Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-02-15

is said, that one gold watch, estimated AT
that value, passing from hand To hand
through two or three ships crews, then
IN the port OF Baltimore, actually turned
The election OF the whole state, aud fixed
It's political character for two years.
4ia. because Tie term .(rsehotd, is sim
pie, wci-dcfined- has been lu'.s pracli-
sed upon and we'll whereas
the newly invented plirascclogy is want
lng iii definition, and is believed not To
be understood, with sufficient precision
| for praciica! Use, by the inventors them
selves, az will be seen hereafter. Other
reasons might be added, but il is thought
these are sufficient to demonstrate "a de-
| ended preference of the limit of the suf-
irage by the freehold, over limit by per-
sonal property.
| The opposers ofthis principle seem 10 think
themselves enirenclied in AN impregnable fort
| ress, the charge ofipjustce towards acertain
/ portion the community which is bro't 10 bear
| upon 1t, and by way OF relieving the injured
| portion, they have presented substitute.
Let This Charge be fairly and impartially ex-
amsed, as well rs tine substituted remedy for
Tie supposed evil. In support OF this charge
they suggest that the right OF suffrage is ma
s'is'i ght, aud TO dei'yiye any ci;iZ of a ma
iuTa right. is an act of Injustice. This sur
seSuon IS made upon hypothesis, evidently
Ease. The true character OF the right is evil
| denily mistaken The right OF suffrage, is
r'sui 20 ciGSe Il representative to attend some
political institution forsome political Object
Natural rights heiong TO man from, lis birti,-
-AH nasurairi-htswere antecedcnt TO any social
compact. In state oinature, no political in-
sutntions could exist. As soon man placed
himself M a social or political state, the state
oi nature ceased. How then could the right to
SenG representative 10 political institution,
he natural right, when, in state OF nature.
no poiltcal Institution could eAi,;? The right
o. suhr"g". she!e!CrC, must br a social, a;;d not
a natural right. The error, then consists in Il
false conception OF the character of this right
Natural and social r!ghts differ IN this inpor.
tant respect Natur-i rights in astate ofnature-
are eXclusyeiythe property OF individuals So
ciai rights are eAcluS'S ely The pr0ncI;y of the
community, * ought TO he used forihc general
benefit OF the whole conmnni,, As, therefore, il
appears, that the right of sulird"eis a social
aud not natural right, it ought 10 be used for
the benefit OF the whole COMMUNICATE as /.
never belonged to any indiviGualin his natural
character, To use Il for the general benefit,
could not produce injustice TO any individual.
These observations certainty exempt tile
principle from the imputed charge and bring
The question: 10 It's original state--A question
of mV eNpcdicncy. Or, in other words has
the freehold right of suffrage beneficial ten
dency towards the preserVut lion Ot the rights OF
persons and property; II, from mistaken
view OF injustice to small portion of the cai.i-
muaity, you should Cor their accommodations
substitute prlnciple having Injurious tendsii-
Cues, instead OF principle having beneficial
TENDENCIES towards society gcreraIiy; ihenyou
DO an actual, not an imaginary injustice 10 a
much greater portion Of that society THIS
part OF tie subject shall be further Illustrated
by examining the proposed Substitute. and
making comparison Between the effects OF
the Two principles
HE first advantage diScernibie in the substi-
tuted principle, is, that il necessarily calls into
action the best faculties of the mind to define
with Sufficient precision for practical use, a
string ofnew terms so indefinite in themselves
as 10 render the task extremely difficult The
first III the list, is - cOninusify Tile definition
given to this term is Those, who in common
ENJOY Cquai rights as citizens. We are left TO
conjecture, of whom these citizens consist
DO they include male and iemalei DO they
include boys and girls DO ihey incndc black
| and white! 1t is admitted tiiey do not include
| bono ana tree. Bat il cannot be too deeply
| impressed upon the mind, that il this notion Of
injustice Is TO break down all other restraints,
| Il certainly will find more scope for action in a
| question OF bond and free, than in any other
| whatsoever; because the restraint OF slavery
| Is deemed the most unjust of all restraints
and if yon once proclaim the principle and act
| tpont you are placed III a Revolutionary state,
| AMI must and Will go the whole length OF the
principle. Never cease to recOlectthat Reyo
| iiitiCns never 20 backwards
| i;nt perhaps shall be told, that the term
| citizen, is of the masculine, and not Of tie
J feminine gender and the poor females are to
| be excluded ca al termini that ii would be ne
cesSary TO use the term ci!eSSe, applicable to
The fair sex. Then ii Is the intention really 10
| exclude the ialrest and most virtuons portion
| or the creation from all political concerns: d
| porhontOo, possessing all the natural rights Of
! any other portion of the coin,nunlty-Uuins
| cruel, ungallut, savage, barbaruns Legislators Z!
| How can you reconcile this wanion exclusion
| to your own profcssed regards Tor the natural
| rights of man, to your love Of liberty, and to
| your profession OF extending its blessings 10
| the whole community, 10 YOur general plnian-
| thTopy, and particularly To your tender sensb-
| lilies 10 the fair sex ard, above all, to your
| known aversion from all restraints? Hence
we huG ~ once that the fair sCX is tOget nothing
} by tie exchange, which oi'iIselflois It OF more
! tlau half its promised vdiue.-Of course. the
whole principle musi &c put upon an equal foot
| iss with Tie new one, on the score of gailan-
| try.
| Let MS NOW see how we are to get rid of the
| ia tural rights Ofthe boys ard girls. This is
| done bvauoiher set of terms, which seem 10 he
& The cgMRRHiiy, now, is To consist Of" citizens
| ofiegal capacity, fixed residence, n whose will
| is tree."--Niat is the meau.r. of L,eaicapu-
| city Z" Women OF full age, aud not under co.
| venture, are OF legal capacity for every pur-
| p0se-and ~ Ntw-Jcr,ey, actually cHerCse
! the right OF sutragc.-Now, IL the term cit-
| zen" should be thought here, ms il is there TO
| be of the common gender, and not OF the mas
| culine, exclusively, this would be some a'iCy-
| alton tothe vantun exclusion of the fair sex
! generally. Infants are OF legal capacity 10
| some intents not 20 others. They are OFFICIAL
! capacity to contract marriageS.to hold. but not
! are OF legal opacity 10 some cXteuts, not 10 o.
| Tiers, sc. set is not possible, therefore to
| determine, with any precision, who would he
| authorized to act undcr the refinement of tie
! iiIsl desuitiOn--N iiether the term cUmld apply
| 70 LEGAL CaDacitits. T.. SGEt. ~ all iutCnts.