Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-03-20

THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.

From a letter OF recent date, written by
agentleman OF Paris, to his friend in Phi
ladelphia, we extract the following:
There Is great taIk here Of The ensu-
ing election, as the Chamber OF Deputies
has recently been dissolved. You may
Judge what il will be, when tell you that
out of 80 ,O0O, 600 Of inhabitants there are
only 10000 who enjoy the right OF voting,
and nearly all those are influenced BY the
men in Office. aud by the fear OF acting
contrary to the wishes Of the government
The almos, universal right oil suffrage in
the United States, is what distinguishes
ber from the best and most liberal govern.
menss OF Europe.
Where the great body OF the people de.
clare their wishes and sentiments at the
election poll, liberty becomes stable and
secure; but 10 proportion as the elective
franchise is restricted, and possessed by
few, freedom is precarioos, and property,
liberty aud life, are held by ties as sien.
der as the spiders most attenuated
thread Springng from the loins OF Eng.
Gsbmen, we have much OF our political
and other information from our foreiathers,
and many OF the most important features
cf our constitutions are drawn from their
Magma Cbarta.
The English constitution, in theory,
guarantees to the people their rights as
ireemen; whereas in practice, 10 the hands
OF an usurping king, or pro1igate minis
try. all its securities fade away, and an
uncontrolled despotis,n usurps its station.
Eng,isbm.n are tree when contrasied with
other Europeans, altho not so much from
any protection afforded them by the con.
s.iiution OF their country, as from the spI.
rit of liberty, and irom the heroic and
dauntless iutrepidi,y evihced on all occa-
siops, IN preserving their rights as tree>
uen-the faies OF Charles The FIRST and
James he Second, are imperishabfe me-
men,os of their daring.
The House OF Commoos OF England, IL
composed o, $50 members; and the great
est number ever voting 10 the House upon
a question, was in i74i, just beiore The re-
signation of Sir Robert Walpole as minis
ter. when sos members were present
The attempts which have, from time to
time, been made to procure Just and
DUAL representation of the people o. Eng
land in Parliament, have uniformly tailed
by large maiornies.
The celebrated John Wilkes, dsrins
the Parliament session OF t776, on NOV
lug leave to bring in bill tor an equal re-
presen,atinn in Parliament. among much
political aud historical information deliver.
ed to the House. declared, that from the
the majority Of electors in The bcToughs,
which returned members 70 the House, it
bad been demonstrated that the number of
9H members we're actually elected by no
more than 5,7s3 persons: and il appeared
likewise, iba, Sc members we're elected
by only 364 persons
That The city Of PHILADELPHIA could an
nually, at ner elections, poll more votes
than is required 10 elect majority at any
tune in attendance Of the House of Com.
mons OF England, is strange fact-and
very satisfactorily accounts for the facility
With which the ministry Of that country d.
rect and control the votes OF the popular
branch of Parliament
Refs Philadelphia Gazette.