Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-30
<zZ&T9rs Sx2cN,z->---
CONCERNS OF THE 3rArES


On the 1tth inst thS question being on a re-
Bnlntiou for dividing tue Commonwealth into
districts Tor the choice OF Senators, according
10 population, (ins' cad Of according to pro.
perty, AZ hSrctOtOre(-
Mr.. ADAMS. the EN.pr esideDt. addressed the
Convention as follows
q rise with fear aud trembling. to say few
words on this quesiOa. II is forty years since
! have iutcrmineled in debate in any pIb!ic
assembly. My memory and strength OF utler-
snce fail me 20 that il iSuiterly impossible for
metO discuss the subject 0n the broad ground
on which gentlemen whu have spoken before
ME have considered il. Tie constitution de.
cidreS that all men are BON free and equal
How are they bnrn free, aud equals Is the
North Amer lean Ihdian born with an equal
risht to his fathers bow 40; no man pre-
tends that all are born with equal property,
hui with equal rights tn acquire property. The
great Object is TO render property secure
Without the security OF property, neithe arts,
nos manufactures, uor commerce, nor Htera'
ture, nor science, Can eNsi....it is The foun~
dttiOn upon which civilization rests. There
~ouGd b. no security for late. and Liberty even,
II property were not sacure.- ..Society rs
compact with every Individual, that each NAV
enjoy his right for The common good. La The
state of nature the Indian has no defence foe
his little hut or his senison or ANY thing that
he acquires, but his own strength. Society
furnishes the Strength ot the whole community
FOR protection OF the property of each. One
OF the most dIihcnt questions now to be set.
tied is, la what manner the representation i'll
She two branches OF the Legislature shall be
organized. Ii ii could proceed upon the pTia-
ciple of every cote having an equal right
throughout society, | shOpld agree TO il Bnt
thisis impossible. Every town cannot have
Representative, Hnd Tie representation be ia
proportion To- the population. Belween the
small towns of Hull or Quincy. and Boston,
the inequality ia So great that "a departm! from
ihe principle Ot population ia necessary. We
must, therefore, get some principle OF eXpedi-
encv. should Oe satisfied with the coAsiitu.
IL. The report OF The select committee is
compromise, muliI;l concession OF various
parts. The large towns have made quite
great concessions Az any part OF The country.
Suffolk is 10 have but six Senators in pro-
portion 10 its property il would have more
The eloquent gentleman from R0xbury has
alluded, With propriety, TO ihe ancient repub-
lies OF Athens and Rome. My memory is too
defective to 20 into details bht appeal 10
iis frosasr ,readin=, whether in Athens there
were not infinitely greater advantages given
TO property thah among us Aristides ruined
the constitution of Solon by destroying the
balance between property aud numbers, and
in consequence tOrreBt OF popular cOmmo-
ton broke in and desniatcd the republic.
'' Let MS come TO Rome property was in.
fnitely more regarded Han here-and IL was
only while the balance maintained that
the liberties of the people were preseTved....
Let us look "a the subject in another point of
view. How many persons are there IN this
country who have no property There are
more without ii than with it, If il were lefI
10 mere numbers, those who have no proper.
ty would vote, hs ont of our houses ......Iu
France, at the time of the revolution, those
WHO were without property we're in the pro-
portion OF fifty to one. 1t was by destroying
the baaace that the revolution was produced.
All writers agree that there are 20 persons
i'll Great Britain that have TO property, 10 one
that iias,...If lie radicals should succeed I'm
obtaining universal suffrage, they will over
tnrn the whole kingdom, aud turn tlisSe who
have property out OF Their houses. The peO.
pie IN England 10 favor of universal suffrage
aFe running themselves Oar ancestors have
made pecuniaiy qualification necessary for
Office and necessary Tor electors-and all Tue
wise men Of the world have agreed in the
Ban1e thing. i consider the question of unis
verSaI suffrage ss connected with this rela1>
ing To the Senaie, aud of more importance.
II the principle OF population in appDItioning
Senators and REPRESENTATIVES cOnld be carried
through, | should vote for H.. Bat as il can
not, aud as 1 consider the scheme proposed
as equitable as any thing that can be invent.
ed, shall be In favor OF IT, and shall there.
tore not vote for the proposition OF The gen
ilenan from ROXbnry."
Tho Convention now sitting in Massachu-
sets, have had uHder consideration eveiV
important principle connected with the elgcs
tive franchise, and apportionmeut of. repre-
ssHtatioB The Senate have heretofore been
spporliOned by tie amount of property In The
Districts, while the representatives were bns-
"a on The population. Mr.. Dearborn intro
dnced resolution providing that The repre-
sentatiOn tn the senate FhOuid be appOrtio,led
ON the basis ef population, which called forth
iong, able, and vary temperate debate from |
The Members OF the convention. IL was cou-
tended That giving any diAliucIion 70 properly |
Dr any superiority OF privilege TO the rich |
over the poor, vas Inconsistent with the ptiu. |
cipies OF nRf goNernHcnt. On tie other hdud, |
tt vas said that precedent aud prO5rleiy re, |
CURED that ppblic budy siuuid exist as tue !
particular representatives. Of property. The |
Tcso'niion ~ Hlt. ScdrbOFa was nrgautci III !
20 by which The eSsling principle - te- /
tanned. ~ T. CAL
BOsTON, December 22.-1he questions in. |
voiVed 60 trc reboTf OF the sricct conf4ilee |
10 whom was referred much oi Tie COnSti- !
tniiOn IS Is contained Iu The bill Of rights &c.
were yesterday under consideration in ConN |
VcniiDn. An aniIuating aud Interesting de- !
bate ioyk place npnn i1rt pau Hhich providers |
fpr tha support Of pubic worship aud in /
consequence % The goat interest OF The qne-.. |
'inn, aud the deposition thcwn 10y many zen.
Ilenen 80 express th,tr mtuds ~, iuli urOn the |
4Ji1ert, az afternoon s6s,on vas deemed pro- |
pei. While on this iopic wc cAnuut but remark. /
ibai u ~ cGilpns 20 hear EpiscapaIsius icon-
ithdiug aIainst Innovations, amendments " /
alterations ~ our constitution, Md iUveighipg I
agdiust chIrgiag Gur OpiuO - customs aud !
m1nnors When al Vuf old people can Ietoliecf |
i3at autctfat 10 90 Years, no man OF the Epis |
G0puiidp Denomination would have been nut !
i"to any oihee 81 setIOus tfust or profit ~ !
me y meg 81 massachusetts. IL weI pcOi- !
isct .hlly, Johu Rowe. Lsq. was lie ffst |
fhutci'mtn sdntiticd into our General Courf |
nd i4'a' with gieai d.thculty. Had there been !