freehold, wond not have
oeen required. L. laying the tcunaat,rn I, {
civi! snciety, upon the principles cf the
representative system, question arose Ia
whet class of the community sioeid be
confined tie right ar suffrage. In other
words, who should be made fhe eiectoss.--
Snail every individual be all elcctor, " no is
member OF civil society," Ils questiors
was answered in the negative. believe, il
sli countries where the representative sys-
tenn has bern adopted. believe no stste
in our Union admits minors aud firskes to
exercise the right OF suffrage. The la
curry then proceeded ii good policy re-
CURES that certain portion cf the COM
mun'ty should be eXclu led from the enjoy
ment OF this right, where shall the line be
run and the discrimination mades Soate
States have made az k0ysekeeters their
electors. Others. al those who perfura,
militia service. IN Virginia it has been
thought the safest pclicy to make the pro-
prietors OF the soil ostr eicctoTs.--In none #
these cases was it ever thought that the
amount of property should increase or dj
minish the rieht,or tina the property shoili
be the thing or object Represented. To my
mind, it would be not more absurd to say
that in those states where the rgit Of sof-
iraee is given to IN litia mon, that it is the
militia service which is repres; ut. d. ghan in
this state to say that it is the land. * not the
people, which is the OBJ CT of repr- ssntstion.
Such doctrine destroys all the BEAUTIES CT
representation, and convert. it INTO sys-
tenn which is partial and ridiculous, and
totally at war with all my ideas Of self
government. Why should any Particular
sfiecieS Of property lie the peculiar object
ct legislative care? Oughtnot the proper
ty OF the Mechanic, the Stockhotcr, or the
Merchant, 70 be protected as well as thac
Of tue Farmer ?--Shouid not their interest
be aitended to by cur law makers, IS well
as that class nj the c0nnu unity who have
been made the electors ?--Certainly it
should've appoint individu Is electors
10 choose FIR us President, and thew Sc
lect man who is ii ced at the head of #
fairs, and is called the Chief n1aq,q;ratp of
the natisn.--Is he TO he regarded as the
President alone OF the ekcctorc, Q: nf shc
American people ?--An answer to this
question is unnece ssavy. Every one viii
readily acknowledge, that those to whom
is coniidcd the right of choosing in tn.s
case, act merely as the agents of tie ma
ton, and that this right has been L, gulated
TINS through policy, because it was thoaght
to b. safer than TO confide if TO the psopic
at large This case can be made 10 illus
trate the true doctrine of repre- s Mt ton, as
it was intended to be enjoyed by those who
laid its undatioD.-The people met in con-
vention. and they lsid down the great rules
by which they intended TO be governed
In the selection of their law-givers, they
submitted TO a certain class of the commu-
nifty the right of choosing, not for M~m-
sefDsS alone, but for the people of the whole
state. In Virginia, they appointed the
freeholders their observation-disclosures, from
their situation, it was believed they wouli
make the choice with more independence,
and with more wisdom, than any other
portion Of the community that could b Sc
lected.-But that they arc the oniy he1'sons
Tcf'rcSenfed, and that their wishes and their
interests are alone to be consulted on the
hoor of the L'pislatu 2, IS TO ire really 4.
novel idea. The tru,h is. We are oNreEre-
senfcd, altho' we have nat oil the privie6g
of voting The right Of suffrage Is United
10 a ceTtai1 cidSs--7lot 6ecaUse lieu heUs
frQherty 10 protect, bat because they have
given eyldence OF permanent residerce In,
aud tschnent 10 the country, and have
afforded "a fair presump ion, that theg viii
exercise the right ind pendenty, and with
a view to promote the best interest e th.
whole corntHunity. Under the colonial rr-
vernment, the tight of suffrage was c1tsn-
dcd, at one time. to all freenen- a fer
wards, it was iimissd TO all Tf1nse ke6f-
crs," and, finally, ia al " TIRE ho}Gsrs.'
But at 10 period Of that governments was
ever the comparative wealth Of partcul s.
parts Of the oou Try taken info considcra
tiop. IN adjusting the prop rlion Of rsrrc-
scniaticT. ! he number ct free white po-
pnlauon. o. the number of qraiified cleo
tors, wer- tie cpiv standards that were
ever vcsortcA to. The idea hat suAcri r
goeglth, should gve auheyior irfuencs in
the L'Gi.laur, is 4 thing entirely Ct rso-
defp in,cnton. II has no conncxion with
the great republican noxinis, which eu'deI
the men VINO have zone before US, aud np-
on which they intended The liberties Of tiis
country should be perpetuated and secur-
ed.
The 'octrire URGED Ivy some politicians,
is. thas the aggregate 0Bio1Ht If I xes pq.i
By particular ppryi rs Of the $ att, snoo d
be taken into consideration, in cstin atlrp
the GgIcuHt OF representation. cfnuos
discover any good reason for SUCH q Il sc-
tine. II representation is 20 be seated
according TO the amount Of taX,s paid, jt
ought 70 be appoitiorol ainocg the i7cfOf.
dHnis OF the country, according 20 The q
mount Of their puhlc Contributions. Whet
reason or justice is there 10 confirming he
proportion TO the feryif,ty, ard not to e,c
{ q l.