Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-25

-. Il
wi.' 20 beyond the possibility of re-
l 1"ass NAV be done and to what good
or ohiain any certain benefit No,
crery improvement which wisdom
Iol .,Id dictate. or our situation reQuirc,
Iii he attained, without releasing the
hnihd mon the good we now cnloy. BY
H., drawn in conformity 10 the report of
81. o. Committee, hc-people car, and ton
sJ.ntly trust will. limit the Convention
~ the doing fgood, without possibility
kacevil-C Can any course be more wise,
,nore prudent, more polite
Rui i, is objected, that the course re-
commcndcd by your Committee, is dis
,espsctiu TO the people, because i inn
rs distrust of their wisdom. trust
have tisGedlhc Committee. that the
i;m;,a,ion, when adopted by Tie house,
and acted under BY the people, becomes
,he;r limitation and not ours--and that at
'most II can only be considered DIS our adj
Ice which they are III liberty, is' they
base. 10 reject But how can any dis
rosreci towards the people be intended by
us2 Are We not a part OF tliatycry peo-
,,Ie2 Do we not owe our political being
n Them alone? 70 manifest want of
confidence in them, would be like throw
| inc suspicion upon ourselves. No, sir,
mean no disrespectIo the people, unless
!, can he considered CisreSpectiui for us,
whom the people have honored with some
norton of their confidence, TO tender TO
Them our humble'adyice.
But have too long detained tie Com
mittec must pass on TO Tie 2d point for
our consideration, viz: who shall vote in
electing the Convention And here let
me say, that as thls question is one of
great delicacy, approach it with great
hesitaton-i viii not say that our pre-
sent qualifications for suffrage is the best (;
Twill not say ,I,at should not sanction
by my vote, were a member of the Con-
yentiou, an extension, or rather modifica-
ton of the right OF suffrage, for certain
iv might he induced 10 do so, if the new
qualifications proposed were more edui-
table than the present. 1 will not enter
into the question, whether every militia
man paving a tax towards the support OF
government, Is treated with injustice bv
The present Constitution no doubt bntit
partaking OF the defects incident 10 all
human concerns, operates harshlv in par
ficular instances. and excludes the wor-
tlv and intelligent, whilst lis neighbour,
branded with iniamy and degraded by
vice, is admitted to the exercise of this
franchise wish moral standard could
be erected, by which the weak and wick
ed could be excluded, and the elective
franchise confined TO the wise and good,
without regard TO other qualifications
But these are questions we must leave 10
the Convention we are to act under a
Constitution already formed, and not TO
form new one for Ourselves-We must
take things as we find them, and not as
they ought 10 be. Let us then examine
whether under Our present Constitution,
the Legislature have right to extend the
elective franchise upon this important
question, to those who are at present ex-
cluded.
By the present Constitution, the right
of voting for members of the Legislature,
IL confined TO persons possessing certain
qualifications in other words, tbe whole
legislative power Of the country, is, by the
spirit of the Constitution, con6ded 10 the
owners Of the country. To ascertain,
therefore, whether the Legislature nave
the right TO extend this franchise upon a.
nv particular occasion, we must first en-
q,iire if it he directly or indirectly AN act
oflegislation (; for, if it is, The Constitu-
ton has left us no power over it. Now,
upon these principles, let us examine this
question, and surely we cannot hesitate
fodecIare, that a question, involving all
the fundamental principles of our govern
ment, the repeal of all or present laws,
altering the whole frame of our govern
meDt, and determining whether outlaws
are hereafterto emanatc from the repre-
sentatiyes of the people, or from them
selves collectively, is an act ofthe high
est order oflegiSlat@n. However harsh.
iy then it may operate, donot think we
nave the power 10 grant the boon asked
for in the amendment.
But | doubt also the Justice of the
course proposed. The present ConstittI
ton has given certain rights to certain
class of citizens. 1t may be considered
as giving thema property in those rights
These can only be taken away from then
by their own consent or by revelation
the last no one will advocate; and is titus
THAT question involving those rights, Z
question whether their property shall be
divided amongst others who do not eniON
II at present, should be referred 10 the de.
clson ofthose who are 10 he benefited by
the division We are the representative,
otthis class-tlicy have sent ms here will
certain specified and ascertaiued powers
and can We go beyond those powers e
leglslate their property away, without e
ven being instructed so TO do siiOult
think not. ifany practical Injustice i:
done TO those at present excluded from
the right of suffrage, doubt not fin,
magnaninity Of the freeboldcrs will re-
dress il i'll their future government, but
doubt thepower of the legislature to inter
tere OH this occasion.