Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-05-21

L fight OF Suffrage shru.d tie extended, m
iod, grra' imaginary. The fears they snc
lin excited principally, by exaggerated
few disgneeful which occurred In some
ielage towns Of other where class usulupi
,enoninated the rabbie" Is much more oun,ero an,
Virginia. that class being here, In great MEASURE sun
planted BY slave population Much alarm thus oeca
"ned In the minis Of nany VIII" do not, same time
advert the good order, peace aud purity which ,n.,aU,
prevail In elections throughout the Union as generally ms
under vaunted restrictive system Mr. Jesrsou,s re.
mark that the difficulty Of corrupng would be increased
proportion 10 the addition To the Of TO
corrupted, Is also entitled great weight, large pro-
portion in this country the eas, Of per
sons who nre not reeholders and write and
much more Intelligent than same class In other
tries. They read the newspapers understand r r;gb,.
and easily be imposed upon or impro,er,v nau
enced.
Risremarkable that IN prgiaia alone the reetion in
'reTy case eths rgat efsugrage osehos ony non er
isfs In North Carolina there such restriction Ia the
eee"os OF Ss"afors but not Of members Of
Commons In all the other States the elective
reposes on the broad basis of general right with
regulations In some (Which he adon,e here, 10
penfh abase Of that right In many OF them I, has been
place" on that basis ever since the day
from or"sh tyranny. Wherever the system OF free cleo
ons upon the principle Of general but regulated suffrage
senjoyed has been approved experience and
ed by the people with nectionate deligh,sbal WE then
the republican citizens of Old Dominion CLING with
infatuated fonness, this remnant of ar,toeyaevf Shall
zee be SO conceded to fancy political wisdom exists
"here buf among ourselves S-hat Of oil
~ 'ser s'aes' are fooi'shiy managed Notwithstanding
they are all advancing In the prosperity
e1amped rapidity !If indeed determ clasp
10 our bosom this precious to be forever msed
ny the syren song OF pride and vanity shall richly
deserve to have applied the sarcastic remark of job
| addressed TO his unchariiable ffiends.-
doubt SIf ye the people, Sd a die NTH
| your!
asserted in the Substitute that the objection to
the freehold qualification of suffrage Is spo0edy founded
not on any abuse their power, committed by the free
""ders OF virginia. In time past, npprehended from
them IN future but alleagea principles Of
by rhom this arODat made, we IRE told; and
cannon oe admitted TO be true, will shortly
b such were the fact objection, though supported
ny @6traef principles Of rig only, would substantial
enough TO dsmaad rresistiby the call of convention
FOR IN free government part people upbt Ly
I'D means 10 he The subjects Of another paepeudant
the virtue aud OF their rulers for the enjoynet
even Of their natural rights. The on tea imposed by
the n'itis parliament the American Colonies,
oPpe's'"e 4" "'aon"f yet, violently opposed the
patriots Of i776 because nnged ubstra. political
r'ghi and was regarded just resistance epn
| unto blood
But the truth is that THE enacted by the re-
personalities Of the eh0der have BEEN are paIpably
oppressive and Injurious the interests that class of
soc'ey TO which the right suffrage is denied Look for
instance at the unjust principle OF capaon according to
wh'ch all ntha6ls are charged with county ievies aud
poor rates. la proportion their of raising mo-
ney but n equal Proportionsp without repard 10 wealth
or poverty the small property poor iabo,rir man.
take" from him. for the purpose disappearing 9th.
S' NOT mae1 more INDECENT than himself and idle
ness ihese are taxes which bear harder the poor
'ah on The rich because the has an
enable him TO live in and spieHor can with less
i inconvenience lar1
tie or nothing can with small they must be mid
100 alike by the mechanic and by the weaies
e'e"h ihey ali besides, heavily on the father
"u"e'o"s 'hiniy, than on The bachelor who has
Look moreover at the Road law which provides that all
male 'a6orng persons of the age OF sixteen years or
more feTePf sush Of or more male Ia
o'T"s ""Vt' fAe age Of srfeen years shall be
appointed by the Court on sorpub,c road III
tas'ne subs'i.nte contends) MATTERS of sayes
crazy f0na-ho dsTs (Which position believe 10 be ,rueA II
Is evident that In framing this law the IundAokars bv
"ho was enacted, provided for fkeaupss very odious
P,'"a' exemption for which they pay nothing. Their
maze slaves o the age OF years upwards work
ON the roads in their stead; while the free white man. WIN
happens he the Of none Of one onJy must ne.
socially abou or pay fine. Il is indeed right that the man
VINO not slave holder should render personal or p-cu
n'y service oa surely the slave holder, (beng himself
man. ana not entitled In free country superiority over
Other free menu ought be required to do the same es
L III
rss generally interested in having ,bs n,;
roads kept good order than poor men, keep no
| riages, and have but little to carry to market
notwithstanding all this, the Substitute says IL is npo,
'o 10 eo"rre fa1o that would he injurious 10 those
are nofand holders, which would affect the land
holders themselves in equal if net in greater de-
gree! Aposon too paIpaby Incorrect for any time IN
| be wasted upon IL.
But The writer OF the Substitute SO liberal in his prases
oil Tue class OF who constitute the interest that
tke the King OF Great Brain) they his opinion can do
no wrong; is far from being equally kind charitable TO
the poor unfortunate merchants, mechanics and OILERS
who constitute all the other In the commupitv
He says OF fhem @ tue government shall ever coms IN
oe Controlled or materially influenced by those who are
mot eehoIders, laws may he enacted which will snlIv
aheet The land holders and the landed interest," Without
touching the particular interests Of those BIZ enact
they may impose tie heaviest taxation on land, &c. IN 5
own entire exemption, and the griepo precision of u,
g land hoLders"I
In answer to this tremendous toesr efaiar IL may sim
ply oe re"aked thdthe class in society whe not free
'eS' CANNOT OBTAIN the ascendancy in the government
as long as their influence shall checked and
ed by that Of The freeholders, among vb.m ,,s , =,
mingled and from whom they must expect
ana support There can be In the LIE gsIaure no
representatives. OF that class, there notu are of the fire.,
no'dT'-rhe danger anticipated, is therefore
idea and every fear excited by when eooly
enancpated from the dominion of jealous and
suspicious temper, must vanish moment like IN, .se
less falxic ola vision.
III we wish our political system TO be bappy and peacea
oe Tue laws 10 he so framed give general
"o "y 10 be good In themselves but universally approved
as eh we lay their foundations in the n,i,c,n. M
'qaa"y and j1Hics-When this done all heart burpipys
and dseord will he removed and Virginia III present the
spectacle ted