The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1818-10-21
COMMUNICAz'EO.
FREE SUFFRAGE.

Whcn enaichy OF Oespcilsm have levellcd
the mounds 1T justice, of law, and Of freedom,
'he leeilims,e principles Of be social com.
pact, ere eithef overwhelne d in the violence
OF the one, or ars lost in the stern and unIe
Ienling y.sDny Of the other. ], is in Fee
State, tha, we arc 10 look Tor that hormcny
and perfection, which results from an edber.
cncs TO the iundame nisl principles, 81 which
society was originally established. Gove,p.
msnt was instituted iot the proiection OF ihe
weak, agalnst the vio!onc OF The strong 70,
the security OF p operiy, against The enoI osch-
ments Ut a. bi,ray powt and for the advance.
meni OF whatever can pronote the good aud
happiness OF The whole ConnunIty Ii ives
essential that many na'u, al rig hts should be
laid on The altar of ci,ii society (; and that
powers should be delegated which every in
civiSusl coSid not personally exercise Blu,
every original tig hi, which II was not bor,iul
for the individual 70 txerciss, he retained |;
and they now s,e, end ever have been &C
knowiedees in Glss, Bfitsio, ,hiooph all The
successive changes and revolutions of her
empire.
1t is not sccessa'y TO soy a, what period
despotisn, 81 subverted the original rights
oi Man; nor will il be expe diept 70 detail the
crimes of am sition: shall CD y observe tha,
every ,es,ise OF freedom had well nigh been
swept away in tho old world, when ou, ven.
erable fore.fatbers asserted that evtrIasung
truth---fhar Rehresenfaffon V 7ozanon sughl
10 be fnseferables IL was maxim vene sted
by The wisest and The grseles, staiesmep that
ever had liyedJ was acknowledge d in the
psreni country. when W. a.iaine d IL for cur
infant RepubI'c, and en,blsEoned il on the
temple OF on National Inde Pc Ddt nee.
RehrrscUanon and Ilrouoa are insfEera.
Gle why hen tax HIM who has nui~-w be
cannon have aieprsseDla'ive who rnsy have
personal properly @ on uott fined extent, and
yeti because he does not inhe,i The soil Oh
which he stands, he is considered as an alien
and strnngei--and can soeither elect nor
control the powers OF The representatives.
know that a plausible arguntpt has been
suggested BY the advocates oil exclusive priyi.
lege IL is founded IN that attachment, which
the inherilsr Of The soil must feel for the
State or territory in which il is located. l.
he more ready to defend this species OF pro.
peIty than sny other Is he rendored mo,e
capab'e Of exc eisine the elective franchi,e
/ snswer no.--The PEI sec uted stranger VIII,
seeks here an asylum from the crimes OF
Eu'spean governments, and Who bnnRs hi,h
ct his wealth, or who comes in the gs,msn,s
Of 2ovsny, feels Tor his sdopsd coun, an
attachment, which he never fei, tor The Lums
Of his nativity. 1t is an Unborn prime pie,
which leads US TO cherish and defend those
institutions, under which We derive all cor
comforts, and ell or hsppiness; end II we
have no, one inch OF soil we are not The less
ready 20 array ourselves uRdsI the banners
of the constituted autho rites.
Why then Is the posscssor OF real estate
endowed whh peculiar privileges This
quesiion could be readily asswersd in CS.s,.
Bsi,sin, lrop whence the eusoSn was derived,
/, is for the poI pose Of per- ,ustirg the nrn
archy, that e,es, p'opor,ioo of the people
arc excluded from sny share in the election
Of kulcfs-it is fear that voice may arise
from the people, which must DC head, end
which they would not dare 70 disobsy..
But can these Unusd Sis,ss fesr TO sptrus,
,hs people with o natural and unslis nsble
ish, Can fres governmen, have cause TO
tear on xpressiuD Of the pubic will !! Surely
tia, system OF government which Is SO we'll
scap,ed to promote 'he we sfsre and p,cspcri-
yota great and a urishing people, will be
eemen,ei no.. s,m'y. BY ,be uried suffsa
ges Of every eif'zsn who epj, y is r'oteo
ton and itshsLsss. AZ is an inconfreperf'-
kie fsofesiiori. fhas fhs ar,JormGset S,n.b
4x,f.. -. ,s..f IL L.