Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-05-08

1.-THE highest degree of refinement abroad
rxciies their maligniry, if it promises by the
progressive principle of melioraiing example.
to deprive them of those un me rited adyanta
ges: SO that while sratuitously admit abuses
wh'ch do not exist, for the sake of showing
that the corrective is at hand To meet the exo
igcscy, will also, on the principle of recipro-
cation, be allowed TO take into the reckoning
those real abuses which exist near at home.
aud which have either through inadver,ence
or design been so effectually screened from
public view. The abuses | ailude TO, are the
countless catalogue that follow i'm the train of
the rird roce mode fvoting, and the commit
ting the management of elections to sherifs.
The constitutions of sixteen states in iweu-
ty three flor have dropt Rhode Island as
having no constitution expressly require that
the otes at popular elections shall be by bal
tot seven states leave this matter 10 the re-
gu'atIon OF their legislature; and Virginia alone
requires the votes To be given viua roce The
constitutions Of four states, by positive in
junction, make it the duty of select men or spe-
ctnt Judges appointed for the purpose, to IRE
SIDE dt the elections; all the rest are silent on
TINS part of the subject, and leave it to the
wisdom OF their legislature 10 provide by law,
ny whom, and in Whist manner the elections
shall be conducted and doubtless the great
er part or all of these, profiing by the wofnl
experience oi Virginia, have excluded sherffs
from That OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is the fact
KNOW I'm several of them as New York, Penn
sylvana, Delaware and Maryland the consti-
tuition OF Virginia alone, expressly commits
tins supreme and delicate trust to the charg.
81 SherlBs or shcri1s' deputies. Here then
we have the collected wisdom and experience
ot nearly all the other states united against
Virginia both as to the mode of voting, and
by whom the elections shall be conducted
ms sweeping fact alone should be suilic ieni
To make her pause and reflect for a moment
whether she may not he in error when such "A
weigst OF opinion is against her. And if in
that medtatire mood she would cast her eve
over the constitution of Pennsylvania, there,
and there alone, of them all she will catch the
clue for this mode of voting, which doubtless
operated on all the rest in prescribing the same
mode, expressed in two brief lines, viz All
elections shall be by ballot, except those by
persons in their representative capacity, who
shall vote rfUr -oee." Can volumes point Out
more Clearly why The people in their sovereign
capacities should vote by ballot +? 1t protects
them in the independence of their opinions of
men and measures-it protects them in their
independence of little obligations and senti-
men's OF delicacy towards Il neighbour and
above all, when IA sheriff presidcs to receive
tnelr Dtcd rOce votes the bniiot would Drotect
their sufrages from the influence of petty ia
yours or rigours In the execution Of the pecu-
mary functions of his Office. But as SION as
d man Is required to proclaim his vote
10 the world, he has To consult thou
sand intcrests-he has to please father. bro
'her, neighbour, candidate, and NEST of
all, The sheriff, particularly if there he any
taxes IN arrear, executions pending and Other
such dreadful weapons held in ieiroren over
the mock freeman's head. And thus il is Inn
mat many men not having the firmness To Of
ishu SO many to please himself nor having
me accommodating conscience to sacrifice
his allegiance To his country, to the pleasure
of a sheriff, or 10 private obligations to others
sknIk away from the polls Of an election, and
leave the chief Representations of the state too
frequently 10 he .luggled off by a hardy mrdev
nl all unworthincss which is any thing else
but, u true representation even of the rec
holders, much less of the whole sovereign
people. Ii WI AT least comport with The cal
cuiailons OF the new political arithmetic tn
prove, that the sherilis have greater repre-
sena'lon IN the Virginia Legislature every wear
Than the people. And as they, Jointly with
the fraternity of yrrs, are pecuniuriIy in
'ercsted IN the multiplication of suits in ner-
picking the forms Of litigation, and embarrass.
ing tne scales OF justice, they well know what
| prescription OF men TO recommend TO the lucI,
less victims of their wrts and executions. II
IS not necessary To advert to facts Whether
| mere br, or be not, one, is not material TO the
ruptIon where there is temptation, and our
constitution afordns that temptation. win
me inevitable conclusion, make the svIInoier,
complete ; therefore there is no necessitv I'm
enquire for facts. The only real matter of
astonishment, is, that the corruption il nnt
more tlagrant, and the evils more oyervb.Iin-
ing; which prove that we have more honnr,hIe
men among our sheriffs than we have a ripIf
to expect. The fault is not theirs. il las at
The correctness Of this assertion will made NANTES,
F comparing lew pertinent passages The derIaran 80
Independence signed by delegation fo,n tls ,is.
original states, Rhode Island among The rest ss pr
Fence, indeed VIII dictate, that governments long esti.
ed should not be changed for slight ard transient ca
ard accordingly all eHperien hath sbewn thai
70 right themselves 10y aboshug the forms IN MI ,I
are accustomed Bur when tong iain of abuses and ,s
sign t9 reduce them un'er absolute de;potisn i bs,
righ, u IS their duty to 'sr0v esuch government and -
the patient sU6crance of these colonies and rb 4; @
lhc Reocssiiy which conSraus them ate, f6eiC f,
Zach state retains lis sOvererutv fredom and ,c.J,
dence and every power, Jurisdiction and rieht with j.
Congress assembiedn The eon;tut.cn ssvS-a NJ s,,
shall enter into frsn,y alliance or con fdsro,o ~
~, w ,pcoIppnilhiy "i ihe terms but what has Rhode
ls'anH done ~ conformity 20 these regulations and these
,V" has sue provided guides! las she altered
her JoTHer 1yeu''f ~ fine has fhrot ar, Ier al
ing zoe CHARTER of CHARLES 21d, Notwithstanding her
Signature " the above Instruments OF cnple,ler,f;, H.
gy Ot tn atr0oiD"s Inconsistency Of retaining her de
EF VI iht one ban while she enjoys the bcxehfs ol
eoydernffon on he other. She has not cbsnreJ n .,cic
rxpressi"n claiming her ioyoy the King ~ FrcanJ
The very caption Of that .tronepi rans thus Cisr
ut Rhode Island, granted by King Charles 2nd in the m
by the grace God &c 20 iii To- ,yIc, tbp y
coae efeeng Now know We that ,cs being WILLING Ia
encourage m hopeful undertaking sod iori sd
fov1s sayertfs &C., "A AUD for the better pxceu,fs