Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-23

hiissnuil would have 10 make out tia,
HE rersnns thus proposed 10 be excluded
are offi%cnS ni the s'aies. The member
from PeuusN lvania had Yesterday told the
house that he would not undertake 10 say
What citizen is. la that particular, MIR
Is said, IN his estimation. The gentleman
dii not perform a duty which devoived
on lim. On whom, In this case, did the
hhr'hcn at proof devolvei We, said
Mr. Is. offer the consultation of Il new
stale, formed under The authority of law :,
You oppose 1t, because You say il is in
conipa'iOie with HE constitution Of the
United Slaies. With what provision il
1t incompatible ? With that Which has
Tong 10 gentlemen who oppose the admis.
sion ot Missouri to shes, thai those Deo-
pie whom she proposes 10 exclude are
CIT ms, III HE sense Of The constitution
OF Tie United States, before they asserted
that The constitution of Missouri Was
lr1ecohcilabie with that Of the United
states he gentleman from oennsyl-
wanna would not saw aiiirma,ivvly what
make citizen, but he said thai. 10
conSiiiuie ,nan a citizen, il vas not
indispensable THAI lie should have a righi
! Of voting. To make anv reasoning rSn.
elusive, Mr.. b. SAID, We mus, distinctly
see, IN HE outset, what one sid. admits.
! ana wiiai the other denies. To know
| tlis, was indispensable tn \ correct con-
ei"sioh on any disputed point. Let u.
| ,neh enquire, SAID he, tcho are citizens
For, Ill his humble opinion, that point.
| "hich ire member from PeRusylvauia
ana noi clinse to discuss, lay al lie roo,
Vi thiS question, and lis decision was
| unayoida bic.
uiH undertake, said Mr.. B. uLatth.
member lroni peumsyIvauja nnnld noi .
| will define what is meant bv the rcrn
cil'zs,'-@ shat are The qualities which con
s'l'uie ciilze"sliip. He might mistake. he
SAID, in ills position bul, according 10
'he besi lights he had, il Was corr. CT
ana, u so, 1t would seem 10 lead tn a
cohciuSi"n directly contrary 10 that
| ula"h ny he member from PrnsS iyauia
! ne term citizen, MIR. g. said, could no,
With prnprieiy be applied TO any one un
| less ,nder these circumstances TIA, he
should be possessed rf all al least. OF the
civi! rights, II not OF the political. ofrve
~ sther person IN the community. under
Ike circumstances. of which he ~ not
self. :" "'"'
II, said he, I am correct in this .;clini-
lion, let us proceed 10 apply il 10 lie
people who are the subject al His cuQui
| Iy' ana see no" lar their cOuLiiion places
Them within the scope OF il.
Before he proceeded 10 10 This. hcwe>
yer, he said, he would dismiss The obirc-
lions whlcti night be offered 10 The de-
| mutton which lie had lakes lie liberty
10 give. IL might be said, for example,
maj even in Virginia one white man is
entitled 10 a particular right, while ano,!,.
or Is ndf: SIN Air. B. said, his dtfimi.
iiom applied, because al! und,r like cir
cmmsiamccs had like rights. Slew me-. IN
frgInIa, said he, or III any other state
with The laws nf which | am ac
| quainled, any white mam WiJo is drpTiv.
ed oi the rights of other wlIite men 81.
mlariy clrcumsianced. Erely " liie MAI
oil Virginia who iJas freehold vnIrs, Pe
males do moi vote but all females do no
vote. az white persons in Vhgnia ira,
sue ana be sued; all are entitled TO III,
great rIvil nights of personal hberi,
ana The Irer possession and enioymcn
OF personal property. Ii VAS no olicc
noh' therefore, to the definition whirI
A!r. ID. had presented, that, in a rOmmu
MY mere were distinctions, some l,av
ing rights which others have nci becau4
they were mol i'm like circumstances. 4
young man under tie age of twenty on
years cannot make Il will bur all nrrsou
under like circumstances are snbIact {,
NE saiIe disability. a man above for
~ i've Years of age is exempted rom nj
ma duly but all above HE age of Ioriy
nVe are exempt. Shew me an iusisnc,
SSld AIr. Is. IN any state in this Union
"htre, among white men, Iighls are en-
jnycd lay some which ave forbidden I
others under like circumstances.
cann@i be shewu.
is there, then. said he, pursuing ia
purpose OF his argument, a state of thi
Union, III which c0lourch men have a
the ClvIi rights of any other riiizen in lh
community 10 which they btlong? II
pr0cFededio examine the laws OF The Sc, 4
; raj STATES on this subject. In Virginia.
co!ored maH-yes, even sIaye. and ,
That class over whom it was supposed. (,
those nnacquainlcd with facts, thai :
much tyranny WAS cXprc;srd-Is secure
against ~ least one undue degree OF PEI
sonal Vieleuce. Tie free man of colon
; uses tigber--i0 the dignity tf The risi
5 TO sue and 10 be sued, to acquire proppi
} ~, 10 make contracts. lie was vel VA
der enc signal political disability--he
not allowed The right Of suffra - All
under an important civil disability, Ii,
beng allowed To- give testimony I'm an
: SUIT ~ which a white man is u parry.
2 ! NOTth Carolina, persons of This hrscri,
5 lion are INDUCED ia flfc highest poIiic
= privilege, The right Of suffrage, and "A
yet deprived OF the privilege OF givin
testimony IN any case in which Win
man IS a pariy-a privilege which ca
only lie wresied from While man ia
: some. cause particular TO himself. ]
e virginia. further ~ regard 10 nanumi
ted slaves, considering them as hostile
y pablo peace, as Tie brand Of discord bt
lwcdn the whites aud another class